06-04-2015, 11:32 AM
(This post was last modified: 06-04-2015, 11:43 AM by Alan Douglas.)
I don't see it mentioned in the referenced articles/posts, but if your supply spool is large enough and has smooth edges, it can sit on the floor between your feet, on end, and you take the wire off over the top flange. A loose-fitting sleeve (I use packing foam) around the spool keeps the wire from tangling. When I wound transformers at work, with 10-lb supply spools, I did this with even rather heavy gauge wire (#20 AWG) and there was no problem doing it this way. It puts a twist in the wire but that makes no difference. The big advantage is not having to worry about the inertia of a rotating supply spool, and not having to keep one hand free to control it.
This is the winder I built about 40 years ago:
It uses a 28VDC motor with a foot-operated speed control. The turns counter has a worm engaging a 100-tooth gear and registers thousands of turns. There's a slip clutch for resetting the zero.
This is the winder I built about 40 years ago:
It uses a 28VDC motor with a foot-operated speed control. The turns counter has a worm engaging a 100-tooth gear and registers thousands of turns. There's a slip clutch for resetting the zero.
