Making A Humbucker

[jworrellbass]

To go along with my "Free Pickup" thread
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=664919
I've decided to show you how I make a side-by-side humbucker.
I'll start with making the bobbin and over the next few days or weeks (depending on how slow I am). I'll show you my whole process.
I start with cutting abs into 1/2" strips. I already have a jig made for a standard 4 string 2.25" spread.

Then I cut the abs.

The 4 strips go into the jig and over to the drill press.

Two of the strips get drilled for the brass eyelets

I use a small needle file to remove any burrs and to make a slot for the wire.

Then I hammer in metal dowel pins,

And put the top on.

After that it's time to brush on some super glue.

Next time I'll show you how I wind the pickups.

 

[__HM__]

Tight!

 

[Ruckus_Instrmts]

Are the dowel pins anything specific? Can any ferrous metal be used?

 

[jworrellbass]

Are the dowel pins anything specific? Can any ferrous metal be used?

As long as it's magnetic. I was experimenting using different things and I had some laying around. I can also order them in bulk for $.07 each.

 

[moody]

Is superglue normal for pickups? I would have thought that it would turn brittle eventually - maybe not tomorrow but I wouldn't necessarily trust it to be there in 15 years?

 

[scojack]

The whole lot is eventually encased with resin.......

 

[Stealth]

Subscribed just because it's extremely intricately explained. Keep 'em coming, please

 

[jworrellbass]

Is superglue normal for pickups? I would have thought that it would turn brittle eventually - maybe not tomorrow but I wouldn't necessarily trust it to be there in 15 years?

I just use the super to secure the pole piece to the bobbin, other wise after winding the top and or bottom can work their way off, then it's a mess. Super glue will not hurt anything.

The whole lot is eventually encased with resin.......

Yes, I put the entire pickup in the mold and pour the resin, the pickup is almost indestructible when it's done, unless you take a hammer to one.

Subscribed just because it's extremely intricately explained. Keep 'em coming, please

Thanks, I will

 

[jmorbita]

Yeah, this is really interesting! not planning on making any pickups in the near future, but love to see you doing it!

 

[moody]

The whole lot is eventually encased with resin.......

Fair enough, resin I would trust a lot longer than superglue.

 

[jworrellbass]

I decided to show you my homemade winder.

The motor is from a 9" box fan. I cut the housing out and screwed it to the blocks and re-installed the motor, then shimmed it until it was level. The block is a 1" x 4" piece of maple. I have a magnet on one end (for the sensor) and a lag bolt with washers to balance it.
I wired up a varible fan speed control. The counter, reed switch and magnet is from Fargo Control. I called them and told them what I needed and they hooked me up, it was around $70.
http://www.fargocontrols.com/counter/totalizing.html
The wire is on the wall about 4' from the winder, it runs though the eyelets and around the front so I can hand feed it.
The big eyelet bolt and set couplers are to limit the wire, so it doesn't run over the bobbin. The whole set up was $95. I usally wind around 500-600 rpm.

 

[BassCycle]

subbed. Cool stuff.

 

[jworrellbass]

Lets continue on. Today it's about wind the coils. But first for those of you that don't understand how a hummer is wound check out this link;
http://www.1728.com/guitar1a.htm

The coil goes on the winder, it's held with double sided tape. The main reason I use super glue when I make the bobbin is after the coil is wound the DST can cause the freshly wound bobbin to come apart.

As the bobbin spins I move the wire between the collar locks, this keeps the wire from going over the edge of the bobbin.

After 7500 turns one half of a humbucker is done.

Then I tie the wire to the eyelet.

The coils are then soldered and tested, the number on the multi tester is for one coil.

Both coils.

I mix 30 minute epoxy together along with rubbing alcohol, I use about 2x as much rubbing alcohol as epoxy mix.

I brush the mixture on the coils and let it set over night.

People love to get their hands on a shiny new coil.

 

[mikeyswood]

Have you noticed any issues with the water in the copper?

 

[ctmullins]

I decided to show you my homemade winder.

So very cool. Art of the state!

 

[jworrellbass]

Are you referring to the use of rubbing alcohol? If so no. I've got a coil that I took apart and it's solid all the way though. Besides the coil wire is SPN. Single Poly Nylon coated.
I use the alcohol to thin out the epoxy, so I can brush it on. It dryes pretty fast.

 

[Diogenes]

Are you referring to the use of rubbing alcohol? If so no. I've got a coil that I took apart and it's solid all the way though. Besides the coil wire is SPN. Single Poly Nylon coated.
I use the alcohol to thin out the epoxy, so I can brush it on. It dryes pretty fast.

Where do you get your wire from? I think the wire I've been buying is poly coated and doesn't hold up to alcohol (denatured) very well (that's how I remove the coating to check the coil's resistance, I'm from a different winding school ) so I typically pot my coils with paraffin and then once the wax is trimmed I encase them in epoxy. I'd much rather go the all epoxy route.

 

[jworrellbass]

Where do you get your wire from? I think the wire I've been buying is poly coated and doesn't hold up to alcohol (denatured) very well (that's how I remove the coating to check the coil's resistance, I'm from a different winding school ) so I typically pot my coils with paraffin and then once the wax is trimmed I encase them in epoxy. I'd much rather go the all epoxy route.

MWS. I use 43 gauge from Electricsola. I did try to remove the coating with RA and it did nothing. I use a little 600 grit sandpaper to remove the coating. I asked on Pickups and Electronic form (the one on TB) about epoxy potting and someone (sorry I can't remember who) said that they used to use 5 minute exopy and RA. So I gave it a try, but I find the 30 minute kind to be easier to work with, it's more forgiving with the amount of time you have to work with it.
Also I have left extra in the cup just to see what happens after awhile, it leaves a hard epoxy when it dries.
I'll take a picture of the coil I removed to show you.

Found the thread;

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=579467&highlight=

 

[jworrellbass]

Here are a few pic's of a coil that I removed from a bobbin after it was potted.

That was a coil I wound about 2 months ago.