Coil winder from a dead Brother XL-2230 sewing machine - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Ti Pwun · 23rd Dec 2014, 1:18 pm

I've seen several threads on here, and other places, regarding home made coil winders and I thought I'd have a go and document my attempt here.

So step one was to disassemble the wife's sewing machine!

Well, her old one. It wasn't great when new and didn't work at all when I took it apart.

Still a fair way to go but here's what I was able to work out so far using those parts as is. Nothing is assembled but I think I have the bulk of what I need now, just from that old sewing machine.

I do also have a couple of stepper motors from an old printer, though and I'll be able to control them with a PIC or Arduino. I've drawn in the cones for holding the coil former because I don't yet have anything for that but I'm sure they won't be too difficult to make.

I showed my keyboard so the size of the thing is clear - I think it will be very usable:

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...pictureid=3117

The long rod I plan to cut will probably just be cut close to the cog because I can leave the cog unclamped to the rod and fit the shortened rod into some holes in the wooden frame I will be making. It doesn't need bearings or clamps because the cog spins freely and a couple of copper washers will prevent binding.

dave walsh · 23rd Dec 2014, 5:32 pm

A very interesting bit of re-cycling-neatly thought out. A friend of mine used to do all sorts of things with ex-printer step motors but the control systems are a bit out of my interest/ability range.
Dave W

[In one of my favourite Sci-Fi books [What Mad Universe-Fredric Brown 1949] the hero find himself in an alternative world. The common anti-gravity 'cars' that flip from location to location [including the Moon] have been accidentally invented by a man who only set out to modify his wife's sewing machine for electrical power. When he presses the pedal the whole thing disappears and is found to hit the side of a building in Mahattan

. Using up new S Machines experimentally proves expensive so he reduces the rig to a minimum of components so he can track how it works-be careful out there!]

Ti Pwun · 23rd Dec 2014, 6:03 pm

Uh-oh!

Fun times ahead, perhaps.

jay_oldstuff · 31st Dec 2014, 12:48 am

Sounds interesting will have a looksee when I'm home; can't seem to open the link on my tablet.

My current efforts are based on the steppers and electronics from a Citizen 120D dot matrix printer. I'm using an adreno to drive the darlington arrays from the printer even the SMPSU is the printer's one. Just the mechanical bits to finalise and I should have somthing to show everyone.

Jay

Ti Pwun · 31st Dec 2014, 4:07 am

I haven't got to the electronics yet. I just received the couplers today so I cut down the rods so everything fits and the steppers are attached. I'll be putting it together within a week or so.

I'll be interested to see your version when you have it up and running.

jay_oldstuff · 31st Dec 2014, 10:54 pm

I was finally able to view the image you posted and I like your approche, sort of simlar to how I am planning to do it. Pics of my latest effort will be posted as soon as I've constructed the frame which I'm making from 1"x0.5"x1mm box section steel (just cos I have lots of offcuts and like welding.)

Jay

Ti Pwun · 1st Jan 2015, 11:22 am

I don't weld so I'm going to recycle the wood from a very old oak harmonium that I kept. It's very stable wood but any movement will be absorbed by the belts so I'm not worried about expansion/contraction. I'm not really a woodworker but after looking at the cost of acrylic/plastic blocks, I'll learn quickly!

Ti Pwun · 1st Jan 2015, 4:02 pm

Correction - just found an A4 sheet of white 10cm acrylic so I'll save the wood for another project - this A4 sheet is just the right size.

Ti Pwun · 3rd May 2015, 11:55 pm

After a rethink, I changed the design of this coil winder. I'm currently working on the software but after some initial testing, it's working well.

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...pictureid=3280

Nothing is attached to the platform and I want to add the ability to program it to perform a series of different winds, but these pics will give an idea of where I am with it.

I'm currently using Arduino but the final thing will use a PIC microcontroller with more I/O.

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...pictureid=3281

EDIT: to explain the software/firmware, the top row can set from 0-9999 turns. The RIGHT button will move the cursor to each digit and the UP and DOWN will change the digit from 0-9. It has debouncing so it requires one press each time the digit is incremented/decremented and it cannot go below 0 or above 9.

I have it set so that to set, say, 465 turns I simply set each digit in turn to 0-4-6-5. To change that to 325 turns, I would move the cursor to the second digit and press the DOWN button. Then I would move the cursor to the third digit and press the DOWN button four times.

The calculation is automatic. When the cursor is under the fourth digit and the RIGHT button is pressed, the cursor will move down to the next line.

The next line is what I have called 'Turn Pitch'. Depending on the wire guage set on the next line, the coil feed stepper motor will traverse the diameter of the wire for every full rotation of the winder stepper motor.

Same rules apply for changing the pitch value from 0-9. RIGHT button will move cursor down to next line.

On the next line I set the wire gauge. This determines the distance the wire feeder stepper motor travels for each rotation of the winder stepper motor. I have allowed for 0-99 for that value. RIGHT button will move the cursor down to the 'Start' line and that text will then change to 'Press OK to Start'.

AS I said, I want the ability to set a number of winds that will follow on from the last, say up to 10, but I still need to work on that.

Diabolical Artificer · 4th May 2015, 2:05 pm

Well thought out Jon. Controlling the pitch etc by a PIC/Arduino is the way to do it; I wish I
was able to do my winder that way. After numerous attempts at programming an Arduino I had to do mine using micro switches to set the length of travel of the wire guide. I did manage to build a PWM controller though.

I'll look forward to seeing how you get on. Andy.

Ti Pwun · 4th May 2015, 2:30 pm

Thanks. I'll be making the code available (FOC) when I get done, anyway, so feel free to hack it around to suit your own needs.

Andrew B · 27th May 2015, 12:57 pm

Thanks for the info Jon, I'm following this thread. I saw a purely mechanical coil winder at work on Youtube, it was set up to make Pi wound coils, they always look neat. Are you thinking of coding for this type of coil?

Ti Pwun · 27th May 2015, 10:37 pm

I originally had simple coils in mind but I hope to make it as versatile as possible, pie included, but unfortunately I'm so busy right now that I haven't had time. I will be getting back to it soon, though.

FrankB · 1st Jul 2015, 1:19 am

You might want to look at the old issues of QST Magazine and Ham Radio Magazine.
IIRC, there was a similar project using an old White or Singer treadle sewing machine.
One of the 1930's Popular Science or a wood working mag. also used the sewing machine as a basis for a cheap DIY wood lathe.

23rd Dec 2014, 1:18 pm	#1
Ti Pwun Heptode Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 888	Coil winder from a dead Brother XL-2230 sewing machine I've seen several threads on here, and other places, regarding home made coil winders and I thought I'd have a go and document my attempt here. So step one was to disassemble the wife's sewing machine! Well, her old one. It wasn't great when new and didn't work at all when I took it apart. Still a fair way to go but here's what I was able to work out so far using those parts as is. Nothing is assembled but I think I have the bulk of what I need now, just from that old sewing machine. I do also have a couple of stepper motors from an old printer, though and I'll be able to control them with a PIC or Arduino. I've drawn in the cones for holding the coil former because I don't yet have anything for that but I'm sure they won't be too difficult to make. I showed my keyboard so the size of the thing is clear - I think it will be very usable: https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...pictureid=3117 The long rod I plan to cut will probably just be cut close to the cog because I can leave the cog unclamped to the rod and fit the shortened rod into some holes in the wooden frame I will be making. It doesn't need bearings or clamps because the cog spins freely and a couple of copper washers will prevent binding. Last edited by Ti Pwun; 23rd Dec 2014 at 1:28 pm.

23rd Dec 2014, 5:32 pm	#2
dave walsh Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex. Posts: 5,817	Re: Coil winder from a dead Brother XL-2230 sewing machine A very interesting bit of re-cycling-neatly thought out. A friend of mine used to do all sorts of things with ex-printer step motors but the control systems are a bit out of my interest/ability range. Dave W [In one of my favourite Sci-Fi books [What Mad Universe-Fredric Brown 1949] the hero find himself in an alternative world. The common anti-gravity 'cars' that flip from location to location [including the Moon] have been accidentally invented by a man who only set out to modify his wife's sewing machine for electrical power. When he presses the pedal the whole thing disappears and is found to hit the side of a building in Mahattan. Using up new S Machines experimentally proves expensive so he reduces the rig to a minimum of components so he can track how it works-be careful out there!]

23rd Dec 2014, 6:03 pm	#3
Ti Pwun Heptode Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 888	Re: Coil winder from a dead Brother XL-2230 sewing machine Uh-oh! Fun times ahead, perhaps.

31st Dec 2014, 12:48 am	#4
jay_oldstuff Octode Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hyde, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 1,074	Re: Coil winder from a dead Brother XL-2230 sewing machine Sounds interesting will have a looksee when I'm home; can't seem to open the link on my tablet. My current efforts are based on the steppers and electronics from a Citizen 120D dot matrix printer. I'm using an adreno to drive the darlington arrays from the printer even the SMPSU is the printer's one. Just the mechanical bits to finalise and I should have somthing to show everyone. Jay __________________ The light at the end of the tunnel is probably the headlight of an oncoming train

31st Dec 2014, 4:07 am	#5
Ti Pwun Heptode Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 888	Re: Coil winder from a dead Brother XL-2230 sewing machine I haven't got to the electronics yet. I just received the couplers today so I cut down the rods so everything fits and the steppers are attached. I'll be putting it together within a week or so. I'll be interested to see your version when you have it up and running.

31st Dec 2014, 10:54 pm	#6
jay_oldstuff Octode Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hyde, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 1,074	Re: Coil winder from a dead Brother XL-2230 sewing machine I was finally able to view the image you posted and I like your approche, sort of simlar to how I am planning to do it. Pics of my latest effort will be posted as soon as I've constructed the frame which I'm making from 1"x0.5"x1mm box section steel (just cos I have lots of offcuts and like welding.) Jay __________________ The light at the end of the tunnel is probably the headlight of an oncoming train

1st Jan 2015, 11:22 am	#7
Ti Pwun Heptode Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 888	Re: Coil winder from a dead Brother XL-2230 sewing machine I don't weld so I'm going to recycle the wood from a very old oak harmonium that I kept. It's very stable wood but any movement will be absorbed by the belts so I'm not worried about expansion/contraction. I'm not really a woodworker but after looking at the cost of acrylic/plastic blocks, I'll learn quickly!

1st Jan 2015, 4:02 pm	#8
Ti Pwun Heptode Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 888	Re: Coil winder from a dead Brother XL-2230 sewing machine Correction - just found an A4 sheet of white 10cm acrylic so I'll save the wood for another project - this A4 sheet is just the right size.

3rd May 2015, 11:55 pm	#9
Ti Pwun Heptode Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 888	Re: Coil winder from a dead Brother XL-2230 sewing machine After a rethink, I changed the design of this coil winder. I'm currently working on the software but after some initial testing, it's working well. https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...pictureid=3280 Nothing is attached to the platform and I want to add the ability to program it to perform a series of different winds, but these pics will give an idea of where I am with it. I'm currently using Arduino but the final thing will use a PIC microcontroller with more I/O. https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...pictureid=3281 EDIT: to explain the software/firmware, the top row can set from 0-9999 turns. The RIGHT button will move the cursor to each digit and the UP and DOWN will change the digit from 0-9. It has debouncing so it requires one press each time the digit is incremented/decremented and it cannot go below 0 or above 9. I have it set so that to set, say, 465 turns I simply set each digit in turn to 0-4-6-5. To change that to 325 turns, I would move the cursor to the second digit and press the DOWN button. Then I would move the cursor to the third digit and press the DOWN button four times. The calculation is automatic. When the cursor is under the fourth digit and the RIGHT button is pressed, the cursor will move down to the next line. The next line is what I have called 'Turn Pitch'. Depending on the wire guage set on the next line, the coil feed stepper motor will traverse the diameter of the wire for every full rotation of the winder stepper motor. Same rules apply for changing the pitch value from 0-9. RIGHT button will move cursor down to next line. On the next line I set the wire gauge. This determines the distance the wire feeder stepper motor travels for each rotation of the winder stepper motor. I have allowed for 0-99 for that value. RIGHT button will move the cursor down to the 'Start' line and that text will then change to 'Press OK to Start'. AS I said, I want the ability to set a number of winds that will follow on from the last, say up to 10, but I still need to work on that. __________________ Jon. Last edited by Ti Pwun; 4th May 2015 at 12:13 am.

4th May 2015, 2:05 pm	#10
Diabolical Artificer Dekatron Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Sleaford, Lincs. UK. Posts: 7,661	Re: Coil winder from a dead Brother XL-2230 sewing machine Well thought out Jon. Controlling the pitch etc by a PIC/Arduino is the way to do it; I wish I was able to do my winder that way. After numerous attempts at programming an Arduino I had to do mine using micro switches to set the length of travel of the wire guide. I did manage to build a PWM controller though. I'll look forward to seeing how you get on. Andy. __________________ Curiosity hasn't killed this cat...so far.

4th May 2015, 2:30 pm	#11
Ti Pwun Heptode Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 888	Re: Coil winder from a dead Brother XL-2230 sewing machine Thanks. I'll be making the code available (FOC) when I get done, anyway, so feel free to hack it around to suit your own needs. __________________ Jon.

27th May 2015, 12:57 pm	#12
Andrew B Heptode Join Date: May 2015 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 512	Re: Coil winder from a dead Brother XL-2230 sewing machine Thanks for the info Jon, I'm following this thread. I saw a purely mechanical coil winder at work on Youtube, it was set up to make Pi wound coils, they always look neat. Are you thinking of coding for this type of coil?

27th May 2015, 10:37 pm	#13
Ti Pwun Heptode Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 888	Re: Coil winder from a dead Brother XL-2230 sewing machine I originally had simple coils in mind but I hope to make it as versatile as possible, pie included, but unfortunately I'm so busy right now that I haven't had time. I will be getting back to it soon, though. __________________ Jon.

1st Jul 2015, 1:19 am	#14
FrankB Heptode Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Olympia, Washington, USA. Posts: 664	Re: Coil winder from a dead Brother XL-2230 sewing machine You might want to look at the old issues of QST Magazine and Ham Radio Magazine. IIRC, there was a similar project using an old White or Singer treadle sewing machine. One of the 1930's Popular Science or a wood working mag. also used the sewing machine as a basis for a cheap DIY wood lathe.