How fast do you set your winder?

[corduroyew]

I guess I'm wondering how fast I can go and what you guys think works best. For about the last 3 months I've been winding 42awg wire using a lathe set at 450rpm. That is 4 times faster than want I was using before and I actually find it to be easier to see the bobbin spinning and see where the wire is going. I break less wire too.

So I want to know is what speed is most comfortable for you? at what point does a greater winding speed make it more difficult for you?

[Norcal_GIT_r]

I dont know for sure, but I think my fastest is around 1000rpm. I can go faster, but when I get going too fast my counter misses. Also like you said, too fast and it's hard to control and see the wire.

[WolfeMacleod]

Right now, 2500 RPM.

I can set it to 16,000 RPM, but things get a little too sloppy at speeds above 5000 rpm..

[Possum]

average

450 is pretty low, I think the average sewing machine motors are around 1200 rpm or so, so generally most hobby guys are winding around 1000rpm I bet. You have to remember that when you increase your wind speed to compensate your traverse speed; meaning that faster you wind the faster you have to move your hand or wire guide back and forth to get the same effect....

[Spence]

Why the need for speed? Is the winding the longest part of the operation for you guys? I wind at around 250rpm using a sewing machine motor. Doesn't take that long to wind a pickup. Takes longer to do everything else so winding speed just doesn't worry me.

[R Walker]

drill press is set around 1200 rpm I think. The Tanac is 2200-2300rpm.

[mick]

I wind at about 450 - 500rpm '
I haven't tried to go faster , I'm happy with where I'm at .
Mick

[David Schwab]

The specs for my winder say it goes up to 745 RPM... I wind with the speed at about halfway.

[WolfeMacleod]

Why the need for speed? Is the winding the longest part of the operation for you guys? I wind at around 250rpm using a sewing machine motor. Doesn't take that long to wind a pickup. Takes longer to do everything else so winding speed just doesn't worry me.

Assembly of a humbucker takes three minutes to lead and tape each coil, and seven minutes to do the rest of the assembly. ~ 13 minutes...about the same time it takes me to wind two coils...
Why the need for speed? When you're doing productiuon stuff, you can't go slow...I have a stack of orders here an inch thick, I'm buried in work.

[Spence]

Assembly of a humbucker takes three minutes to lead and tape each coil, and seven minutes to do the rest of the assembly. ~ 13 minutes...about the same time it takes me to wind two coils...
Why the need for speed? When you're doing productiuon stuff, you can't go slow...I have a stack of orders here an inch thick, I'm buried in work.

Glad to hear you have so much work. I also do production work. Guess I'm just efficient with my operation.

[WolfeMacleod]

Glad to hear you have so much work. I also do production work. Guess I'm just efficient with my operation.

If you've got it down to a lower time, I'd like to know how
Efficiency is not one of my strong points.

[Spence]

I can wind at 3,000rpm straight or gear up to almost anything you like. I prefer not to for reasons you'll be familiar with. Instead I just get organized on everything else. The whole picture is more important than one component of it when you're on an efficiency drive.

[NightWinder]

Nicely said Spence

[David Schwab]

Assembly of a humbucker takes three minutes to lead and tape each coil, and seven minutes to do the rest of the assembly. ~ 13 minutes...about the same time it takes me to wind two coils...
Why the need for speed? When you're doing productiuon stuff, you can't go slow...I have a stack of orders here an inch thick, I'm buried in work.

I find winding is much faster than assembling the pickup. Especially PAF types. It's those damn hookup wires! I've broken more coils than I want to admit to... and it's always the start of the coil!

That's probably why I don't like making PAF's...

[NightWinder]

Wow, what a tricky thread! I guess it would depend on what school of thought you were taught. I generally notice a tention increase with higher speeds, and the general less scatter. Funny, scattering does;'nt need to be as wide as some think. I generally like 1600rpm for the contemporary designs. I still slow down the winder after a few thousand turns for a thousand at 750, and then to 1200 for 1500 and then back to 1600 for the last wraps (Tighter Tension). THiis helps vary the patterns. I like Chaos!!
By no means are anything rules,, just one's viewpoints and experiences. THats what makes us all different, and why our products are different from one anothers. You can COPY any design you want, but at the end,,,,,,, It will still sound like you!!!! How sweet is that Man~~~~