Over the recent days, i have been planning to make numerous projects that include electromagnetism. All these projects require copper wire to be wound uniformly in the form of a coil.

Winding few meters of thin enameled copper wire uniformly with hands seemed almost like an impossible task. Even if that could be done, it would require tremendous amount of time and work.

In this Instructable, i decided to make a coil winding machine at home. It is very simple to make machine and does the wire winding work almost perfectly.

Step 1: Order Parts

Ebay.com

DC motor - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1...
Switch - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1...
Battery - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1...
Battery Holder - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1...
Bearing - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/...
Wooden Tongue Depressors - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1...
Hot Glue Gun - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/...
Soldering Iron - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/...

Amazon.com

DC motor - https://amzn.to/2Itu0PG
Switch - http://amzn.to/2Ar86sN
Battery - http://amzn.to/2GEMb4v
Battery Holder - https://amzn.to/2rMQQuO
Bearing - http://amzn.to/2DX1bJy
Wooden Tongue Depressors - https://amzn.to/2IpjtJL
Hot Glue Gun - https://amzn.to/2Sf7oad
Soldering Iron - http://amzn.to/2r3IX6g

Amazon.in

DC motor - http://amzn.to/2wdEyQS
Switch
Battery - https://amzn.to/2L5cljl
Battery Holder - https://amzn.to/2IlDf8L
Bearing - http://amzn.to/2rE0Xo0
Wooden Tongue Depressors - https://amzn.to/2L7kkMD
Hot Glue Gun - http://amzn.to/2rjNE9r
Soldering Iron - http://amzn.to/2qC47qG

From Home & Local Store: Cardboard, wooden sticks, tape, super glue and connecting wires.

Step 2: Watch the Video

There is no better tool than a good video for understanding any tutorial. A video makes it easy to understand and follow the procedure. However, it is also recommended to visit next steps for additional info and images.

Step 3: Let's Begin - Make Side Wall

Take a piece of cardboard of about 8 x 5 inches.
Using a stationary knife, cut the cardboard as shown in the image above.
The H-shaped cardboard has middle segment of about 1.5 inches.
Place the bearing at the top of the side segments and mark the points.
Make hole at the marked points equal to the size of the bearing.
Fix the bearing in the holes and secure them with hot glue.
Make two such similar pieces of side walls.

Step 4: Prepare Base Platform

Take a cardboard piece of about 9 x 8 inches.
Cut 4 cardboard pieces of about 2 x 1.5 inches.
Using super glue, paste 2 pieces at the two corners of the cardboard base.
Place the side wall (with bearings) at the center of the smaller pieces and secure with hot glue. (Refer to the image above)
Take the other two smaller cardboard pieces and place them at the remaining corners of the platform.
Place the other side wall at the center of the cardboard pieces.
Secure the side wall to the cardboard corner pieces using super glue.
Make sure not to paste the corner pieces to the base platform.

Step 5: Make Frame for Second Side Wall

Using a pencil, mark the position of the second Side wall.
Cut two L-shaped cardboard pieces as shown in the image above.
Paste the L-shaped cardboard at the outer boundary of marked position.
Cut the wooden tongue depressor equal to the length of L-shaped cardboard.
Using super glue, paste the tongue depressor at both the L-shape edges of the cardboard.
Make sure that the other side wall can easily slide between the slit of the base and tongue depressor.
If everything seems fine, proceed to next steps..

Step 6: Make Rotary Mechanism

Take two wooden sticks of about 9" length.
Remove the side wall and insert the wooden stick in the bearing.
You can increase the thickness of wooden stick by wrapping some tape over it.
Make sure that both the sticks fit well in the bearings of the fixed side wall.
The wooden sticks in the bearing of the removable side wall should not be very tight because it will be difficult to remove it again and again after winding.

Step 7: Prepare Electronic Components

Take a powerful DC motor.
If you have a small plastic pulley then connect it to the motor shaft.
If not, then apply some tape over the motor shaft.
Using knife, carefully cut the tape such that a slit is formed in between.
Refer to the schematic above, connect a switch and the battery to the motor.
I used a DPDT switch to control the motor in both directions, however, a simple ON/Off switch is sufficient for this project.
Using Hot glue, paste the motor below one of the wooden sticks.
Also, secure the motor additionally by a cardboard and super glue because hot glue will melt once the motor gets hot.
See the image above, paste the battery holder and the switch as well.

Note: I used 18650 Li-ion battery because it is capable of providing very high power. For charging the Li-ion Battery, you can also refer to my DIY -Battery Charger instructable or watch the Video.

Step 8: Finish the Project

Connect the motor shaft and wooden stick with a rubber band, such that when the shaft rotates, the stick also rotates.
Apply some tape at the edge of the stick, so that the rubber band doesn't come out while rotating.
Remove the free side wall and insert the copper wire spool over one of the sticks.
On the other stick, fix any cylindrical pipe.
You can easily increase the thickness of wooden stick using tape, so that the pipe fits well.

Note: In the image, a black spool holder can be seen, This spool holder i used was 3D printed but any cylindrical pipe will also serve the purpose, only make sure to increase the thickness of the side edges using cardboard or the tape, so that the wire doesn't get removed from the sides of the pipe.

Step 9: Test and Improvements

Turn the switch ON and guide the wire on the pipe using hand.
A uniform To & Fro motion of hand from one end to the other will form a uniformly wound coil.
After winding apply some tape to prevent wire from getting lose.

This is a very useful machine for many projects to some people. However, after using it for a while, i feel that a few upgrades can really improve this machine..

Instead of using battery, it will be much useful if powered using a wall adapter.
Connect a potentiometer in the circuit to control the speed of the motor.
Attach a large pulley to the wooden stick, thus reducing the motor RPM and significantly increasing the torque, thus more control while winding.

These are the few upgrades that i can think of. If you have suggestions and few more possible upgrade ideas, feel free to leave a comment below. Your suggestions and feedback is always welcome.

So friends, this here concludes the instructable, stay tuned and SUBSCRIBE to receive regular updates. In case you might have missed, watch the video and see how i made this Coil winding machine at home.

Thanks For Your Support..!!