Hotspots

They were simple to understand and the message was clear (even if sometimes a tad factually inaccurate). I never understood if you were meant to have a tin of white emulsion handy and the door already off its hinges. To be honest, not being a fan of DIY, if I hear those warnings now I’m running out and towards the target as fast as possible.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good den but the idea of trying to construct one to withstand the detonation of a bomb in the space of five minutes is really going to push my patience to the limits. I would love to meet a person who grew up in a home where a parent had followed all of the Protect & Survive advice.

I wish the government had done a ‘Beginning with genny atomisers’ film though. Forget atom bombs, trying to coil my first genny filled me with dread and, like trying to follow the Protect & Survive guidance, always proved to be an utter waste of time.

Youtube is littered with instructional videos and forums are packed full of advice on how to coil a wick – but it’s invariably contradictory, albeit well meaning. The thing I find with Youtube is that most of the videos appear to have been made by hyperactive descendents of Barrymore’s contestants.

My chosen course of action after weeks of failed attempts was to do exactly the same as my Dad had done to protect us from fallout: nothing. The T2 went into a drawer and stayed there for another month. The reason, I discovered, that there are so many different pieces of advice is the wide array of coiling techniques available. If you are reading this at the start of your genny journey you’ll be nodding like a dog in the back of a 70’s Ford Capri.

The thing is, and this is the important bit, there is no correct way to do it. Despite being averse to DIY I’ve grown fond of attempting different set-ups. Practising the variety on offer will inevitably bring you to one that works for you.

With me it was brushing a cotton wool ball on the head of the mesh wick before coiling, even if the video was made by one of the world’s most annoying men. Like a thermonuclear flash, I lit up and vaped like I’d never vaped before.

It, like the Protect & Survive advice, has now been consigned to the history books as I’ve moved on to pulsing techiques with 400-grade mesh, coils and microcoils. It’s what works for me. Try out different coiling techniques; use the variety Kanthal packs on sale on this site (both ribbon and wire). Try mesh, silica, Voodoowool and steel rod but don’t worry if it doesn’t work first time around, eventually you’ll get the knack.

Before long you’ll be wicking without a second thought and wondering what the worry was about. Then you’ll just have to worry which atty to buy.

Tips:

• Don’t make the coil too tight or too loose.
• Try to make the top of the coil close to the centre post.
• Preheating wire helps it to maintain its shape when coiling.
• In the event of a nuclear attack ensure you have enough precharged batteries and vaping supplies in your shelter.