Winding springs

[Mr Ron]

I need to make some small springs. I tried winding onto a 1/4" mandrel and got pretty close to a 3/8" diameter. So far it has been a hit-or-miss situation. I am using .035" dia MIG wire which gives me a good "springiness". Can I wind around a 5/16-18 threaded rod and then stretch the spring to the pitch I want? Another way to do it I think is to wind around a 1/4" or 5/16" rod using the threading gear box. Let's say I want a pitch of 12 TPI; do I set the threading box to 12 and run in reverse running from left-to-right? I haven't found any U-tube videos that clarifies the process.

[johnfreese]

There is a lot of info on the net regarding spring winding. Do a search. Some good YouTube videos.
I am not sure your MIG wire is hard enough. Music wire is commonly used. Using the quick change box to set pitch is a great idea. On long springs you need to support the mandrel at the right end.

[John Evans]

The Atlas lathe manual had a good section on winding springs and I'm sure the SB manual does also.

[Lazz]

Check out this video....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1x5_S0Pq4k
Starting at 5:00 he kinda mentions selecting the pitch...

Also look at TOT....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAawhg6JtyY
At 2:00 In this video he goes into a little bit of the machinists handbook spring section.

A good material to use is Piano or music wire....
here is an example...https://www.amazon.com/PRECISION-BRAND- ... 761&sr=8-4

The last video is of myself using a Di Acro spring winder... On that you set the winder at an angle to create different pitches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFesG5u ... e=youtu.be
20 seconds in the winder moves to create the pitch....


With a little luck one of those will help you....

[Mr Ron]

Check out this video....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1x5_S0Pq4k
Starting at 5:00 he kinda mentions selecting the pitch...

A good material to use is Piano or music wire....
here is an example...https://www.amazon.com/PRECISION-BRAND- ... 761&sr=8-4

The last video is of myself using a Di Acro spring winder... On that you set the winder at an angle to create different pitches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFesG5u ... e=youtu.be
20 seconds in the winder moves to create the pitch....


With a little luck one of those will help you....

Thanks for the videos. The first video pretty much explains all I need to know. I guess I will have to practice to get it right. I chose MIG wire because I had it available. The springs are for a model locomotive (static display), so I think it will be springy enough.

[rklopp]

This site is a great resource for spring winding: http://educypedia.karadimov.info/library/springs.pdf

I have wound many springs on the lathe using his methods.


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[Mr Ron]

This site is a great resource for spring winding: http://educypedia.karadimov.info/library/springs.pdf

I have wound many springs on the lathe using his methods.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you for that link. It was a great help to me.

[Conrad_R_Hoffman]

I don't like winding springs on the lathe; seems dangerous. I use a fixture with a drill chuck and a hand crank.

[Bill Shields]

I have a drill chuck that mounts on the spindle of my SB 9"

I find it a bit easier to use a lathe chuck and let N. Tesla do the twisting

Totally agree about the safety concern..have had a couple break off at the end over the years...which is why God created safety glasses / face shields and hopefully gave us the good sense to wear them when working on such projects

[Mr Ron]

I was able to wind some springs that came out perfect. The only trouble was I couldn't get the ends ground flat. If I pressed the spring end to a sanding belt, the heat buildup destroys the temper of the spring. I'm making compression springs. I can stretch them to the pitch I want, but I can't get the ends flat.

[TRX]

If the spring is large enough you can bend the end coils with pliers so you don't have to grind as much. But it won't be a proper "closed end" spring.

[super7b]

Many years ago whilst working a night shift in a power station the job left for me was to create a helical coil of 3/8" stainless tube. The coil carried boiler steam and was inside a cooling tank, in able that the boiler water could be sampled safely by the chemist. Laid alongside a really crap attempt that the day shift welders had done was a 40 foot length of tube. I'm on nights on my own.
Piece of scrap wood put in big lathe tool holder, 1/2" hole drilled through, 6" diameter conveyor roller "borrowed" from coal plant, Bend end of tube in a bender, fit tube through hole in wood, lathe in bottom speed, slowest traverse, engage clutch, stand to one side. Perfect spiral, bend second end. Job done, go to sleep in hidy place that all shift workers had.
When back on days Senior management wanted to know how it was done, my secret.
A week earlier I had wound my first ever loco springs at home, 5/16" diameter same principle!