Want to wrap TIGHT coils? Well you have to see it first to wind it! USB Cameras 20x-200x Magnification!

[Salt&PePPer]

OK, we all here know how tough it can be to wrap our own coils for our RBAs!

It came to me that I should buy one of the USB Magnification Cameras. I was just looking around and found some decent prices on eBay. The one I have listed is for $49! But there are cheaper ones at eBay.

CALIFONE CM1-USB 2.0 DIGITAL PC COMPUTER MICROSCOPE 10X-200X MAGNIFICATION NETS | eBay

As soon as I can afford it I'm getting one of these Cameras. Should help a lot!

 

[PoppaVic60]

Coolio. I had pondered a similar idea..

Let me know how well it works with linux! ;-)

 

[rondasherrill]

I'm actually working on a mechanical device that will wrap my coils nice and tight with a fine threaded bolt to handle the turning. If I can actually get the parts to make it, I'll post it here.

 

[Salt&PePPer]

Besides the camera I've been thinking of a powered method for rolling the coils. Something that will twist the wick while moving the wire forward to wrap wrap it.

 

[Lance_Wallen]

tiny bait caster fishing reel. if you don't know what it is, first give me your man card, second, google it.

 

[Salt&PePPer]

Some of guided smaller reels are like pieces of art. Like a watchmaker got together with some fishing nut and decided to bullseye the smallest segment of sports fishing.

Talking about getting Loupes to magnify what you are looking at!.

 

[Lance_Wallen]

math wise, I'd say first determine the diameter of your wick, then figure out what distance you want between coils. Use that to match it to a metric thread size. Like if you're talking a 2.5mm wick you could use a M3.5 x .6 metric screw, you'd end up with .6mm between each coil and around a 2.6mm ID on the coil.. actually, given the coil has a thickness you might wanna use M3 x .5 that' give you .5 between coils and probably a lot closer to a 2.5 ID on the wrap.

 

[Lance_Wallen]

more thoughts... sorry.

If you settled on a screw you liked, you could use a nut with a hook to grab the wire to wrap the coil by pulling it as it turned along the screw. Or if you wanted to bulk make your coils you could determine how many 'wraps' would cover your tails and coil, wrap a long peice of screw stock, then twist off X number of coils and snip. You'd have to straighten the tails but you could probably wrap and cut BUNCH of coils really fast and keep em in a little tupperware.

 

[Salt&PePPer]

I wonder if you could display a graduated grid on the Video Screen? Now that would be very usefull!

 

[st0nedpenguin]

I always just wrapped kanthal round the wick, it's not rocket science here.

 

[PEneoark]

Hmmmmm....I've never had issues wrapping coils.

 

[zengargoyle]

Well my eyesight isn't the best anymore, so I have a pair of 3x reading glasses (found at Wallmart or just about any pharmacy section) that work wonders. For the even smaller stuff I have one of those head mounted contraptions like in pbusardo's latest video found on Amazon. Those things rock.

I roll coils using the common 3/32" drill bit that many peope seem to use. Then the trick is to take a small strip of teflon coated aluminum foil and wrap it around the bit, then trim it down so that it just wraps around once or twice. Then you can wrap it around the wicking material and roll it down a bit smaller and use it to thread the wick through the coil. Once it's in place you can hold one end of the wick and just slide the foil tube off leaving a perfect wick in a perfect coil.

I don't have much problem getting even coils, heating the wire first to loosen it up and then wrapping it pretty close and tight on the drill bit, when you pull the ends apart the coils pretty much space themselves out nicely.

Edit:

And that 10x microscope thing... you probaby don't want it. Under magnification you have a tiny area that you have to keep the subject, and a very thin plane where things are in focus. You'll have to keep your coil in one small spot or it'll fly off screen and if you bump it closer or farther it will go out of focus. It'll probably be verry hard to actually fit your fingers and do wrapping at 10x.

 

[tonyorion]

Here are some cheaper, and far more pratical solutions (no PC required, problems with flat flied magnification, or ease of use). When I feared a general ban on e cig products, I thought that I would need to rebuild my own atty's. Now, if you want to talk about playing with small parts and testing your fine motor skills, try rebuilding a 510. The newer generation of RBA's are a snap to do in comparison, and also offer a world of modding capabilities at a reasonable price.


http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=magnify
Amazon.com: magnifying glass with light

 

[burnah]

Coil winding is an art. I once knew a guy who got paid phenomenal amounts of money to wind transformers.

 

[tonyorion]

Transformers and motors require a lot more windings which also have to be layered and in a particular pattern. An atty coil is far less complicated and should be within reach of most people with a modicum of skill.

 

[hyperfluous]

Making that Rebuildable - hotspot free! - YouTube
this method works great for me

 

[Dieseler]

Transformers and motors require a lot more windings which also have to be layered and in a particular pattern. An atty coil is far less complicated and should be within reach of most people with a modicum of skill.

Totally agree and with transformers and pole motors they have machines to do that nowadays. Wrapping 4 /5 coils not bad at all .

 

[junkman]

Making that Rebuildable - hotspot free! - YouTube
this method works great for me

Yeah, that is pretty easy. I am not sure it would work if you were jamming a super tight wick in the hole though.

I have found it pretty simple just to wrap it around the wick in situ. I initially had problems because I was heating the wire red before winding. That made it tough. I saw it in one of the videos. But seems it works better just to wrap the raw wire.

What about you guys? Do you heat up the wire before winding?

 

[Big Screen D]

I like my coils perfect. Works for me... Amazon.com: Jeweler's Lighted High-Power Magnifier Visor - 1.5X to 10.5X: Office Products

 

[nepatitan]

I used mine in the beginning to be able to tell when to clean the coils.