This is Mac's post (#211) from Page 22, on Torsion Winding. Just wanted to quote this so I can re-read it later tonight, and for everybody else. Valuable info right here!
just a point to ponder. something to consider...
the forceps in that picture are creating a pinch and pivot point. weakening the kanthal and limiting torsion on the wind to that mandrel.
it is also applying pressure or torsion in an inefficient manner.
hence why mac has to pull so hard he's actually reported breaking the kanthal several times in an effort to create the perfect torsion wind.
if the pressure/pull/torsion is applied correctly at the correct diameter throughout the entire wind, not only do you need a lot less of it, but it's a lot easier to apply.
hence why i can turn a coil so tight with a moderate pinch, it's very difficult to get it off the mandrel without distorting it.
look at pipe benders and machine wound springs (like for vehicle springs and struts) for example. nothing holds pressure on the end of the pipe because that would take a massive amount more energy and would destroy product.
instead the leverage is applied to the mandrel and the pipe or spring is torsioned at a close proximity (diameter) to the mandrel itself. it's highly efficient, effective, controllable and repeatable.
some of what i'm saying is evidenced in a later post by mac himself when he displays winding with the same tension right off the spool. he's removed that break point the hemostats introduced and allowed his hands to be repositioned thus that they can be controlled better with less effort. though he still has to pull like the dickens to get a good torsion wind because he's using tension to replicate torsion.
simply put, the jig does it better with a lot less effort. if you can replicate that somehow, you've got it made.
here's me winding straight off the spool with kinks in it. 3 kinks in that wind if i remember correct...
as you can see, i took my time, wound extra winds and removed them and added the probably unnecessary step of annealing and tightening (setting) the coil after the coil was wound. still came in under 4.5 minutes with nearly no effort.
here is the resulting coil from that build...
make no mistake, that
is a tension coil with the added benefit of heat setting the winds in place.
one thing i can say - and you can probably see it in the video - my hands are entirely too shaky and unpredictable to predictably wind onto a screw driver or drill bit. i've built computers, rack servers, done IT and help desk, construction, carpentry, etc. for a living and i can work around it, but it's just not as consistent as i'm willing to work around for something that i should enjoy such as the wind on my atty.
now that's a 5/64" (2mm per mac's instruction) 12 wrap coil for future insertion into one of my pro tanks.
here's another coil i've used one of those jigs for...
that one is a 1/16" (1.58mm per mac's instruction) 12 wrap diamond coil currently in use in my igo-l. she hits like a freight train and tastes exponentially better than she hits.
it took 2 different jigs (same design) with different diameter mandrels to make those 2 coils, but they cost me less than a buck and a few minutes of my time each to make. life is grand.
mac is a highly intelligent dude. i've learned a lot from him. i'm also very grateful he pointed me back to the rip trippers vid. however. no matter how intelligent and informed a person might be, they'll never have the answers to everything. and let's not forget, he admittedly spent a lot of time ...... on that electric fence. he learned from the vantage point of repeated failures. he's going to have and share information that comes from that vantage point. it's our job as we learn to attempt to discern what's relevant and beneficial from that wealth of information and what we can find better information for elsewhere.
good luck, M. hope you get the consistent results you're looking for.
EDIT: just to be clear, this post has nothing to do with the jig. the jig was merely used for illustration purposes. the point is, if you're still having trouble, maybe give some thought or study time to another method. even if you return to the same method ultimately, it might give you some insight and improve your methods and/or consistency.
