Geo Stevens 700 AM Winder

[Beef Coon]

Anyone familiar with this model? I have a line on one.

An internet search came up empty. Thanks!








There's a bunch of gears that are included as well - shrink wrapped in last photo, as well as the owner's manual.

Knobs on the control box in last photo - large one is for speed and the smaller one is a brake/torque control.

[Beef Coon]

According to Geo Stevens publication entitled "Coil Winding" from 1954, pg 17, their winders with the traverse and wire feed in front of the machine are for winding with wire heavier than 32 AWG. So this machine doesn't appear to make a good candidate. Owner confirmed that he believe it's built for heavier gauge wire.

[Jim Darr]

Beef Coon,

I wouldn’t pass it up just because it has the cam/yoke/traverse in the front.

I know that they called the rear cam/yoke/traverse model a “fine wire winder” and Gibson used one for winding early P90s. My only Geo Stevens is an early 50’s front cam/yoke/traverse model with a dial counter and I have wound up to 46gauge wire on it. It is very similar mechanically to the Gibson machine. My other cam/yoke/traverse machines, both COWECO, are also front mount systems and I can wind very fine wire with them.

I don’t know the 700AM model, but would not dismiss it just because of where the traverse is located. I guess it all comes down to price, the machine's condition and the dereeling system you use with it.

[Beef Coon]

Thank you Jim. I am brand new to these types of machines.

Are you saying that some of these mechanical winders designed for heavier wire can work for pickups> TPL & bobbin width?

i can get it for next to nothing - well under $200 & it's only 1.5 hr drive away from me.

Anyone else using mechanical winders not spec'd for 42, 43, 44 AWG Etc, but something larger?

[Jim Darr]

Beef Coon,

I am saying it may be worth considering the machine especially if it is less than $200. The initial price is only one small factor in the total cost. You have to take several things into account. Some are:

•The machine’s condition. Is it in working order? Do all the electronics work? Does the counter work? What has to be done and what is the cost to get the winder in good safe working order? Who will do this work for you?

•TPL is determined by using different gear combinations. You mentioned that it had extra gears with it. These can be very hard to find and very expense when you do find them.

•The cam size and shape determines traverse width (coil or bobbin height) and wind pattern. Cams can be very expensive to have made. You have to determine what cams, if any, come with the machine, the suitability of these for your need, and the cost to get new cams made for the different types of pickups you are building.

•You will have to have a winding head made for mounting the bobbin. I have mine made by a local machine shop to my various designs. You’ll have to come up with a design that works and is safe to operate.

•The last picture appears to show the dereeling system. This does appear to be for thicker wire as the spool “rolls the wire off”. This will not work on very fine wire… I know, I tried it on my first winder which had a similar dereeling system. You’ll have to come up with a dereeling system that pulls the wire from the end of the spool and has the proper tensioning. This can be quite simple or very complex.

•You will also need to have a wire guide on traverse bar to lay the wire on the bobbin.

•You need to figure out if and how you will use the “tailstock”.

All In all, it is a lot to consider. Can you do this yourself or do you have to get help from outside resources? You can easily spend 2-5X the machine cost getting it up and running for your application.

The good thing is these are well built machines and if you are serious about picking making should last you a long time. The bad thing is it might be extreme overkill if you are a weekend winder.

As I said, I am not familiar with the 700 AM, so if anybody else use has some direct experience with this machine please chime in.

Hope this helps as you make your decision.

[Beef Coon]

Thanks for laying that all out Jim. The seller has a bit of knowledge about coil winding and after giving it a good look over again told me it would likely not be a good fit for pickup coil winding. But, he's in the electronics surplus biz and is going to keep an eye out for a more suitable machine.

I have a hand guided machine almost identical to this one that I set up: Innes Instruments Model 4A Coil Winder | eBay
I made my face plates/winding heads out of "Lexan" - polycarbonate which I've found to be easy to cut and drill, as well as holding a thread well.

Thanks again for all that info. I want a mechanical winder and those are all important things to consider.