Original poster: Jim Lux <jimlux@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> At 12:55 PM 11/26/2005, Tesla list wrote:
Original poster: Drbillpmt@xxxxxxx Hi All,I'm having a problem winding spiral flat coils of 1/4" and 3/16" copper tubing. Som of the pictures posted show flat coils that are works of art! I'm usually pretty good at things mechanical, but I just can't seem to be able to devise a way to repetitively, and accurately, wind many coils necessary for a customer order.The center of the spiral is quite small. Dr. Bill
A few strategies spring to mind..1) use some form of guides and carefully transfer the coils from the box the precoiled tubing came in (the usual TC approach, but tough to get really tight tubing
2) A spool with two flanges spaced by the thickness of the tubing and then you wind under a fair amount of tension. Might want to fill the tube with sand or lead first to prevent crimping with small radius turns
3) A "three roller" kind of tubing bender where you carefully change the ROC as you go.