Recommendations for Winders for a Beginner

[big_teee]

it's the fine points of any coil winder that make it either worthy or not. i've built more than a few and i've had more than a few that others have built. there isn't a large buying audience for pickup coil winders, which is the prime problem why schatten offers theirs for too much money and gives ya too little a product - they have no competition in a niche market. there's no doubt to me that a commercial vendor could design, tool up and build a superb pickup winder for under $200, amd still make 100% profit.

If it is a good winder, there is not a lot of repeat business.
The Schatten has the StewMac thing going for them.
I don't know how they sell many anymore, their own reviews are bad on them.
I've wound more than I care to count on a Drill.
That's why I try to be non judge mental on winders.
Some guys wind them literally by hand, some use drills, and some think you have to have a CNC machine.
Just Whatever A guy can endure.
When I get to winding, I just want to get done!
Keep Rockin!
T

[SonnyW]

There is this one on ebay..

Coil audio Output transformer motor winding machine 2 | eBay

I haven't tried it, but it is from the same builder that made my CNC one, and the price is right. I am thinking that it might wind a bit fast though. It is hard to tell if it is reversible or not. It does have a slow start feature. I have had good luck with my CNC machine from toolsales (which is JLW) and it is built very ruggedly. The engrish manual was almost useless, but there was just enough information there for me to finally figure it out. I would like to try this one but out of cash for that kind of thing and happy enough with my homebuilt handwinder.

[Rob DiStefano]

it's good to be judgemental about coil winders. it's called "discrimination" and subjective to personal ideals.

schatten is the ONLY commercially recognized pickup coil winder available - and it's not their only offering, so they don't live and die by their winder. hooking up with stew-mac was their ticket to sales. stew-mac sells a LOT of useless and overpriced stuff, NOT everything but certainly more than a few things. too many folks think too much of stew-mac and company, and i've been dealing with them for well over a decade. some of the things they've offered is just plain wrong, let alone overpriced.

let's face the facts - yes, anyone can wind a pickup coil using a v/s electric hand drill, but that's for amateurs since it will take forever to build the coil and the only wayu to verify the coil is via a dcr check 'cause there's no counter. that's for kids and not for real "hobby" or "semi-pro" pickup winders. certainly the overpriced schatten will get the job done, but it's price tag and low rpm (how the heck anyone can wind pups at a slow and laborious 750rpm is beyond my patience) makes it a toy and not a tool for folks like me (and maybe you).

that pretty much relegates making yer own winder, or buying a homebrew, which is where most of us are at - at least after the demise of the sidewinder.

IF someone can offer a proper and cost effective counter system, that can be readily added to a lathe or whatever, that would be an excellent first step.

[Rob DiStefano]

already checked that out - 700rpm max - no thanx!

[big_teee]

There is this one on ebay..

Coil audio Output transformer motor winding machine 2 | eBay

I haven't tried it, but it is from the same builder that made my CNC one, and the price is right. I am thinking that it might wind a bit fast though. It is hard to tell if it is reversible or not. It does have a slow start feature. I have had good luck with my CNC machine from toolsales (which is JLW) and it is built very ruggedly. The engrish manual was almost useless, but there was just enough information there for me to finally figure it out. I would like to try this one but out of cash for that kind of thing and happy enough with my homebuilt handwinder.

I'm really surprised that there is not a cheap machine coming from China, or somewhere that fits that market.
Just looking at that one I see several limitations.
The short shafts, the plug under the shaft.
Several things don't look too handy.
BTW the word Engrish was a nice touch!
T

[SonnyW]

already checked that out - 700rpm max - no thanx!

Just curious how you got that rpm figure. The listing says 4 speeds from 2000 to 4200 rpm. If that's the motor speed not the spindle speed it would be easy enough to change the motor pulley.

Not trying to push this thing at all. There isn't much out there I agree.

[Stratz]

Just curious how you got that rpm figure. The listing says 4 speeds from 2000 to 4200 rpm. If that's the motor speed not the spindle speed it would be easy enough to change the motor pulley.

Not trying to push this thing at all. There isn't much out there I agree.

Sonny, the Schatten motor is so small and under powered I believe if one changed the ratio to speed it up it might not even start to spin up. The motor is pretty lame.

I built the winder I'm using now in '92 or '93. It's a basic wooden box style powered by a very old sewing machine motor, 1/2" main shaft, flanged radial bearings with twin 4.5"x 1"x1/2"x aluminum arms. It had to had two winding arms because I could never get used to Top Coming winding direction.
I started with a Veeder Root mechanical counter, upgraded that to a CUB4 and reed switch and finally upgraded to an optical counter which I gleeped from a dead Epson printer.

I don't think I have $100.00 (today's dollar) invested in it.
The thing works fantastic.
I also have a better feel with my left hand so I always wind CCW HB bobbins face in on the left arm TG.

I wouldn't sell it for $1000

[big_teee]

I wouldn't sell it for $1000

That's a shame!
I was going to offer $999!
Just Kidding.
T

[SonnyW]

Sonny, the Schatten motor is so small and under powered I believe if one changed the ratio to speed it up it might not even start to spin up. The motor is pretty lame.

I built the winder I'm using now in '92 or '93. It's a basic wooden box style powered by a very old sewing machine motor, 1/2" main shaft, flanged radial bearings with twin 4.5"x 1"x1/2"x aluminum arms. It had to had two winding arms because I could never get used to Top Coming winding direction.
I started with a Veeder Root mechanical counter, upgraded that to a CUB4 and reed switch and finally upgraded to an optical counter which I gleeped from a dead Epson printer.

I don't think I have $100.00 (today's dollar) invested in it.
The thing works fantastic.
I also have a better feel with my left hand so I always wind CCW HB bobbins face in on the left arm TG.

I wouldn't sell it for $1000

I built my own winder too, and it has a 1/3 hp motor from a flex shaft machine. You can see it on the shop tour page of my website. But I was talking about the JLW machine on ebay, not the Schatten. The machine on ebay has a 180W sewing machine motor on it same as your $1000 winder, and my mom's old heavy duty sewing machine I converted to a winder. 180 w is 1/4 hp which should be plenty since I think we are talking about reducing the speed not increasing it. I was just curious if Rob had some data on that machine that I hadn't seen. He said he had already looked at it.

By the way I can run my winder either direction, but I like to wind top coming. Instead of reversing the motor I just mount the bobbin on the other direction for RWRP etc.

[big_teee]

I built my own winder too, and it has a 1/3 hp motor from a flex shaft machine. You can see it on the shop tour page of my website. But I was talking about the JLW machine on ebay, not the Schatten. The machine on ebay has a 180W sewing machine motor on it same as your $1000 winder, and my mom's old heavy duty sewing machine I converted to a winder. 180 w is 1/4 hp which should be plenty since I think we are talking about reducing the speed not increasing it. I was just curious if Rob had some data on that machine that I hadn't seen. He said he had already looked at it.

By the way I can run my winder either direction, but I like to wind top coming. Instead of reversing the motor I just mount the bobbin on the other direction for RWRP etc.

I wind everything on the right arm top going(That is my Right facing the machine).
If I want to RWRP I flip the bobbin.
I made some spacers, that fit over the poles, for strat coils.
There is more than one way to skin that Pole Cat!
T

[Stratz]

I was talking about the JLW machine on ebay, not the Schatten.

Oops..... never mind

[Ward]

Right side top coming for me then for reverse I put it on the left side top coming. I prefer to think of it as bottom going, I hold the wire right up close to the bottom and no stops or guides, what a guy.

[Rob DiStefano]

Just curious how you got that rpm figure. The listing says 4 speeds from 2000 to 4200 rpm. If that's the motor speed not the spindle speed it would be easy enough to change the motor pulley.

Not trying to push this thing at all. There isn't much out there I agree.

you're right! BUT i did see that SAME machine previously listed at a max of 700rpm - can't find it now on ebay.

those are Very fast no-load rpms and they *should* certainly do quite nicely.

the bobbin plate would need a bit of modifying.

coil winders that aren't specific to the intended needs of our pickup use *might* mean issues or concerns.

however, this one might do the job - it's at least a bit of a gamble.

i sure wish someone would step up to the plate and offer a usa build pickup coil winder that makes sense.

[Rob DiStefano]

BETTER than the sidewinder .... the Thomas Winder

bought off ebay a week ago for less than $300/shipped, and it arrived this afternoon. i love my sidewinder, but this machine is simply better. the main tower is an extruded aluminum square, the base is aluminum w.rubber feet, the digital counter (with reset) goes at least to 5 digits and uses a photo-optic trigger for accuracy, the 12v dc motor has reverse and on/off switches and a speed pot. it has a faster no-load 1825rpm compared to the no-load 1250rpm on the sidewinder. the thomas is notably smoother and quieter, too. i wound up a tele bridge pup in 2/3rds the time it would have taken the sidewinder. the pic below was sent to me by the builder during its construction, and is not complete. i'll post some pics of my machine tomorrow. anyone interested in learning more about the excellent Thomas Winder can contact me directly - rob@frettech.com

[big_teee]

Rob:
Don't understand the 2 parallel bars.
I guess that is the stop bars?
How do you get you wire over and under while your winding.
I think I need more flexibility than that.
Maybe I'm not seeing the big picture.
T