I never seem to have the inductor values I want, and more than once I have thought about getting an inductor winder and doing it myself. Of course, that isn't so cheap, but....I just noticed an electronic coil winder on Ebay that would probably work with minor modifications and the addition of a tensioner.
ebay special coil winder
I was thinking that I could even get an old toaster oven and bake these coils with varnish to reduce problems from vibrations. This is a common practice in just about every coil winding I've ever seen other than crossover inductors. The only exception are a few from Solen and Mundorf, not sure I've seen others. Masonite and dowels would make good formers, that way I could ensure a proper sized diameter and width.
What do you guys think, am I being silly. Will I never get the value of this back? There is no doubt that winding my own would be cheaper. Plus I could make them using larger gauge wire than is generally available. I think I'm trying to talk myself into it and hoping someone will talk me out of it.
ebay special coil winder
I was thinking that I could even get an old toaster oven and bake these coils with varnish to reduce problems from vibrations. This is a common practice in just about every coil winding I've ever seen other than crossover inductors. The only exception are a few from Solen and Mundorf, not sure I've seen others. Masonite and dowels would make good formers, that way I could ensure a proper sized diameter and width.
What do you guys think, am I being silly. Will I never get the value of this back? There is no doubt that winding my own would be cheaper. Plus I could make them using larger gauge wire than is generally available. I think I'm trying to talk myself into it and hoping someone will talk me out of it.
I wonder if this could be used with copper foil as well, so I could make my own CFAC inductors. I actually am not sure where I can even get the copper foil and insulated sheathing I would need, but I'm sure its possible.
How about silver magnet wire? I know thats pretty silly, but I have no doubt that silver wire has a different sound than copper, plus it does have slightly lower resistance, so what about inductors wound with silver wire.
I know there is some CCC magnet wire, but I'm not sure if I can get it in larger gauges. None the less, that would also be interesting.
Anyone know where you can get the plastic bobbins, transformer cores, and/or C-cores? All of this would be helpful in starting to make new inductors.
How about silver magnet wire? I know thats pretty silly, but I have no doubt that silver wire has a different sound than copper, plus it does have slightly lower resistance, so what about inductors wound with silver wire.
I know there is some CCC magnet wire, but I'm not sure if I can get it in larger gauges. None the less, that would also be interesting.
Anyone know where you can get the plastic bobbins, transformer cores, and/or C-cores? All of this would be helpful in starting to make new inductors.
For $183 you are better off making your own winder - lots of options in speaker builder magazine. All you need is a drill and a turns counter.
You would need to make hundreds of coils to even begin to make back your investment. I looked at how much is saved in making vs. buying and at the time it was maybe 5-10% - and you may lose money unless you buy very large quantities of wire.
You would need to make hundreds of coils to even begin to make back your investment. I looked at how much is saved in making vs. buying and at the time it was maybe 5-10% - and you may lose money unless you buy very large quantities of wire.
I have a small lathe, but IMO power winding of coils is dangerous and I'd rather do it by hand. Thus, my coil winder is basically a lump of Delrin, with a couple bearings stuck in each end. A shaft goes through, with a crank on one end, and a Jacobs chuck on the other. Wood would work as well. I make up arbors for whatever I want to do, say for the little Nylon bobbins for pot cores, or to carry a wood dowel and Masonite end plates for speaker inductors. I also stuck a turns counter on the thing- try to get one that moves continuously forward and backwards, not a "clicker" type, as that allows you to wind and unwind without losing position. Tension is applied by hand, holding the wire in a small piece of cloth or paper towel. The only thing that would be nice to have is a mechanism to wind the patterns used for RF coils, but that's not my major use. I also added a small swing-out piece of aluminum to the base, with a bunch of parallel grooves. This is used to support the wire ends for scraping, since I do inductance measurements in-situ.
I know I should just DIY it, but I'm really thinking that I would rather spend 180 dollars than go through all that effort to make one. What can I say, I'm a lazy DIYer sometimes. I could probably put together a hand crank method to get started and see if I even want to bother. It seems the hardest part of a hand crank method is going to be the counter. Where do you get these anyway, the counters that is?
I'm sure there are lots, but the best known is Veeder Root. Look for the models that list "drive shaft" for the input-
Veeder Root Counters
Veeder Root Counters
Build one. Took me about 2 hours plus waiting time for epoxy glue to harden. I picked up a counter from a surplus store for 5 bucks. The rest was along bolt, scrap aluminium plus a car door handle. Its easy. Does not need to be pretty.
The counter was an electric switch type run off a battery, trigged by a cam and switch off the shaft. Formers are scrap wood made to requirement.
I've wound both mains transformers and air coiled crossover coils. I suggest you use fibreglass tape for insulation for these.
Varnish impregnation not necessary unless making output transformers.
I'll try to sketch it and post later.
The counter was an electric switch type run off a battery, trigged by a cam and switch off the shaft. Formers are scrap wood made to requirement.
I've wound both mains transformers and air coiled crossover coils. I suggest you use fibreglass tape for insulation for these.
Varnish impregnation not necessary unless making output transformers.
I'll try to sketch it and post later.
I have to agree here, you would need to make a lot of coils to make it worth your while. I used to wind quite a few coils at a speaker shop I worked at on a machine probably 50 years old. It can be a biach to keep the tension the same from coil to coil and getting the same resistance on each. I would buy them for my own speakers if thats any indicator of the QC issues I found.
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