Making a pickup winder

[arc]

Hey there. I'm about to start a pickup winding project, and I want to build my own pickup winder. I've heard people at work talking about seeing them made out of old sowing machines and counter, but I wanted to try to hear from someone who built one or who knows about it. That's pretty much it. I'm going to make some for my DS-1 and transfer the Blackouts to my CX-291. I want to go the cheapest rout possible, and really just have a project.

Thanks

[straycat]

Its not going to be cheap I can tell you that.
I went that route and had $600.00 invested before I wound one pick up.
Not to mention all the ones I messed up and the mounds of useless wire.
Much cheaper and less headaches just buying them.
Made around 30 single coil pick ups and 20 or so humbuckers before I said this is too much work and takes too much time.

[plon]

It can be a fun project but like stray said, expensive. There are a lot of threads on the Telecaster forum http://www.tdpri.com/forum/index.php on making winders.

I used to wind pickups in the Dean Guitars Custom Shop, personally, I would just go with something like this http://www.ebay.com/itm/THOMAS-GUITA...p2047675.l2557
and save yourself the trouble.

[arc]

Thanks for both the responses. Straycat what was the biggest expense? I guess I just assumed that an old motor and and a counter would work out. Thanks plon for the link. Going to check it out now.

[straycat]

Trying to piece together a winder out of old stuff you have can be done but it would be wise to buy something designed for the job.
If you are going to make a bunch of pick ups to resell I could see investing in equipment but the boutique pick up market is saturated.
No money to be made IMO.