pickup wire by the foot

[GuyaGuy]

so i have access to a machine made to cut cable and wire which theoretically could be used to hand-wind a pickup. however, it doesn't count winds but rather feet.

does anybody know of basic single coil pu specs that indicate the footage of pickup wire?

[UnklMickey]

i kinda doubt that data exists, but i seems like it wouldn't be to hard to estimate it.

if you measure the circumference of the bobbin (use a thread or some wire or what not, wrap it around 10 turns, unwind it, measure the length, and divide by 10.) that would be a good estimate for the length per turn.

of course the length per turn increases on the later windings.



alternately you could use the ohms per foot of the wire (supplied by the wire manufacturer) of the wire, and determine the length the wire of a coil you wanted to duplicate by: dividing the measured resistance of the coil, by the ohms/foot.

you would have to use the data for the same wire that was used in the original manufacturing of the coil.

if you change the gauge, you would end up with a different resistance for the same length.

[GuyaGuy]

unklmickey said:

i kinda doubt that data exists, but i seems like it wouldn't be to hard to estimate it.

if you measure the circumference of the bobbin (use a thread or some wire or what not, wrap it around 10 turns, unwind it, measure the length, and divide by 10.) that would be a good estimate for the length per turn.

of course the length per turn increases on the later windings.



alternately you could use the ohms per foot of the wire (supplied by the wire manufacturer) of the wire, and determine the length the wire of a coil you wanted to duplicate by: dividing the measured resistance of the coil, by the ohms/foot.

you would have to use the data for the same wire that was used in the original manufacturing of the coil.

if you change the gauge, you would end up with a different resistance for the same length.

i looked at lollar's pickup winding book and i'm almost certain it had info on wire footage in vintage fender pu's in it.

i thought of the circumference idea as well then immedialtely thought of the problem of the growing circumference.

but the ohm per foot method may be the way to go if i can't track down the footage needed.

thanks for the tip.

[UnklMickey]

could also improve the circumference estimate by wrapping the bobbin with enough tape to simulate the outside thickness of the coil.

then take a second 10 turn measurement. and average the 2 measurments.

[pollyshero]

Now that my curiosity is pique'd, there's a sick little puppy in my head urging me to unwind one just to find out.

Must be time for my meds...

[UnklMickey]

pollyshero said:

...unwind one just to find out....

hope you've got LOTS of time on your hands.

[pollyshero]

To the uninitiated it might seem perfectly logical. As a matter of fact, it DID seem logical when I was 12.

Man, that's a LOT of wire!

Kids, don't try this at home.

[UnklMickey]

"... and if you think you're gonna leave this mess, well Mister, you've got another think coming!..."