instructables

DIY - Coil Winding Machine

by Techgenie

Over the recent days, i have been planning to make impossible task. Even if that could be done, it would
numerous projects that include electromagnetism. All require tremendous amount of time and work.
these projects require copper wire to be wound
uniformly in the form of a coil. In this Instructable, i decided to make a coil winding
machine at home. It is very simple to make machine
Winding few meters of thin enameled copper wire and does the wire winding work almost perfectly.
uniformly with hands seemed almost like an

DIY - Coil Winding Machine: Page 1

Step 1: Order Parts

Ebay.com

1. DC motor - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1...
2. Switch - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1...
3. Battery - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1...
4. Battery Holder - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1...
5. Bearing - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/...
6. Wooden Tongue Depressors - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1...
7. Hot Glue Gun - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/...
8. Soldering Iron - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/...

Amazon.com

1. DC motor - https://amzn.to/2Itu0PG
2. Switch - http://amzn.to/2Ar86sN
3. Battery - http://amzn.to/2GEMb4v
4. Battery Holder - https://amzn.to/2rMQQuO
5. Bearing - http://amzn.to/2DX1bJy
6. Wooden Tongue Depressors - https://amzn.to/2IpjtJL
7. Hot Glue Gun - https://amzn.to/2Sf7oad
8. Soldering Iron - http://amzn.to/2r3IX6g

Amazon.in

1. DC motor - http://amzn.to/2wdEyQS
2. Switch
3. Battery - https://amzn.to/2L5cljl
4. Battery Holder - https://amzn.to/2IlDf8L
5. Bearing - http://amzn.to/2rE0Xo0
6. Wooden Tongue Depressors - https://amzn.to/2L7kkMD
7. Hot Glue Gun - http://amzn.to/2rjNE9r
8. Soldering Iron - http://amzn.to/2qC47qG

From Home & Local Store: Cardboard, wooden sticks, tape, super glue and connecting wires.

Step 2: Watch the Video

There is no better tool than a good video for understanding any tutorial. A video makes it easy to understand and
follow the procedure. However, it is also recommended to visit next steps for additional info and images.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/K8rCz-_9qYI

DIY - Coil Winding Machine: Page 2

Step 3: Let's Begin - Make Side Wall

1. Take a piece of cardboard of about 8 x 5 inches.

2. Using a stationary knife, cut the cardboard as shown in the image above.
3. The H-shaped cardboard has middle segment of about 1.5 inches.
4. Place the bearing at the top of the side segments and mark the points.
5. Make hole at the marked points equal to the size of the bearing.
6. Fix the bearing in the holes and secure them with hot glue.
7. Make two such similar pieces of side walls.

Step 4: Prepare Base Platform

1. Take a cardboard piece of about 9 x 8 inches.

2. Cut 4 cardboard pieces of about 2 x 1.5 inches.
3. Using super glue, paste 2 pieces at the two corners of the cardboard base.
4. Place the side wall (with bearings) at the center of the smaller pieces and secure with hot glue.
(Refer to the image above)
5. Take the other two smaller cardboard pieces and place them at the remaining corners of the
platform.
6. Place the other side wall at the center of the cardboard pieces.
7. Secure the side wall to the cardboard corner pieces using super glue.
8. Make sure not to paste the corner pieces to the base platform.

DIY - Coil Winding Machine: Page 3

Step 5: Make Frame for Second Side Wall

1. Using a pencil, mark the position of the second Side wall.

2. Cut two L-shaped cardboard pieces as shown in the image above.
3. Paste the L-shaped cardboard at the outer boundary of marked position.
4. Cut the wooden tongue depressor equal to the length of L-shaped cardboard.
5. Using super glue, paste the tongue depressor at both the L-shape edges of the cardboard.
6. Make sure that the other side wall can easily slide between the slit of the base and tongue
depressor.
7. If everything seems fine, proceed to next steps..

DIY - Coil Winding Machine: Page 4

Step 6: Make Rotary Mechanism

1. Take two wooden sticks of about 9" length.

2. Remove the side wall and insert the wooden stick in the bearing.
3. You can increase the thickness of wooden stick by wrapping some tape over it.
4. Make sure that both the sticks fit well in the bearings of the fixed side wall.
5. The wooden sticks in the bearing of the removable side wall should not be very tight because it will
be difficult to remove it again and again after winding.

DIY - Coil Winding Machine: Page 5

Step 7: Prepare Electronic Components

1. Take a powerful DC motor.

2. If you have a small plastic pulley then connect it to the motor shaft.
3. If not, then apply some tape over the motor shaft.
4. Using knife, carefully cut the tape such that a slit is formed in between.
5. Refer to the schematic above, connect a switch and the battery to the motor.
6. I used a DPDT switch to control the motor in both directions, however, a simple ON/Off switch is
sufficient for this project.
7. Using Hot glue, paste the motor below one of the wooden sticks.
8. Also, secure the motor additionally by a cardboard and super glue because hot glue will melt once
the motor gets hot.
9. See the image above, paste the battery holder and the switch as well.

Note: I used 18650 Li-ion battery because it is capable of providing very high power. For charging the Li-ion
Battery, you can also refer to my DIY -Battery Charger instructable or watch the Video.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/C6obrLeFuns

DIY - Coil Winding Machine: Page 6

Step 8: Finish the Project

1. Connect the motor shaft and wooden stick with a rubber band, such that when the shaft rotates, the
stick also rotates.
2. Apply some tape at the edge of the stick, so that the rubber band doesn't come out while rotating.
3. Remove the free side wall and insert the copper wire spool over one of the sticks.
4. On the other stick, fix any cylindrical pipe.
5. You can easily increase the thickness of wooden stick using tape, so that the pipe fits well.

Note: In the image, a black spool holder can be seen, This spool holder i used was 3D printed but any cylindrical
pipe will also serve the purpose, only make sure to increase the thickness of the side edges using cardboard or the
tape, so that the wire doesn't get removed from the sides of the pipe.

DIY - Coil Winding Machine: Page 7

Step 9: Test and Improvements

Turn the switch ON and guide the wire on the pipe using hand.
A uniform To & Fro motion of hand from one end to the other will form a uniformly wound coil.
After winding apply some tape to prevent wire from getting lose.

This is a very useful machine for many projects to some people. However, after using it for a while, i feel that a few
upgrades can really improve this machine..

Instead of using battery, it will be much useful if powered using a wall adapter.
Connect a potentiometer in the circuit to control the speed of the motor.
Attach a large pulley to the wooden stick, thus reducing the motor RPM and significantly increasing
the torque, thus more control while winding.

These are the few upgrades that i can think of. If you have suggestions and few more possible upgrade ideas, feel
free to leave a comment below. Your suggestions and feedback is always welcome.

So friends, this here concludes the instructable, stay tuned and SUBSCRIBE to receive regular updates. In case
you might have missed, watch the video and see how i made this Coil winding machine at home.

Thanks For Your Support..!!

Techgenie, for upgrade you can use gears, shafts and other hardware from a used toner cartridge.
And perhaps a motor from an old printer.
Yes, SIN1T2, it seems like a great tip to use gears and shafts but the motor from a printer has very
low rpm, it takes quite a long time to wrap the coil.
Great Project! Thanks, Techgenie.
I needed to make some coils, but I wasn’t interesting in a long complicated build.
This project worked for me. Somethings to note…
1. WARNING: The shaft of the motor should be angled slightly “away” from the wooden stick
with the rubber band (see my third photo).
Initially, my build had the shaft angled “toward” the stick. This caused the rubber band to slip
off the shaft.
2. Since I had a 3D-Printer, I printed a pulley for the wooden stick.
The pulley slowed the winding process. But, it increased the torque. This allowed me to use
thicker wire, when needed.

DIY - Coil Winding Machine: Page 8

 BTW, I could’ve made the pulley with discs of cardboard.
3. In my pictures, I am driving the machine with my bench-top power supply (PSU).
I could have used the AA battery. But the PSU gave me more control of the speed.
4. Per the PSU, the machine uses less than 200mA of current.
Thus, it might run for > 8hrs on a typical AA battery.
5. For additional stability: The bottom is a double layer of cardboard, and all the up-right
arms have addition braces.

Thanks EarlWallaceNYC...I am glad you liked this project. Also, thanks for the interesting insights
and important points to note.
Only, if you really liked the project. Can you give me your vote for this instructables contest?
Techgenie:
I voted for your project, per you suggestion.
Good Luck.
Thanks EarlWallaceNYC....thanks a lot..:)

This is the OTHER meaning of CAD. Cardboard Aided Design! The question I have is since you
have a 3d Printer, Why not just print the parts?
The one bad idea you mentioned is using a potentiometer to control motor speed, unless of course
you were going to use a PWM scheme to control your motor. A simple pot circuit would waste
power as heat.
Good post. Thank you.
I do have a 3D printer but i am not very good in designing. Although i am slowly learning to 3D
design objects. Can you suggest me some good sources from where i can learn 3D designing?
Dont sell yourself short! Most people could not design a working machine out of cardboard. I have
the advantage of being a licensed Autodesk inventor user and thats all i really know personally.
Make your base plate from wood, since it is too large for most printers. Then all you need to design
is a single "L" shaped bracket with a short leg that has two holes for mounting and a large hole with
a rim to accurately locate your bearing . Print four copies of that and you would be ready to go. The
H shaped frames in the cardboard version would not be necessary because the plastic would be
more rigid.
The L bracket idea should be within reach of your developing abilities, in short order :)
Good luck.
Thanks NeilRG...its a great tip. I will definitely get my hands on 3D printing and post some useful
projects soon.
I also like the simplicity of the cardboard. This project could be made quickly and is perfect for
winding electromagnetic coils on spools. Great job!
Fifteen years ago I made a coil winder from plans in a book by Jason Lollar (ISBN 0-9662599-2-0)
specifically for winding guitar pickups. It took many tools and much time and effort to make. It uses
a sewing machine motor-shaft-flywheel for winding, and an oscillating fan motor driving a cam to

DIY - Coil Winding Machine: Page 9

 slowly and uniformly guide the wire to-and-fro. I needed the complexity to accurately wind #40+
wire on narrow, oblong magnetic poles. I later built and added an electronic counter circuit
activated by a hall effect sensor on the rotary pulley.

#PeteBuxton Your machine looks awesome. Thanks for appreciating my work..:)

You're welcome, Techgenie. I really like your project and I voted for it.

Thanks #PeteBuxton...really thanks for the vote..

Thanks for bring back the days when I worked as a coil finisher-A for Raytheon back in the 80's, ;)
I am glad you liked it..Thanks...

Very nice presentation! I love the fact that you built this out of cardboard which is easily fabricated
and just right for the job as opposed to over designed projects that need 3D printers, laser and
CNC machines, etc., which most of us do not have easy access to. It took me back 60 years to my
school days when I built a door bell/buzzer and induction coil shockers :)
I am glad you liked it....Thanks for appreciating my work..:)

Wow! You're great at making things! This could also be used for rope. Not too much though; the
motor may not be able to take that much weight of rope.
I am glad you liked it, yes this mechanism can be used as a rope if it is scaled to a bigger project
with a more powerful motor.
Excellent! The machine is very innovative and the Instructible is well put together, AND it is a great
piece of fun.
Well done, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Keep it up,and thanks.
Thanks a lot..:)

What a great idea. I've always wondered where to get the wire though.
Thank you very much.
You can now easily get the wire online from ebay or amazon. You only need know the required
AWG of the wire. Here i have used 32 AWG enameled wire.
It's just enamelled (polyurethane) insulated single conductor wire (sometimes called hookup wire)
Any of the distributors do it (Farnell, RS etc) - got my last lot from RS part number 357-722, about
30 Standard Wire Gauge. Use it mainly for low frequency radio reception loop antenna. Don't
bother stripping it, just solder with a hot tip - the enamel is designed to be soldered
Building a Tesla coil would be easier now

Yes, quite a lot..

GREAT IDEA....

Thanks bro..

I love the simplicity of the cardboard.

for the "large pulley" improment, a large thread spool might work

DIY - Coil Winding Machine: Page 10

Thanks, yes this is just a crude effort quickly made in a hassle to repair the winding on the
transformer in my shaving trimmer.
This machine can be improved a lot..
Add the counter. The simpliest is the magnet, reed switch, and a... pocket calculator. Simply
connect the reed switch in parallel to the "=" button ( the calculator needs to have the pcb to solder
to, It cannot be the foil type keyboard.) next enter the calculation: 1+1=... Every time you press the
= button, the number should increase by 1 so 1,2,3,4,5 etc. This way you can count turns, but
remember that the speed is limited! You can also use mechanical switch with level, but reed switch
works the best!
I like your idea for making the counter. Nice that you mentioned the speed limit for that method.

I've found the speed limit after making a ... distance counter for the bicycle ;) Except adding 1 you
can add calculated circumference of the wheel in kilometers or miles, and your calculator is going
to measure distance. I've noticed that somew calculators (I've tested 3) have trouble with short
pulses (as they are getting shorter if you are going faster) It was measuring till about 30km/h.
Moving the magnet and reed switch closer to the axle was helping a lot as it was increasing the
pulses length.
Nice project, I like it.

#Gadisha Thanks..

DIY - Coil Winding Machine: Page 11