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05-22-2009, 06:26 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Zagreb, Croatia | | | DIY pickups - shopping checklist
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So, among many of my other modding projects that include routing a P/J into an M1/P/J, a Jazz into a J/P/J and creating weird wiring schematics, I'm also considering trying my hand on winding pickups.
So, before even considering this (yes, I did manage to find several reputable books on the topic), I'd like to create a shopping checklist here to see if I missed anything. - Wire spool: As far as wire gauges go, 42 AWG (0.06 mm) of lacquer enameled copper wire is common, right? And as far as I've gathered from another pickup winding thread, we're talking at least 1,5 km (circa 1 mi) of wire per pickup (given an average 8000 windings).
- Magnets: A local shop here sells:
- cylindrical 5mm radius/30mm height
- cylindrical 10mm radius/25mm height
- cylindrical bored 10mm radius/5.5mm radius bore - thank you, slowburnaz!
- Various bar magnets
- Flatware: I was considering using PCB-grade fiberboard - out of FR-2 (resin-paper, pertinax), FR-3 (phenolic-cotton, textolite) and FR-4 (glass-epoxy, vitroplast)
- Insulating tape - to be decided / found
- Paraffin and wax - readily available
As far as materials work - is this it? Anything extra I need (eyelets - where do I get those)?
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Originally Posted by rtav Progressive Rock is like pornography - it can be hard to define but I know it when I hear it. |
Last edited by Stealth : 05-22-2009 at 09:36 AM.
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05-22-2009, 08:16 AM
| | | | how about wax?? usually for.. i don't know, but there's definitely there's some wax on my nordstrand pup. |
05-22-2009, 08:28 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Zagreb, Croatia | | | Added - you're right, pickups need potting. I'll probably have to make a list for the tools (e.g. double boiler) as well.
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Originally Posted by rtav Progressive Rock is like pornography - it can be hard to define but I know it when I hear it. | |
05-22-2009, 06:00 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Near Worcester MA | | | You can use a double boiler or a large glue pot for the wax
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05-22-2009, 07:48 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tucson, AZ | | | Stealth,
I've found that those bored-out magnets still have a bit too much pull on the strings. I'd go with a lower grade (lower than 48 neos, anyway)... like grade 42 or 40. It wasn't noticeable on the lower frets, but up high, it became very noticeable.
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05-22-2009, 08:01 PM
|  | America's Favorite Hot Dog! | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: CHI/NWI | | | Kinda on topic, how do you guys go about winding all that wire? Is there a cheaper DIY solution than a 300 dollar pickup winder? |
05-23-2009, 02:27 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Novosibirsk, Siberia, Russia | | | Sure there is DIY solution - hand drill |
05-23-2009, 06:33 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Germantown, Louisville KY USA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by lowendgenerator  Kinda on topic, how do you guys go about winding all that wire? Is there a cheaper DIY solution than a 300 dollar pickup winder? | Variable speed power drills, hand-drills, modified old sewing machines (the foot pedal to regulate bobbin-winding speeds was handy)... they all worked great and can be found cheap at yardsales or in the trash. But I've settled on using one of my small lathes.
Search the 'net for 'DIY pickup winding' and you should come up with a few examples of the hand drill or even an old record turntable coil winder.
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05-24-2009, 10:02 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Zagreb, Croatia | | Quote:
Originally Posted by slowburnaz Stealth,
I've found that those bored-out magnets still have a bit too much pull on the strings. I'd go with a lower grade (lower than 48 neos, anyway)... like grade 42 or 40. It wasn't noticeable on the lower frets, but up high, it became very noticeable. | I'll check to see just how much magnetism there is in those borehole neos the local shop sells - maybe they're grade 42 like you suggest.
Any more suggestions? Anything else that'll come in handy? For instance, I know I can survive without pickup covers, so those aren't really top priority for me.
__________________ Quote: |
Originally Posted by rtav Progressive Rock is like pornography - it can be hard to define but I know it when I hear it. | |
05-25-2009, 12:42 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Zagreb, Croatia | | Quote:
Originally Posted by xaxxat Eyelets and tape can be gotten from Stew-mac. You'll need some beeswax to keep the paraffin from getting too brittle. | Thanks for reminding me about the beeswax. As far as eyelets and tape go, I was thinking locally as I don't have a PayPal account (it's hell trying to get it to work out here... plus the postage/shipping/customs would probably make it expensive as hell. Quote:
Originally Posted by xaxxat | I'll see what can be done, I've read a page which describes how the calculator trick works and will probably go along with that. I'll probably use a variable-speed hand drill for that, C-clamped for stability. Quote:
Originally Posted by xaxxat | Now I'm intrigued. How exactly does a wisker disc work? If I got it right, it's placed atop a spinning wire reel and helps correct the wire's position and twist.
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Originally Posted by rtav Progressive Rock is like pornography - it can be hard to define but I know it when I hear it. | |
05-25-2009, 06:29 PM
|  | Registered User | | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Stealth Thanks for reminding me about the beeswax. As far as eyelets and tape go, I was thinking locally as I don't have a PayPal account (it's hell trying to get it to work out here... plus the postage/shipping/customs would probably make it expensive as hell.
I'll see what can be done, I've read a page which describes how the calculator trick works and will probably go along with that. I'll probably use a variable-speed hand drill for that, C-clamped for stability.
Now I'm intrigued. How exactly does a wisker disc work? If I got it right, it's placed atop a spinning wire reel and helps correct the wire's position and twist. | I believe the eyelets can be gotten from Tandy Leather. Some crafts stores also sell brass eyelets.
As for the tape, I'd say one could probably use medical tape - the cloth type - as a substitute.
You have it right about the wisker disc. It puts a small amount of drag on the wire so it can be controlled better and also keeps the wire from "dereeling" which means the wire falls off the reel and tangles up. | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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