On 10/26/2011 Bill Jackson wrote:
> My question is directed to those of you who build your own antennas. Is there
> any technique or home brew aide(s) that will assist in getting this coil wound
> tightly with no spacing between the turns? I seem to recall seeing an article
> many moons ago that talked about using a paint stirring stick with a hole
> drilled in the end to hold the wire while you wind it around the core. #12
> AWG
> is pretty stiff for a 3/4" form and I want to make it look as good as the
> factory original.
A place I worked did a LOT of toroidal core winding. One of the ways of
keeping the wire neat was they had a spring loaded clamp, that was lined with
what was basically a rough, deep synthetic velvet like pad - soft enough NOT to
scratch the wire being pulled through, it - it was firmly attached to the
machine, and the wire was drawn through it, effectively keeping tension on the
wire, as the form was turned (we also did straight forms, I cores etc, not just
torroids (which require a special machine, kinda nifty)
One nifty way of guiding the wire once you make the clamp is with a lathe - put
the form "between centers", and run the lathe slowly, with the proper feed on
the carriage, and it advances the wire for you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-1f8ni7-0E
http://www.logwell.com/tech/servtips/mini_lathe_coil_winder.html
Atlas even sold a coil winding attachment for their lathes *never actually SEEN
one, despite owning most attachments you can get for an Atlas lathe)
--
73 de KG2V - Charles Gallo
Quality Custom Machine-shop work for the radio amateur (sm)
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