winding machine ideas/part suppliers

[SpareRibs]

Hello,
Would really appreciate information on building a winding
machine, and part suppliers. I have seen the sewing machine
conversions and such, I was thinking I would like to at least like
to build something more specific for the purpose. I have some
motors,also enough machine tools to do light fabrication.
I want to build different types of pickups, and try new ideas
Thank you in advance for any help you can offer

[John Carlsen]

You know, basically any way to attach the motor to a speed control and make it spin a drive shaft will work. It doesn't really need to look or function a particular way as long as it performs some key functions: 1) motor spins a drive shaft which has a bobbin faceplate, or two, just depends on your design. 2) you need to have some method of counting turns. and finally, you need to make sure that you have some way to control the speed of the motor. You can basically use any method you like to get there. People have used everything from a mini-lathe to a retrofitted sewing machine, to a sewing machine motor in a box or a cordless drill even. There is a lot of information on here already. Use the search function to figure out what will suite your needs best. More specific question on here work a lot better for us.

[marku52]

I can recommend 5/16 drill rod for shafting, then you can use skateboard ball bearings ($8 for 8 bearings!), then turn up a mounting plate for the coil holder. If you can find a DC motor, they are easy for speed control, just hook it up to a variable DC power supply. I found some pulleys and belts in an old bread machine.

for a counter, I used the optical disc out of an inkjet printer that had an index pulse, ran that into a red lion counter. Worked great. Getting a good tensioner has been more difficult. One poster here suggested using the little polishing discs that come in a dremel tool kit tensioned with a strat pickuup mounting screw with the threads protected with heat shrink. That works, but I lose my tension setting every time I have to rethread the wire through the tensioner....Ah, problems...

[copperheadroads]

Having your location posted under your user name others help you
but if you live in the states you should be able to get everything you need besides the counter & sensor
at McMaster-Carr