Rotor Winding Tooling

[Jim]

A week or so back, I took a cardboard box and about ten bucks worth of Chinese stuff and made a rotation counter.....

Today I made the rest of the wire coil winder/maker thingey.... I'm using the Atlas to make the coils, so I wanted something that was easy to install and remove. Glued and nailed two pieces of 3/4 ply together and added a simple angle to the back of it to grab the bed of the Atlas.

The drawer knob is to lock it in place. Installed another aluminum angle off the right side to install the counter on.

.
Added a spool holder to the bottom.

..... and a micro-switch for counting......

I was powering the counter from a USB charger but today I installed a 9v battery holder in the box. I went ahead and left the charger cord hooked up just in case... and used velcro to hold it.

It takes about 15 seconds to install or remove it.

Did a quick video of it in operation. The Atlas was at it's lowest speed. I'll play with the speed as I learn. I think before I wind any wire, I'm gonna make a foot switch addon for the Atlas so I have both hands free to tension and guide the wire. I'm guessin' the switch mechanism clinking is gonna get on my nerves.... so I'll order a hall effects switch for it....

 

[Jim]

Reserved.....

 

[DoubleE]

Looks good Jim. Is it possible to hook up a variable speed foot pedal like the foot pedal on a sewing machine? That way you can increase the winding speed, as well as slow down as you approach the end of your wrap. God knows there are plenty of rotors in need of a new wrap.

 

[Jim]

It's a single phase AC motor, so unfortunately no. It's reversible... but that's about it. Yeah... tons of 'em out there and I think rewinding will be a better alternative to the questionable Chinese knockoffs out there.

 

[DoubleE]

Great to see the ingenuity. Soon that Atlas will be funding your next build.

 

[MaxPete]

I’ll take two please Jim!

Pete

 

[Jim]

I've got 4 to practice with Pete.... and one will be for the SG resto and one's goin' out west. After that I'll need some cores. I think me and Gary might work sumpin' out..... one of us will have 'em. At you convenience, pm me so's I don't forget....

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Cool project, Jim.
I wonder if you could repurpose/modify/clobber an old baitcast fishing reel, using the line guide.


And add a drag/tensioner. Then both hands are free to paint on epoxy during the wind...

 

[Jim]

to paint on epoxy during the wind...

You're on to me there Steve.
I think "epoxy as ya go" will beat the hell outta the knockoffs... I suspect they'll last as long as the originals.... and they lasted a damn long time.

 

[robinc]

Get some finer wire and you could rewind guitar pickups as a sideline Jim.

I have seen guitar pickup rewinders using the oscillating part of an old fan?

 

[Signal]

Top job, yes after listening to that video a proximity switch would be nice but it is also something else to go wrong. How do you work out how many turns you need? I can imagine unwinding a rotor being a real pain but I suppose you only need to do it once. Looking forward to the next instalment.

 

[Jim]

How do you work out how many turns you need?

I cheated...... I found out from a guy that rewinds 'em. Wire size and turns...

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Okay to link in 650Skull's thread?

http://www.xs650.com/threads/rewind-your-own-rotor-who-to-buy-from.51991/

 

[Signal]

Man there is so much good info on this site.

 

[Jim]

Okay to link in 650Skull's thread?

Good read.

 

[Downeaster]

Nice, Jim!

 

[mrtwowheel]

Any way to measure the wire LENGTH as you are winding? It seems that wire length and revolutions would be necessary for an accurate winding. You need the MAGIC epoxy, whatever that is, I've seen epoxies fail big time on rotors.

Another market would be the Honda DOHC bikes, CB900C, CB750C and others that all use the same Honda rotor that is very similar to the XS650 rotor with about the same rate of failings.

If you could price a rewind at about $80 to $90 per rewind, with a good reputation, you could grab a huge portion of the market.

Regulators kill rotors. Pat told me that years ago, I've come to that conclusion too, just didn't know what regulators to use back then.

Scott

 

[5twins]

Regulators kill rotors, good to know. I kinda suspected the highly erratic output of the old stock mechanical regulator on the '79 and older models was responsible for some rotor failures. It has that poor rotor jumping through hoops to keep up, lol.

 

[Paul Sutton]

I read those old regulators can switch on and off 200 times per second - Now that is worth knowing? But Jim's rewinder is going to be a winner!!! Slow and steady wins the race, I found this out winding Tesla coils.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Any way to measure the wire LENGTH as you are winding?

Good idea, Scott.
Google: "Fishing line counter".

A $12 item.