Winder Spindle Shaft Assembly

[big_teee]

I want to start gathering parts for a winder.
I want to build a heavier winder similar to the schatten.
I want a main shaft assembly, with a left and right winding arm.
I found some 8mm shaft, pillow blocks and some collars to fit.
I was wondering what others make their shaft assembly out of and what size rod and bearings. Don't know where you get the pully that mounts on the shaft?
Any help and thoughts.
If the shaft assembly was built, I have a handle on a speed control, motor and power supply. That basically would leave pulleys, drive belt or O-ring. That would make the basic winder, Then the challange of the Counter.
All help appreciated.
Side note I don't want any CNC info right now, just basic manual winder parts.
Thanks,
Terry

[David King]

Terry,

I don't understand the left-arm, right-arm necessity unless you want to mount two different types of mounting discs simultaneously. Just flip the bobbins whichever way for the wind direction you need.

The counter is dead easy once you have the parts.

I used a 1/2" shaft but 8mm is fine if you can make all the mounting plates for that as easily. Pulleys are probably easier to make on the drill press with some Baltic birch ply on a mandrel using a chainsaw file to get the 1/2 round shape to fit the rubber 0 ring you are going to use for your belt. If you have access to a little lathe that would be best. I've been know to use a tablesaw to make pulleys with a 5/8" hole. Get some extra 8 mm collars and glue your mounting discs to those for quick change ability.

I can't imagine going back to a system that doesn't have a tailstock, it saves so much time when switching bobbins.

Lots of pros just wind directly on their drill press so consider that option too. A used Proxxon mini drill press would be perfect and would save you lots of time with construction.

Here's a much better deal if your coils will fit...
http://www.amazon.com/Drill-Press-Be.../dp/B001UOG4TG
It comes with speed control built right in and you can use the drill press function as your traverse.
Easy as pie...

[RedHouse]

I want to start gathering parts for a winder.
I want to build a heavier winder similar to the schatten.
I want a main shaft assembly, with a left and right winding arm.
I found some 8mm shaft, pillow blocks and some collars to fit.
I was wondering what others make their shaft assembly out of and what size rod and bearings. Don't know where you get the pully that mounts on the shaft?
Any help and thoughts.
If the shaft assembly was built, I have a handle on a speed control, motor and power supply. That basically would leave pulleys, drive belt or O-ring. That would make the basic winder, Then the challange of the Counter.
All help appreciated.
Side note I don't want any CNC info right now, just basic manual winder parts.
Thanks,
Terry

Terry, I use 3/8" stainless shaft and a custom bobbin face/holder. Don't bother trying to get it done with off-the-shelf pulleys and stuff, talk to Bruce Johnson, he's a good machinist and can hook you up with the parts you need. He's a good guy you'll like his work (and prices).

Once you have a decent pully/bobbin holder assembly you'll never look back, it's worth a couple extra bucks.

[David King]

Terry, after thinking about it i think the plywood isn't going to be as easy to machine with hand tools as a piece of lexan from Tap plastic's dollar bin. If you can't find Lexan then settle for cast acrylic sheet but be forewarned that it's very brittle by comparison.

If you want to do the drill press, I'd mount it on it's back like the ShopSmith so you don't get disoriented.

[Bruce Johnson]

Terry, if you want to build a decent machine, I can quote you on a kit of parts. It can include the spindle shaft, bearings, faceplate, pulleys, and whatever else you need. I normally make the spindle shaft from 1/2" dia 303 stainless (so it doesn't rust), machined as needed on the ends. For pulleys and belts, I like the 1/3" pitch XL timing belts and the plastic pulleys. They're all available from McMasters for cheap; not worth making up your own.

You can reach me at brucejohnson100......at....att......dot....net.

[David King]

If you're doing a lot of Fender rewinds, consider getting or making several faceplates with slots for the magnets to fit in. That way you can wind either direction on one arm. You'll want one slot at 3/16" and another at 5 mm wide for the .196" magnets. Round faceplates with polished edges are a lot less likely to catch your wire. Bruce is *really good* with these. I made mine from 1/2" birch ply which I soaked in CA and then sanded and buffed out. I use identical disks for the head and tailstock that are just a little wider than the length of the coil. That really helps speed up the mounting an un-mounting of bobbins. I also use a 1/16" centering pin that can retract if it isn't needed.

[big_teee]

If you're doing a lot of Fender rewinds, consider getting or making several faceplates with slots for the magnets to fit in. That way you can wind either direction on one arm. You'll want one slot at 3/16" and another at 5 mm wide for the .196" magnets. Round faceplates with polished edges are a lot less likely to catch your wire. Bruce is *really good* with these. I made mine from 1/2" birch ply which I soaked in CA and then sanded and buffed out. I use identical disks for the head and tailstock that are just a little wider than the length of the coil. That really helps speed up the mounting an un-mounting of bobbins. I also use a 1/16" centering pin that can retract if it isn't needed.

Sounds like you have it all figured out.
Still it looks to me if a guy is building a new winder, be just as easy to have a double ended spindle.
I'm going to see what Bruce can come up with.
Sounds like he's built a lot of these.
I may end up building it out of 8mm parts.
8mm seemed to be best price for all the parts, and is readily available.
I liked the idea of building the pulleys on the drill press, I think I could do that ok.
Thanks everyone for the help.
I'm still in the planning and figuring out stage.
No more pickups than I've been winding lately, I don't need what I've Got.
Later,
Terry

[RedHouse]

You don't need several baseplates, you just need a smarter one.

For example this one does Strat/Tele and 49/50/53mm Humbucker bobbins. The end of the shaft has a 2-56 threaded hole in it for doing the forbon bobbins. There are slotted recesses for the magnets/slugs. I have one of these on each end of the shaft and can wind bobbins in stacks so I do 3 Strat pickups at once (a RW/RP on the other end) and I'm currently building a live-follower to add to it's versatility.

In a thread a while back Bruce had something very similar.

[big_teee]

You don't need several baseplates, you just need a smarter one.

For example this one does Strat/Tele and 49/50/53mm Humbucker bobbins. The end of the shaft has a 2-56 threaded hole in it for doing the forbon bobbins. There are slotted recesses for the magnets/slugs. I have one of these on each end of the shaft and can wind bobbins in stacks so I do 3 Strat pickups at once (a RW/RP on the other end) and I'm currently building a live-follower to add to it's versatility.

In a thread a while back Bruce had something very similar.

Hey Brad:
I hate to over do my welcome, being as you have been sharing all this valuable knowledge with me, but!
Could you post a photo with a bobbin mounted on there?
That really looks neat, was that made by bruce?
I looked for that thread, and can't find the one where Bruce posted a picture.
Later, and thanks for sharing.
Terry

[RedHouse]

Hey Brad:
I hate to over do my welcome, being as you have been sharing all this valuable knowledge with me, but!
Could you post a photo with a bobbin mounted on there?
That really looks neat, was that made by bruce?
I looked for that thread, and can't find the one where Bruce posted a picture.
Later, and thanks for sharing.
Terry

Sorry Terry, no pics of my v3.0 winder, but it's much like the v2 winder with different bobbin flanges and base (and follower, and counter, and traverse controller etc).

When I posted the v2 stuff I had a lot of trouble with people selling plans and kits on eBay and Craigs List (and they didn't share a dime with me) so I decided no more whole-winder pics ever again.

Notwithstanding, you can get the idea by looking at the picture above of the bobbin flange/wheel and apply that to your own design.

[big_teee]

Sorry Terry, no pics of my v3.0 winder, but it's much like the v2 winder with different bobbin flanges and base (and follower, and counter, and traverse controller etc).

When I posted the v2 stuff I had a lot of trouble with people selling plans and kits on eBay and Craigs List (and they didn't share a dime with me) so I decided no more whole-winder pics ever again.

Notwithstanding, you can get the idea by looking at the picture above of the bobbin flange/wheel and apply that to your own design.

No Problem.
Just wanted to see the bobbin on the adapter.
I don't want anyones trade secrets.
The basic winder looks like a fairly basic devise.
I think for what I want to do it should be fairly cut and dried.
The CNC Auto Winder is another story.
Thanks again for what help you give,
Terry

[copperheadroads]

I will be building my new CNC winder in the spring , i got most of the parts now ,i will be contacting mr. Johnson for a faceplate soon
Terry what are you looking for something like this
Double-Ended Mandrels - Lee Valley Tools

[David King]

This shaft kit from Grizzly comes in 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" and 3/4" sizes.
H8023 3/8" Heavy-Duty Portable Shaft
The pulley is too small in dia. to do you any good on this end but would be fine on the motor shaft. The "A" size v belt is way overkill but easy to find belts and matching pulleys for.
Here's a 6" x 1/2" id pulley http://www.grizzly.com/products/G5436
check page 260 for all the transmission stuff. Unfortunately it's all cast iron so you'll get a lot of angular momentum going. That might be ok but I figure a lighter spindle is less likely to snap your wire if there's a snag. That's probably a mute point unless you get a lot of defective spools of wire.

[RedHouse]

Both the Lee Valley and Grizzly options are too generic really.

You'll find with the Lee Valey shaft the threadded end quickly rules out many bobbin flange options and the Grizzly option doesn't allow access to the center area of the shaft so for example you won't be able to do a PTO for a sync'ed traverse if you wanted to.

If this is one's first winder then sure, build with whatever off-the-shelf stuff you can get and move on to the winding process, but after your first winder isn't it time to get things going-on to better serve the process of making musical instrument pickups? get the machine to work for you instead of being a work-around?

Just my 2¢ worth.

[big_teee]

The grizzly stuff looks way over kill.
I'm wanting to use small dc motors.
I was wanting to keep it small but sturdy.
Here's more the size I had in mind.
8mm Linear Motion Systems:Ceramic,Miniature Ball Bearings
You'll notice the pillow blocks, the hardened shaft.
You can buy in other sizes, but 8mm had more options, and best cost factor.
I can get collars from other sources.
I liked davids idea of the lexan pulleys, or adapt something from McMasters.
Terry