Tensioners (again)

[dpm]

So what's everyone using for wire tensioning these days? I'm looking for a simple solution, either something I can whip up myself relatively quickly or something I could buy without spending more than a couple of hundred dollars. Thoughts?

[kayakerca]

So what's everyone using for wire tensioning these days? I'm looking for a simple solution, either something I can whip up myself relatively quickly or something I could buy without spending more than a couple of hundred dollars. Thoughts?

Heavy felt pads for piano hammers. Very inexpensive.



I use this to calibrate the tensions prior to each wind.

[dpm]

Heavy felt pads for piano hammers. Very inexpensive.

Awesome. I tried felt before but I think I was using the wrong type, and definitely the wrong thickness.

That traverse/feed looks very similar to what I've been dreaming up. How are you controlling the stepper? I've been looking at an Arduino based system.

[kayakerca]

Awesome. I tried felt before but I think I was using the wrong type, and definitely the wrong thickness.

That traverse/feed looks very similar to what I've been dreaming up. How are you controlling the stepper? I've been looking at an Arduino based system.

I used Phidgets controllers for both the winder and the traverser stepper motors. I needed more of the "plug & play" type hardware to compensate for the fact I have no skills in the coding/engineering end of things. Here is how the rig looks when winding.

CNC Winder based on Phidgets controllers

Very happy with how it all turned out.

[John_H]

I've only recently began experimenting with this. I'm using self adhesive felt pads, and adjusting them with a small C-clamp. These seem to work pretty well.

[David Schwab]

I'm currently using my fingers lol That will change soon...

[John_H]

I'm currently using my fingers lol That will change soon...

I'm going to add one to my old winder, and maybe a dancer as well. It will be much easier to just hand guide between the limiters, and let the tension take care of itself.

[David Schwab]

I'm going to add one to my old winder, and maybe a dancer as well. It will be much easier to just hand guide between the limiters, and let the tension take care of itself.

Well that's what I'm doing. I can gauge my tension and speed by how hot the wire gets! lol When it's just about uncomfortable I'm doing it right.

Currently I wind a coil in about 7 minutes.

I'll be starting on my CNC winder soon (I hope).

[big_teee]

Well that's what I'm doing. I can gauge my tension and speed by how hot the wire gets! lol When it's just about uncomfortable I'm doing it right.

Currently I wind a coil in about 7 minutes.

I'll be starting on my CNC winder soon (I hope).

That is really pretty fast.
Seems like I can Jack around for 15 to 20 minutes on one sometimes.
But, I'm never in any hurry.
T

[David Schwab]

That is really pretty fast.
Seems like I can Jack around for 15 to 20 minutes on one sometimes.
But, I'm never in any hurry.
T

I like to work where it takes 10 minutes from the time I get the bobbin on the winder, and then off into the wax. Then I leave it in the wax for 10 minutes, so I have a nice flow going. One's winding while the other is potting.

Now if I can get a CNC (or two) running I won't have to sit there for that 10 minutes and can be doing something else, like assembling pickups.

For me it's all about multitasking and finding quicker ways to do things.

[dpm]

I'm just using fingers too, David, working to about the same speed as you. Really, the main reason I want to automate the traverse is to save my back. For the low number of coils I wind the time saving isn't much of an issue, it's the posture.

I used Phidgets controllers for both the winder and the traverser stepper motors. I needed more of the "plug & play" type hardware to compensate for the fact I have no skills in the coding/engineering end of things. Here is how the rig looks when winding.

CNC Winder based on Phidgets controllers

Very happy with how it all turned out.

Very cool. Is that a visual basic interface? How difficult was it to get the software side up and running? I was looking at the Phidgets, then some similar specific stepper boards, then looked again at Arduino and found the AccelStepper library which looks ideal for that environment.

[kayakerca]

Very cool. Is that a visual basic interface? How difficult was it to get the software side up and running? I was looking at the Phidgets, then some similar specific stepper boards, then looked again at Arduino and found the AccelStepper library which looks ideal for that environment.

Visual Basic .NET

Getting the controllers to "run" with the Phidgets sample program was very easy. Writing the application was a little more challenging as I am not an engineer or coder. I bought a book, asked a handful of questions, and learned enough coding to write the app and get it to run the way I wanted it to run. But for that reason, I guess I'd have to say it would be REAL easy for anyone with those skills. The command set from the Phidgets dll for the controllers is very high level and therefore very much "plug 'n play".

[dpm]

Excellent, I'll keep looking into it. Seems if I'm just doing a traverse then Arduino would be simple enough to set up with hardware control. PC control would be ideal for doing the winder part too but I'm not sure I'd go that far just yet as my winder works fine. On the other hand it might be best to keep the current winder as is and make something entirely new without needing to get it working quickly.

[David Schwab]

Really, the main reason I want to automate the traverse is to save my back. For the low number of coils I wind the time saving isn't much of an issue, it's the posture.

Oh I hear you there! I try to sit upright, but it does get tiring after a while. And sometimes it hurts. That's the problem with being in your 50s...

[dpm]

That's the problem with being in your 50s...

Man, I'm only in my 30's

Thinking about cymbal felts for this btw