Another little project for a rainy day...

Built in the 1930s by The Automatic Coil Winder & Electrical Equipment Co. (later to become AVO Limited) this little, linear, coil winder is in need of a bit of love and attention.
One day, it will again become fully functional. 

Tweakie.

After a couple of days hard work the Douglas No.1 has been cleaned up and is now back in full working order. Just trying it out with some small transformer bobbins it performs extremely well indeed.

Not sure what is going to happen to it now but hopefully my efforts have saved it from being broken up for scrap.

Tweakie.

Nice job Tweakie !
It's now a valuable museum piece.

Does the level wind mechanism reverse direction automatically ? ? ?, or do you have to reverse the direction manually ?

Really refreshing to something that actually works well without the need electricity or batteries.

Thanks for the post,
Russ

Hi Russ,

It is automatic reversing.
There are two, contra-rotating, lead-screws and alternate half-nuts are engaged when the pre-set (to bobbin width) end stops are reached. Quite a clever bit of engineering considering the overall simplicity of the design.

One thing I have learnt about hand operated winders, I would never want to challenge one of the coil winder girls at arm wrestling, especially if they have been winding with 0.5mm or so wire. 

Tweakie.

Nice job on the retro of the machine. Good feeling to see somethig restored and usable.
What to do with it.....?

Replace the dinning table bowl or center piece with the winder?
Try it .....she may like it! 

RICH

Replace the dinning table bowl or center piece with the winder?

Thanks Rich, I will give it a try and see what happens. 

Tweakie.

If you wish to part with that winding machine I would happily pay to be its new owner.

Graeme

Hi Graeme,

I never thought I would but that little machine really does get used a lot - I would certainly miss it if it ever went to a new home. 

Tweakie.

Yep truly useful and far from being a museum piece, a few have turned up as museum pieces and that is such a waste.


Graeme