Leo Fenders pickup winder

[Sam Lee Guy]

Here photo of one of Leo Fenders pickup winders

http://www.guitarstop.com/tour/John%20and%20abigail.jpg

[belwar]

Ha! very creative.

Speaking of Abigale... I was really impressed with the respect they showed her when she visisted seymour duncan. Apartently she had always wanted to visit there. From what someone told me was that she was just expecting a factory tour, but instead she was treated Royalty including winding pickups with Seymour.. ok, so she had to work on vacation, but I thought it was a cool story none the less.

[JGundry]

I didn't look at the video. Is that like this one?

More or less that is the same winder but the Fender winder is minus the tailstock.

[ShannonH]

agreed

The winder I have is mechanically OK, but the motor is a bit underpowered and the speed control is defective and stopped working. The top speed is too slow.

Until I get my new winder made I've been powering mine with a variable speed Dewalt hand drill! That works much better.

It's really not much more than an axle with some bearings and a counter. So in that aspect it's not much different than the old Fender winder.

I'm not as patient as some, so i bought one. It is a bit pricey, but I was new, so lesson learned. However, I can wind coils on it tight enough to bow bobbins and flatwork. The problem is when you want to wind fast you have to wind loose, and if you want to wind tight, you have to go slow. The style in the picture above is what I'll be making this summer.

Peace

[David King]

Shannon,
If you are going to the trouble of building your own why not check out the CNC winder a couple of us are doing? Total cost is less than a new Schatten and the benefits would seem insurmountable from a production standpoint. Perhaps you are all about simplicity and that's perfectly understandable. I'll be selling off my current winder as soon as the new one is up and running.

[David Schwab]

What David said! I'll be fixing and selling my Schatten after I make my CNC winder.

In the interim do what I did. Remove the left platen and chuck a variable speed hand drill on the shaft. I have it supported on some empty yogurt cups! It was supposed to be temporary until I got a new motor (and I did, and that wasn't the problem), but it works so well I just left it.

You can wind much faster and have plenty of torque, unlike the original motor. You wont be stopping this one when you squeeze tight on the wire! I've wound a slew of pickups this way, and a lot faster too.

I removed the belt from the old motor, and the counter continues to work, since it's mounted to the main shaft.

The only down side if your left hand will get tired from squeezing the trigger on the drill. Something can be rigged up of course, and I've even seen a pedal control set up, but I wasn't planning on leaving it this way.

Alternately, replace the underpowered motor and speed control with a sewing machine motor and speed pedal.

[LtKojak]

I'll be selling off my current winder as soon as the new one is up and running.

I were you, I'd wait until I see the reliabity of the device... the idea is great, though. Let's see if the realization is as good as the idea.

[David Schwab]

I were you, I'd wait until I see the reliabity of the device... the idea is great, though. Let's see if the realization is as good as the idea.

I think that goes without saying. I'd also like to make up a second brain to have as a spare.

But I'm excited about building mine. Now I just have to find the time.

I keep thinking about the time it will free up.. as one coil is winding I can start getting the next one ready!