Compression spring info

0.041" wire, came out a little small (expected, I didn't turn a custom mandrel). No problems making a spring though. I'd move your "dispenser" closer (like really close) to the work so you're getting a tight bend before winding. 1 TPI. Scale shows about 1.75# at 3/4 compression.

GsTspring.jpg
 
for the .041 it was very close. For the wire you see in the pic, I had pulled back at the end with the visegrip attached to hold it in place so it didn't spring back. I think it was half the distance while turning.
 
Here's the setup I used. Worked as expected for me. I know you're probably dazzled with the workmanship of my tensioner - I improvised it many years ago and it's always worked, so I've never made a nice one. I keep a glove on my left hand* just to guide the wire out of the box, but tension is exclusively provided by the pinch plate. Lathe set up for LH thread (because I didn't cross-drill the mandrel, so it was easiest to insert the wire in one of the slots in the collet - but I've done it both ways).

GsT

*The glove does not present a hazard because I never turn the lathe on. Big springs go so quick I just manually turn the chuck. Gearing is so low it doesn't unwind. I wind smaller springs under power, but I don't feed those from the box.
 
I wound up going under power for the bigger spring. I just could not turn the chuck by hand and hold the wire it was too heavy especially unwound from it's previous uses.
Mine was just a drill piece of brass clamped in a 102 holder (V), lathered with white lithium grease, and at the back a bar to provide clamping pressure. I made the hole in the brass so tight it was a bear getting them thru, that's why I wound up greasing it.

Does your setup have a v in the bar to guide it?
 
woodchucker said:
Does your setup have a v in the bar to guide it?
Click to expand...
Nope. I always start by running the wire over the "far" side of the pinch plate from where the wire is initially grasped. So remembering that I wound this one from left to right (wire started in the collet) it then went around the right side (as viewed in the photo) of the 1/4"-20 bolt in the pinch plate. I had to use the chuck key to turn my chuck in this case, due to the low gear, but my proof of concept was only ~8-9 revolutions, so not a big deal.

I could have done it under power, but my luck (track record) with music wire spooling out of the box the way it's supposed to is rather dismal...

GsT
 
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