PAT - my spring jig

[Bent]

george, thanks for suggestions re go-go gadget and needlenose pliers. Needlenose is what I have been using, but only with some luck - see pic.
The go go tool is obviously for forming loops out of straight wire. In my case, the loop has to be formed after the spring is wound

[mac639]

Bent....I don't know if you're interested in my gadget for springs, but I've attached a couple of pictures. It's just a couple of pieces of 1/4" plate aluminum. The top of each piece is "hammered" into a sort of hook that fits between the coils of the spring you're working with. The other end has just a bolt to hold the thing together. To use it just put the spring in between the claws with just one coil outside the claws. Clamp the thing in the vise...not too tight, just enough to hold it. Then just insert your small screwdriver under one edge and pry it up. I always make sure I have goggles on when I'm working with springs, you never know when the little buggers will fly away, usually right at you!
Cheers, Mac
....and Happy Easter

[Bent]

Mac..or should I start calling you MacGyver? Now we are going places! I think that this is what I have been looking for. I'm gonna make me a clamp like that and try it out.
Now I am getting really finicky here ... the loop ends up on the outside edge of the coil, which is fine in many cases. Take a close look at a return spring, or the one I have pictured...the loop is in the middle of the coil. In order to accomplish that, the next rev. of coil will have to be squeezed together. I have tried doing this with different pliers but it is too labor intensive and too prone to failure because the wire keeps jumping out of the pliers and I end up with a mess. Any suggestions? Thanks a 1000000 Mac.

[Pat Comeau]

I've been doing almost the same method as Mac...i use a straight flat vise grip instead and a flat screw driver to turn the last loop

[mac639]

See the picture below....the loop end is in the middle. When you have the spring still in my little "clamp", after you make the loop, just carefully with flat nose pliers turn the loop 90 deg. This whole procedure requires making a few loops before you get the idea on where on the circle of coils to bend up the loop. To make a totally closed loop for instance, insert the screwdriver opposite side from the end of the last coil (maybe a bit more past). To leave an open ended loop, move back towards the open end a bit. Too far back and it won't bend too good though, it'll jump out..
Mac

[mac639]

Speaking of springs.....see that's a gold coloured spring. You know where they came from? The Dollar store. Those are door stopper springs, you know the ones that screw onto a little plate and have a rubber bumper on the end. They come 3 in a pack for a loonie. They are 1/4" diam and pretty strong springs. I bought a whole bunch of them from a $ store that was going out of business last fall.
I was intrigued by your spring winding machine. I must try that. Don't know anywhere I could get spring wire around here though. I'm guessing that piano string wire is probably the same stuff perhaps, don't know anybody that'd have even that around here though. Oh well.....probably should be raking up the yard anyway, it's such great weather for April.
Mac

[Bent]

Mac, the yard should still be there another day
Yeah them Dollar stores have some hidden treasures alright. Your door spring is a treasure; now listen to this one:
When I was building my pickup winder, I went and got a window theft alarm unit for one $. It had the little reed switch I needed for the counter. Not only that, but I get a little magnet that I can use, plus it has 4 of those button cell batteries, the kind I use in my digital calipers, plus in some kids' toys. All for the tidy sum of $1.

You asked about where to get music wire. I explained this to Pat in this post: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=238 See the post at the very bottom of the page.
Good luck!