Return springs- connecting

[Bent]

Scott, that is a very good idea. I believe the credit goes to Stuart Tindal out of Great Britain

As an aside, I have been toying with the idea of making my own springs. I made the pedal-and knee lever return springs with pretty good success.

I watched a young guy winding his own springs of different shapes and sizes on the internet and all he used was a drill with a small shaft to wind the wire.
If I could get a template made in the shape of the return spring and with the right gauge wire, it should be possible to make my own. I'll be sure to let you all know if I succeed.

[Eldon]

Here's another option, I haven't attached it to the guitar (not that far yet) but it's simple enough to do. Just take a couple of needle nose pliers & a sidecutter and make a space for the nut. Dont in less time than wingnut. I do like the dremel tool idea though.

[Bent]

I made a prototype - sort of. It will look better once I get the turned mandrel from Gary, my turning expert.
I simply made the rough mandrel from a 1/4" bolt which turns out a tad thick. I ground an end down to conform with the screw-receiving end of the spring.
One problem left: Can anyone tell me how to make that neat hook in the wide end? It looks to me like a special shaped pliers would do the trick..someting to bite onto the second winding and compress and presto.
Bill Ford? Eldon?

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[Eldon]

So far I've come up with nothing to help you with here Bent. I do have a question though. Are you using spring wire and if so doesn't it have a tendancy to "spring back" making the desired winding larger in diameter???

[Bent]

Eldon, yes it is spring wire. Music wire actually..18 or 19 gauge. It is very springy and springs back. This prototype was wound around a 1/4" bolt and turned out 5/16"ID. For my real mandrel I am having one turned so that when sprung out, the coil will be within 2 thou of the factory spring.
Also, I think I will order a coil of stainless music wire

[12string]

Hi Mac

The way I got round the problem(after you advised me to make the return springs adjustable) was to make my own threaded inserts, quite easy really. You need springs wound in the right direction though, so that a regular bolt will screw into the end of the spring having first cut it to length.
Before all of this, I first found a small bolt of the correct size with a thread pitch the same or slightly wider than the pitch of the spring coils, and drilled a hole dead centre about 3/8 inch down the end and tapped it out with a suitable tap, to accommadate a suitable adjustment screw.
Then simply screw the bolt into the spring about 3 turns and cut off the bolt head and excess. BE CAREFULL as once you have screwed it in you won't get it back out, even with the bolt head on as it locks in reverse.

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It works great,

Stuart (England)

[12string]

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By the way Bent, the other design with the slotted nut was made by Karlis Abolins from Washington I believe,

Stuart

[Bent]

By the way Bent, the other design with the slotted nut was made by Karlis Abolins from Washington I believe,

Stuart
Thanks Stuart. I stand corrected.
Anyway, still looking for ideas on how to bend that neat hook in the other end of my tapered springs.