Pickup Wind Designer program ...what would you like to see included ?

[Steve Conner]

I'd bet money there is some heavy chaos math going on in the way that the wire lays down onto a pickup bobbin. The actual winding probably looks nothing like Lyrebird Steve's visualisation.

[RedHouse]

I'd bet money there is some heavy chaos math going on in the way that the wire lays down onto a pickup bobbin. The actual winding probably looks nothing like Lyrebird Steve's visualisation.

And you'd be quite correct Steve.

[David Schwab]

What I mean is, think about machine winding - it's perfect; each turn, lays the wire parallel and right next to the previous turn. Back and forth, until you have a lovely shiny picture perfect coil. This might be ok for some applications. But for winding guitar pickups, (supposedly) the signal in the wire will interact with whatever is in the wire running right along next to it. And supposedly, this is not great for our use of the coil. So we scatterwind, to varying degrees.

Yes, and no. Humbuckers are not scatter wound. They never were. Most hand wound pickups are scattered because it's hard to get a perfect coil, so it's unintentional. Personally I have stopped deliberately scattering my coils and try to wind as neatly as possible.

[Lyrebird Steve]

I'd bet money there is some heavy chaos math going on in the way that the wire lays down onto a pickup bobbin. The actual winding probably looks nothing like Lyrebird Steve's visualisation.

The demo pattern requires the traverse to move edge to edge (or close to) on the bobbin...which isn't how Fred Stuart is winding in the video. In the course of a single traverse across the bobbin he changes dirrection multiple times in a "jiggle" motion. Is this type of winding programable ? ... Yes ... but it will limit the RPM of your winding... longer winding time is not as relevant on a fully automated machine.

[Lyrebird Steve]

Here's a few examples of what a "random-walk" type traverse across the bobbin might look like

[Chris Turner]

Here's a few examples of what a "random-walk" type traverse across the bobbin might look like

[ATTACH=CONFIG]22135[/ATTACH]

Are these "random" patterns coded in such a way that they always end in a fairly flat coil? Or is it possible that some bias in one area or another gets multiplied by the number of turns and ends up producing a pretty strangely shaped coil?

[big_teee]

Are these "random" patterns coded in such a way that they always end in a fairly flat coil? Or is it possible that some bias in one area or another gets multiplied by the number of turns and ends up producing a pretty strangely shaped coil?

You sound like you have made a few of those!
I have.
T

[Chris Turner]

You sound like you have made a few of those!
I have.
T

Ha! Yes, and the last 500 winds are there solely to fill in the gaps. lol

[Lyrebird Steve]

Are these "random" patterns coded in such a way that they always end in a fairly flat coil? Or is it possible that some bias in one area or another gets multiplied by the number of turns and ends up producing a pretty strangely shaped coil?

Another feature I'm looking at is the ability to produce a "shape" on your winding.

You can have a flat, concave or convex winding.

The main problem as I see it is that the tension of the winding plays a big part in the final shape, and I can't code for the differences in tension.

What I can do is to split the bobbin into sections (eg for me say 1,400) ... from this we can construct a Histogram of winding within that section. (We can also track wire that crosses the section if required)

eg - This histogram is from a pattern where we randomly scatter 40 to 80 TPL

From this we can programatically and/or visually see how the winding would look and back fill where required to achieve the required coil shape.

[David Schwab]

Here's a few examples of what a "random-walk" type traverse across the bobbin might look like

[ATTACH=CONFIG]22135[/ATTACH]

Who actually winds that way? I think most people go back and forth in a fairly smooth manner.

[Lyrebird Steve]

Who actually winds that way? I think most people go back and forth in a fairly smooth manner.

If you have a look at the video posted above (Fred Stuart discusses the art of hand-winding pickups - YouTube) you can see Fred doing this sort of pattern. Don't ask me why he does it like that ... but these patterns are representative of his hand motions

[RedHouse]

Who actually winds that way? I think most people go back and forth in a fairly smooth manner.

Nobody, but hey, like PT Barnum said.....

Anyway, this reminds me of when I worked at a major software company in Redmond, dev's were always "solving" problems no one had. Aint the world such a better place now?

[Lyrebird Steve]

dev's were always "solving" problems no one had

OK, I'll bite then ... the pattern were demos of what's possible. The question was if it's possible to replicate the pattern in the video. Answer = Yes. Would you use it ? Don't care.

Programming for more options always better than programming for more constraints.

[big_teee]

OK, I'll bite then ... the pattern were demos of what's possible. The question was if it's possible to replicate the pattern in the video. Answer = Yes. Would you use it ? Don't care.

Programming for more options always better than programming for more constraints.

I like options, keep it up!

[RedHouse]

Not all programmers are alike, keep up the good work.
(everyone needs something to do)