Working on a new winder. . .

[rhgwynn]

Are you potentially going to end up with coils that are very uneven coil as random is just that, not even? When someone "hand guides" a wind, they are going to consciously fill in the lower turn areas of the wind to even it up before completion.

Is the pattern going to be "recordable/reproducible" such that if you hit on a wind with a tone you really like, you can reproduce it?

Great questions; I REALLY like where this project is going A LOT. Affordable, easy to build, Love It.

-Rob

[kayakerca]

Great questions; I REALLY like where this project is going A LOT. Affordable, easy to build, Love It.

-Rob

To be honest Rob, this is not an inexpensive project. If you buy a motor like Steve is using, it is $450 for the motor (new) and 2 controllers, one at $70 and one at $95 dollars, plus power supplies. If you use 2 motors like I am working on, you can cut the motor cost by ~ $200. So, you are looking at $450 - $650 range before you deal with the brackets and such. This is all about the love of the game.

[Chris Turner]

To be honest Rob, this is not an inexpensive project. If you buy a motor like Steve is using, it is $450 for the motor (new) and 2 controllers, one at $70 and one at $95 dollars, plus power supplies. If you use 2 motors like I am working on, you can cut the motor cost by ~ $200. So, you are looking at $450 - $650 range before you deal with the brackets and such. This is all about the love of the game.

You could probably cut costs even more by swapping the linear actuator with a stepper/acme threaded rod setup. Of course, that would mean changes to the code as well.

[kayakerca]

You could probably cut costs even more by swapping the linear actuator with a stepper/acme threaded rod setup. Of course, that would mean changes to the code as well.

Like this one? Cost $25 (new) on ebay (about $200 new from the manufacturer).



No nearly as cool as the captive linear actuator and a LOT of backlash in the nut.

[Chris Turner]

Like this one? Cost $25 (new) on ebay (about $200 new from the manufacturer).

[ATTACH=CONFIG]22010[/ATTACH]

No nearly as cool as the captive linear actuator and a LOT of backlash in the nut.

Ha! Yeah, not nearly as cool.

However, I was even thinking along the lines of doing what this guy has done: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_Cd_5zTt9w


Not sure how good that would be in practice, but...

[kayakerca]

Ha! Yeah, not nearly as cool.

However, I was even thinking along the lines of doing what this guy has done: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_Cd_5zTt9w


Not sure how good that would be in practice, but...

That's kinda neat. You're right though, I'm not sure how well it would work. Someone just needs to try it I guess.

I'm surprised more people aren't using a computer to run an app to do the winding like I'm in the process of doing. Or maybe they are and they just kinda keep to themselves about their winders. You can create a very clean interface that only required a couple of mouse clicks to start a wind. You don't have to use the expensive captive linear actuator motors like I ordered. With the computer, you don't have to use mechanical switches to tell you when it is time to change directions on a traverse and you can just type in the bobbin height and tpl to wind and the wind turns and the winder speed and, and, and. . . Most people have a computer that is running at least XP with a USB port. I'm no coder. What I did was buy a Introduction to Visual Basic book to learn some bare bones coding and with a little help from Steve in answer to a handful of "what did I do wrong" questions, it was doable. As I look over how I will mount the pieces, I'm thinking that if I really wanted to, I could get it all on a board about the size of a regular "old school" mouse pad, which means you could wind right beside your computer anyway.

I won't have my traverser motor until mid March by the looks of things, which is a real drag as I'm about ready to start layout and assembly.



You can see that you could fit it reasonable well on a mouse pad sized base.

Of course and as I've said in the past, this project will no doubt blow up on me at some point in the process.

[Chris Turner]

That's kinda neat. You're right though, I'm not sure how well it would work. Someone just needs to try it I guess.

I'm surprised more people aren't using a computer to run an app to do the winding like I'm in the process of doing. Or maybe they are and they just kinda keep to themselves about their winders. You can create a very clean interface that only required a couple of mouse clicks to start a wind. And you don't have to use the expensive motors and you don't have to use mechanical switches to tell you when it is time to change directions on a traverse and you can just dictate the bobbin height and tpl to wind and the wind turns, and, and, and. . . Most people have a computer that is running at least XP with a USB port. As I look over how I will mount the pieces, I'm thinking that if I really wanted to, I could get it all on a board about the size of a regular "old school" mouse pad, which means you could wind right beside your computer anyway.

I won't have my traverser motor until mid March by the looks of things, which is a real drag as I' am ready to start assembly.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]22012[/ATTACH]

You can see that you could fit it reasonable well on a mouse pad sized base.

On the plain stepper motor (not the lead screw one), how did you mount the bobbin platen to the shaft?

It looks like you've got a set screw shaft collar on there...?

[kayakerca]

I bought the universal mounting hub that is specifically sized for that motor.

Pololu Universal Aluminum 5mm Mounting Hub (4-40) - RobotShop

It is a perfect (snug) fit!



Then the mounting plate above screws into that universal mounting hub.

[Chris Turner]

I bought the universal mounting hub that is specifically sized for that motor.

Pololu Universal Aluminum 5mm Mounting Hub (4-40) - RobotShop

It is a perfect (snug) fit!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]22014[/ATTACH]

Then the mounting plate above screws into that universal mounting hub.

Awesome!

In case anyone else is following this thread with the hopes of building something similar (like me ), and you live in the US and wanna save shipping on this mounting hub, here you go: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10006

[Lyrebird Steve]

Are you potentially going to end up with coils that are very uneven coil as random is just that, not even? When someone "hand guides" a wind, they are going to consciously fill in the lower turn areas of the wind to even it up before completion.

The 100 TPL pattern fills about 7% of the space with about 93% "air" .... so yes its possible that randomly a single layer has some uneveness. Its possible that all 75 layers exhibit this. My code allows you to set a min distance between windings on the bobbin. By increasing this you decrease possibilities of "clumping".

Remember though that its always traversing edge to edge. I guess we have to do a few runs and see

Is the pattern going to be "recordable/reproducible" such that if you hit on a wind with a tone you really like, you can reproduce it?

Yes: all patterns can be saved and re-used. In fact I'm building the Wind Pattern designer so we can design and visualize the patterns. Gives lots more flexibility.

Some options include being able to set each layer with a specific TPL ... eg 5 layers of 100 TPL followed by 5 layers of 85 TPL

Permutations unlimited

[Chris Turner]

The 100 TPL pattern fills about 7% of the space with about 93% "air" .... so yes its possible that randomly a single layer has some uneveness. Its possible that all 75 layers exhibit this. My code allows you to set a min distance between windings on the bobbin. By increasing this you decrease possibilities of "clumping".

Remember though that its always traversing edge to edge. I guess we have to do a few runs and see



Yes: all patterns can be saved and re-used. In fact I'm building the Wind Pattern designer so we can design and visualize the patterns. Gives lots more flexibility.

Some options include being able to set each layer with a specific TPL ... eg 5 layers of 100 TPL followed by 5 layers of 85 TPL

Permutations unlimited

Will you be posting the code for this?

If not, I completely understand, but if so, I can probably port this and the winder code that Jim is using over to Actionscript. Both for my own use, and in case anyone wants to use these interfaces on Linux or Mac, too.

[big_teee]

Will you be posting the code for this?

If not, I completely understand, but if so, I can probably port this and the winder code that Jim is using over to Actionscript. Both for my own use, and in case anyone wants to use these interfaces on Linux or Mac, too.

I Love Open Source!
Keep it free, that would be Great!
I am Windoz Free, running Linux Mint 14!
T

[Lyrebird Steve]

Will you be posting the code for this? .

Seems only fair given the amount I've gained fromthe others who share on this forum

The software Jim and I have written is in VB .NET specifically for the Phidgets controller boards. I'm in the process of removing all of the "hard-coded" components out to a CONFIG.INI type file that will allow for customizing the basic app to individual setups for those that cannot or don't want to code.

The winding patterns will be loaded from a similar .INI type file. I will also build an app to assist in designing of wind patterns and saving to file.

I Love Open Source!
Keep it free, that would be Great!

Would be free for non-commercial applications (ie .. not on-selling the controller software)

Would love to see free exchange of Winding Pattern files one day

[Chris Turner]

Seems only fair given the amount I've gained fromthe others who share on this forum

The software Jim and I have written is in VB .NET specifically for the Phidgets controller boards. I'm in the process of removing all of the "hard-coded" components out to a CONFIG.INI type file that will allow for customizing the basic app to individual setups for those that cannot or don't want to code.

The winding patterns will be loaded from a similar .INI type file. I will also build an app to assist in designing of wind patterns and saving to file.

Very cool! Yeah, I'd be using the Actionscript API that Phidgets provides, and using the .INI file approach would work just fine in that environment, too.

Would be free for non-commercial applications (ie .. not on-selling the controller software)

Would love to see free exchange of Winding Pattern files one day

[Lyrebird Steve]

For those following this thread ... here are some eBay items that could be used/re-purposed for the traversing under $25

Lot 2 Haydon DC Stepper Motor Linear Actuator Captive Shaft Bipolar 5V 4.6W | eBay

Small Motorized Linear Stage Adjustable Focus Lens Stepper Motor Actuator | eBay