New Winder slowly coming together

[Slobrain]

Its getting there slowly. Its running but I'm not finished, I got to add a bunch of stuff, then redo the wiring its fast. I used a lot of the sewing machine parts and I can wire the footswitch in parallel with the dimmer switch. so far so good, I have about $38.00 so far...

[Jason Rodgers]

Right on! That's looking good. I'm starting to think that I want to put the speed control in a hand-controlled dial, too. Sometimes it's hard to sit in a comfortable position and maintain that positive pressure over time. I need a cruise control!

What are your plans for a counter? As much as people warned me about reed switches and the potential for "bounce" (multiple contacts at high rpms), my setup has worked really well. The digital counter was like $10 on amazon, a friend gave me a small reed switch, and it's activated by a neo magnet on the shaft.

[Slobrain]

Hey Jason,

I haven't decided what to use for a counter. It needs to be cheap... what digital counter did you get? The reed switch, is it the same ones in door contacts for alarms or something smaller and faster? I have a bunch of old mini switches that I could probably try to incorporate in to this but I'm not sure I want to do that just yet.

My winder will hopefully do what I need it too but after seeing some other fancy ones (arduino) here made me feel like a caveman right now... at least mine has been low cost... and heavy duty...lol

[Jason Rodgers]

This is the counter I have. H7EC-BLM 0 - 999999 Counting Range No-voltage Required Digital Counter - - Amazon.com

The reed switch is just the simplest variety: contacts inside a vacuum tube, about 2-3 inches long, maybe 3/16" diameter. It's in the photos on that MIMF thread. Might not be the fanciest, but it works.

[Slobrain]

Had my daughter do a video to show the caveman pup winder ...lol... a work in progress. it sounds like a sewing machine though...

[larams]

I think it's pretty dang awesome myself.

[Slobrain]

This is the counter I have. H7EC-BLM 0 - 999999 Counting Range No-voltage Required Digital Counter - - Amazon.com

The reed switch is just the simplest variety: contacts inside a vacuum tube, about 2-3 inches long, maybe 3/16" diameter. It's in the photos on that MIMF thread. Might not be the fanciest, but it works.

Thanks Jason,

I just now ordered that counter from Amazon. I might try to do a micro switch and run that off of a extra collar I have that I can set up a set screw to stick out a bit. I don't have any reed switches right now so if the micro switch doesn't fair well I'll then try the reed switch.

I also need to try to find a 6 inch acrylic disc to mount on one side that has the larger gear that I can drill and tap into. The last thing is setting up the bar that the wire will guide from. I'm getting there. Once I get that together then its time to start practicing with thread on a bobbin...

Cheers

[Slobrain]

I think it's pretty dang awesome myself.

Thanks, I appreciate that. I think I'll call it the caveman winder...lol...

[David King]

Just as someone who's losing his eye sight and ability to concentrate for an extended period of time I would have recommended a preset counter with larger digits that glow. The Sestos would be the one I'd get now.

[Jason Rodgers]

Just as someone who's losing his eye sight and ability to concentrate for an extended period of time I would have recommended a preset counter with larger digits that glow. The Sestos would be the one I'd get now.

I agree. Winding for me is currently an as-needed activity, but if I were to do regular production, this would be a great upgrade.

[Slobrain]

Well I got the H7EC-BLM 0 - 999999 Counter in today and I'm using a old radio shack door jam reed switch with magnet to count the spinning of the winder and I find that after a certain speed the reed switch cannot keep up. But it can keep up fairly well at a some what medium speed. I clocked 9400 spins in 10 minutes at a first test. That's at a low to medium speed, the wider can crank way faster though. This was with some slow downs to check winding. I wasn't actually winding a pickup but sort of simulating one.

So I wanted to ask 9400 spins or wraps at 10 minutes, is that pretty good?

I also wanted to ask how many wraps on each bobbin using 42 gauge to get a 12k humbucker? I need to find a study guide to learn wire specs and wire gauges and wraps. Also the differences in magnets and types of wire for certain sounds.

I'm getting closer to finishing this winder, just got to add the discs the bobbins will mount too and the wire guides. Then the last will be finessing this thing to look decent after all is said and done.

BTW, I agree with what David wrote, that counter is a bit hard to see since my eyesight isn't good either...

Cheers

[kayakerca]

So I wanted to ask 9400 spins or wraps at 10 minutes, is that pretty good?

I'd say it's how it feels winding at a given speed when you are hand guiding. I think I did hand guided in the beginning were probably ~ 800 rpm because it was just where it felt comfortable. My current winder is auto traverse and I wind at ~ 1,130 rpm with a felt tensioner. I get the sense that tension provided by a felt tensioner setup is impacted by winding speed (but I could be WAY wrong on this). I believe if you wound at 3,000 rpm with a felt tensioner, the tension might well be significantly greater or tighter at the turns at least and impact your tone. I think you find a speed that works for you and your winder, that with a specified turns and tension level at a tpl give you consistent results for a tone you are looking for.

Just a couple of thoughts from a relative newbie.

I also wanted to ask how many wraps on each bobbin using 42 gauge to get a 12k humbucker? I need to find a study guide to learn wire specs and wire gauges and wraps. Also the differences in magnets and types of wire for certain sounds.

You may find you'll be hard pressed to get 6k of 42 per humbucker bobbin.

[Jason Rodgers]

Where is the magnet mounted? My sewing machine main shaft had this little cam mounted near the middle, and it was to this that I glued a 1/2" diameter 1/8" thick neo magnet. The reed switch is about 1/2" away. The magnet is mounted so the polarity is parallel to the shaft, and the reed switch is mounted perpendicularly to the shaft. So, as the magnet swings around, it sweeps by the switch for maybe 1/4 the arc of the travel. Does that make sense? I figured this would give the reed switch the most exposure to the magnet for a longer piece of time, perhaps reducing the chance of "bounce." Having the magnet close to the shaft means that for any given rpm, the magnet is passing the switch slower than if it were further out.

My speed control is probably set about as fast as yours, or a little slower, and it works well. Actually, through that last batch, I sped things up a bit as the felt tensioner gave me more confidence to handle the wire. Kayaker's speed vs tension assertion is not well understood by me, but if some folks measure their tension with a gram gauge and a simple hand-held tug on the wire, then I'm guessing that tension is good for any speed. Faster speeds may heat up the wire more, however, which may have an effect on stretching.

[Slobrain]

I guess I'll need a thinner wire to get a Humbucker at between 12 to 16 K. I really need to get my hands on Lollars book and read it... Funny all the time it takes to get even close to winding a pup. I don't think I had to spend as much time learning to refret a neck but I did read, watch videos to get refretting started, then practiced doing it.

I'll need to do more research to do a good Humbucker with character...lol...

When I talk to other guitarist is surprises me they don't have an understanding about mV polarities and the north/ south polarities. Only seems most know the higher or lower impedence ratio to the sound they want. Some understand the difference between alnico and ceramic.

Its funny but I find the Asian made pups seem to wire their pups in the negative polarity and the American made wired in the positive. I wonder why no industry standard to that...

[kayakerca]

... Funny all the time it takes to get even close to winding a pup.

I think you'll find every winder that has decided to go the distance has uttered that exact phrase! The true first step.