1] Use clockwise-twisted cable of two or more strands (so far my preference is two) instead of single strands. Use a drill for this. I have to tape the ends together with a piece of duct tape so they will stay in the chuck. The midpoint of the wire I drape around a stationary object like a cupboard knob.
Warning! It is very difficult to make an aikido coil neatly out of such cable of any thickness! I tend to go with very heavy single-strand for this type of coil.

2] Thickness; a thicker wire seems to always make a more powerful coil.
When making difficult coils with 6awg or fatter wire, I find it necessary to anneal the wire first, to soften it. This may not be practicable for everyone. One could probably do this with a propane torch. Ideally, one would have access to a wood-fired brick oven. After burning the wood down to coals, throw on the rolled-up wire. Leave overnight. Another way is to build a big fire in a fireplace or fire-pit, and do the same thing. The copper will become dark. I use a steel pot-scrubber and hard work to clean it up a bit, but copper-cleaner would probably work fine.

3] Cattize any SBB-type coils. (Bend them into a dome or cone shape.)

4] For any of the double-helix-type coils (SBB, catmagnet, loohan) make the center S rather large, and wrap the rest of the wire kind of snugly around it.

5] Length: I prefer to measure only the finished twisted cable; it stays fairly straight and is easier to measure. I happen to have some scraps of oak molding with a groove running lengthwise, into which the cable seats nicely. I have the molding marked off into various lengths, including mid-points and, for loohan coils, 1/4 points. I use a "Sharpie" marker to mark the inner points on the cable.
So far I prefer Bruce Stenulson's suggested lengths of 13.325" and multiples thereof.
Also, wanting an intermediate length between 13.325 and 26.65, I have found that 17" seems to be energetically significant. I can take a length of straight wire and run my thumb and forefinger along it and tell pretty closely where 17" is by the energy feel. Better yet, go a few inches more and use Slim's length of 523mm.

6] If space permits, connect two or more SBB-type coils at the centers with thinner wire, preferably twisted. Leave room in between them. Or use thicker wire, twisted, and separate the ends a bit, and re-crimp them around the S centers. (I have even been known to add a little Big Secret coil around the thicker center wire.) Do the same with a double-terminated loohan coil.

7] Beads: copper beads are expensive and a bit of a hassle, but I sometimes use them.

8] Neatness counts. For cat and loohan coils, see specific advice on my neatness and cat coils page

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