Coil winding in lathe

[Cascao]

[Frank S]

I have made a lot of springs on my lathe over the years but have never made a video of the process to show others.

[VinnieL]

I have made a lot of springs on my lathe over the years but have never made a video of the process to show others.

Being an Amateur (Ham) Radio Operator here, I am goingto attempt to attempt to wind some copper antenna coils on the lathe, perhaps using PVC pipe for a form. Has anyone else ever done that?

[Hemi]

GREAT way to make THAT happen! I have some "winding" to do but not to make springs for some modeling uses to make "coil loads" for model trains. And this would do just that with the right "form" in the headstock and allow the coils to be removed!!!!

GREAT now I got a few of those to make!

[VinnieL]

My thought was to take PVC pipe and cut it lengthwise at an angle so that it could be removed without destroying the coil after winding.

[brianhw]

VinnieL, I don't think it would be necessary to split the pipe as the natural release/spring back of the spring would be enough to release it easily. In any case, a slight twisting of the spring against the coil direction would expand it for easy removal.

[VinnieL]

My thought was to take PVC pipe and cut it lengthwise at an angle so that it could be removed without destroying the coil after winding.

If you have ever seen B&W (Barker and Williamson) makes coilstock in various diameters and lengths. The coils are wound onto slotted plastic or lexan bars, running the length of the coil. They are slotted with the right amount of turns per inch. I'd like to be able to make a similar product using perhaps a wooden or pvc form using those bars fitted into a cut-out milled in the form.

Once wound, the ends would be secured and the proper adhesive placed over the bars to fix the coil windings in place. When properly cured, the entire coil could be easily removed from the form by slipping the halves of the coil form apart.

That is what I have in mind.

[Hemi]

yeah I'm with Brian on this one, I too don't think you'd need to split the PVC pipe in order to release the spring coil......... As the PVC is naturally a smooth surface so. and the spring itself could be release if "that" tightly wound, to release it by twisting the spring lightly against its coiling.. would expand it to leave go of the PVC pipe.....

[DIYer]

Thanks Cascao! We've added your Lathe Coil Winding Setup to our Lathes category,
as well as to your builder page: Cascao's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Lathe Coil Winding Setup by Cascao

tags: lathe, die, coil winding