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My $25 winder

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  • My $25 winder

    Hello all,

    I've been lurking for quite a while and have learned a great deal from you all. I know the topic of 'sewing machine' winders has almost been beat to death, but I had to give it a try.

    Not only is this my first post, it's also my first winder. Call it a prototype. I got much of my inspiration from this forum, although the topic is discussed on other sites as well.

    I set out to build this winder for as little money as possible (keeps me out of trouble with the wife!). I started with a $3 sewing machine from the Goodwill store. I also bought a $3 set of roller blades at the same store and harvested the radial bearings for use on the winder shaft.

    True, it won't go backwards, but we all know that's a simple work-around. The speed control is a dimmer switch from Wallyworld.

    The counter was the most expensive component at about $12 from Ebay. Unfortunately, it has a zero-voltage trigger. I would have preferred to use an optical switch for the counter, but a reed switch will have to do the job. The way I mounted the reed switch seems to give me a reliable 1200-1300 rpm's.

    All other parts were harvested from the scrap pile in my shop.

    The next one will probably use a DC motor and optical switch for the counter, but for now I achieved the goal of building a super-low cost machine.

    There's a pic below. I also have a video. I'll post it soon.

    Cheers!

    Last edited by clevenger-guitars; 11-18-2008, 07:28 PM.
    “I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive.”

  • #2
    Follow up to $25 winder post

    Here's the video.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gtN-xqQBPY

    Cheers,

    BC
    “I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive.”

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi, cool, I saw this over at the TDPRI Too. I posted a comment about it there. Looks good man.....

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by madialex View Post
        Hi, cool, I saw this over at the TDPRI Too. I posted a comment about it there. Looks good man.....
        Thanks, I appreciate it. Your username is one i recognize from all the reading I've been doing on these two forums.

        I'm glad my first few replies have been complimentary. Sometimes people can get surly around here
        “I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive.”

        Comment


        • #5
          Very nice!

          My first thought was .. .."Ahh 1 inch MDF .. a guitar makers best friend". I go through sheets and sheets of the stuff!"

          I'm shopping for a counter currently too. You can see my winder a few posts down. Did you build this from Jason Lollars plans?

          b.

          Comment


          • #6
            A good counter is this one from Durant. It can count very fast if needed. It's probably the best bang for the buck.

            Pair it with a Proximity sensor similar to this one, and you have a nice bounce free high speed very accurate counter. If you are not familiar with Prox sensors they work by having something metallic pass by them. Alluminum works as well as ferrous metals.

            I have this setup and it works really well. The company I work for has some Prox sensors to get rid of. They would let them go for around $10 each. They all work. They came from an conveyor system that got pulled out. PM me if interested.

            You will need a small power supply like a 12vdc wall wart, or a battery. You may even be able to utilize an old cell phone charger thats lying around.
            Roadhouse Pickups

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by clevenger-guitars View Post
              Thanks, I appreciate it. Your username is one i recognize from all the reading I've been doing on these two forums.
              LOL all bad i'm sure

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by belwar View Post
                Very nice!

                My first thought was .. .."Ahh 1 inch MDF .. a guitar makers best friend". I go through sheets and sheets of the stuff!"

                I'm shopping for a counter currently too. You can see my winder a few posts down. Did you build this from Jason Lollars plans?

                b.
                Thanks. I never saw the Lollar plans, but discussion about them got me started shopping for a sewing machine.

                I'm mentally working on an automatic traverse, but I like the idea of scatterwinding, so I may never build the traverse.

                I got many of my ideas from this winder: http://users.isp.com/brad_anne/winder.htm
                Last edited by clevenger-guitars; 11-19-2008, 01:05 PM. Reason: added link
                “I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive.”

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Magnut View Post
                  A good counter is this one from Durant. It can count very fast if needed. It's probably the best bang for the buck.

                  Pair it with a Proximity sensor similar to this one, and you have a nice bounce free high speed very accurate counter. If you are not familiar with Prox sensors they work by having something metallic pass by them. Alluminum works as well as ferrous metals.

                  I have this setup and it works really well. The company I work for has some Prox sensors to get rid of. They would let them go for around $10 each. They all work. They came from an conveyor system that got pulled out. PM me if interested.

                  You will need a small power supply like a 12vdc wall wart, or a battery. You may even be able to utilize an old cell phone charger thats lying around.
                  Thanks. Those are great suggestions.

                  I used an Omron counter not so different from the one you suggested. Mine is capable of 1khz, so I'll never max it out (on purpose, anyway).

                  I may do several things different if/when I build another one. The point of this machine was to do it for less than $50. I lucked into the $3 sewing machine and roller blades.
                  “I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive.”

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by clevenger-guitars View Post
                    Hello all,

                    I've been lurking for quite a while and have learned a great deal from you all. I know the topic of 'sewing machine' winders has almost been beat to death, but I had to give it a try.

                    Not only is this my first post, it's also my first winder. Call it a prototype. I got much of my inspiration from this forum, although the topic is discussed on other sites as well.

                    I set out to build this winder for as little money as possible (keeps me out of trouble with the wife!). I started with a $3 sewing machine from the Goodwill store. I also bought a $3 set of roller blades at the same store and harvested the radial bearings for use on the winder shaft.

                    True, it won't go backwards, but we all know that's a simple work-around. The speed control is a dimmer switch from Wallyworld.

                    The counter was the most expensive component at about $12 from Ebay. Unfortunately, it has a zero-voltage trigger. I would have preferred to use an optical switch for the counter, but a reed switch will have to do the job. The way I mounted the reed switch seems to give me a reliable 1200-1300 rpm's.

                    All other parts were harvested from the scrap pile in my shop.

                    The next one will probably use a DC motor and optical switch for the counter, but for now I achieved the goal of building a super-low cost machine.

                    There's a pic below. I also have a video. I'll post it soon.

                    Cheers!


                    what's the model and place you purchased your counter? that is the one thing I'm having problems with right now...

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      $25 winder

                      Got the counter on Ebay. It's an Omron H7EC-N-B counter with a zero voltage trigger. There are scads of counters available for less than $30.

                      Cheers!


                      Originally posted by J-chot View Post
                      what's the model and place you purchased your counter? that is the one thing I'm having problems with right now...
                      “I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive.”

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Very cool winder AND video…you are the Scatterwind Kid. Loved the music!

                        Jim
                        =============================================

                        Keep Winding...Keep Playing!!!

                        Jim

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Hi Jim,

                          Thanks for the good word. I enjoy tinkering with stuff. May I invite you to visit my guitar builders resource site at:

                          http://www.clevengerguitars.com

                          and to look at my guitars by visiting

                          http://www.clevenger-guitars.com

                          If you have any tips & tricks for guitar builders, please contribute them to the first site I listed.

                          Best regards,

                          Bert

                          Originally posted by Jim Darr View Post
                          Very cool winder AND video…you are the Scatterwind Kid. Loved the music!

                          Jim
                          “I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive.”

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Thank you for the counter tip. I got an Omron H7EC-N-B counter for $11.99 on eBay, $5.50 shipping (what a rip).

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Hi, looks like you scored a couple of good deals on ebay! The line winder is quite similar (at least in principle) to the way I put my winder together.

                              Send some pics or post some vids on YouTube when you get it up and running.


                              BC

                              Originally posted by black70bird View Post
                              Thank you for the counter tip. I got an Omron H7EC-N-B counter for $11.99 on eBay, $5.50 shipping (what a rip).
                              “I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive.”

                              Comment

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