A setup for respooling high gauge wire from large bulk spools to smaller spools for usability
I used what was handy -
Large Spool Side:
- wooden skewer to hold the large spool
-soft-covered elastic band on each side to keep it in place with minimal friction
-skewer through L-brace and taped to box to make it level and stay put
Drill side:
-small screwdriver to pin empty spool to drill
-tape to secure empty spool to screwdriver
- vice and pad optional, but keeping everything in place with minimal table vibration is important
How:
1. Make sure your spool is clean and smooth, ready to hold high gauge wire. I took a lighter to this empty Kbee spool to melt the rough edges, burrs, ridges, etc
2. Mount the spool to the drill and secure it so it spins with as little wobble as you can manage. A little wobble won't ruin everything, but a lot of wobble might
3. Mount the large spool
-- The farther apart the feeding and receiving spools are, the easier it will be to guide the wire onto receiving spool cleanly
4. Make sure the large spool spins easily and steadily, with little resistance
5. Attach wire end to empty spool with tape
6. Most important part! Before you begin to spin the drill, gently pinch and hold the wire between the two spools. You will be using your fingers to maintain tension and angle to guide the wire back and forth across the receiving spool. This is the hardest part to get down.
7. Start slow, and speed up slowly. Move your guide fingers back and forth while watching the receiving spool.
8. When you've spooled as much as you like, decrease speed as gradually as you can and move your guide hand to the larger spool --DO NO STOP YOUR DRILL UNTIL YOUR HAND IS ON THE LARGER FEEDING SPOOL. It will have momentum and keep spinning, and wire will recoil, unravel, and tangle into a mess around it, otherwise. Trust me, it really will.
Enjoy a nice little spool of mermaid hair wire. Works with lower gauges too, I reckon!
I used what was handy -
Large Spool Side:
- wooden skewer to hold the large spool
-soft-covered elastic band on each side to keep it in place with minimal friction
-skewer through L-brace and taped to box to make it level and stay put
Drill side:
-small screwdriver to pin empty spool to drill
-tape to secure empty spool to screwdriver
- vice and pad optional, but keeping everything in place with minimal table vibration is important
How:
1. Make sure your spool is clean and smooth, ready to hold high gauge wire. I took a lighter to this empty Kbee spool to melt the rough edges, burrs, ridges, etc
2. Mount the spool to the drill and secure it so it spins with as little wobble as you can manage. A little wobble won't ruin everything, but a lot of wobble might
3. Mount the large spool
-- The farther apart the feeding and receiving spools are, the easier it will be to guide the wire onto receiving spool cleanly
4. Make sure the large spool spins easily and steadily, with little resistance
5. Attach wire end to empty spool with tape
6. Most important part! Before you begin to spin the drill, gently pinch and hold the wire between the two spools. You will be using your fingers to maintain tension and angle to guide the wire back and forth across the receiving spool. This is the hardest part to get down.
7. Start slow, and speed up slowly. Move your guide fingers back and forth while watching the receiving spool.
8. When you've spooled as much as you like, decrease speed as gradually as you can and move your guide hand to the larger spool --DO NO STOP YOUR DRILL UNTIL YOUR HAND IS ON THE LARGER FEEDING SPOOL. It will have momentum and keep spinning, and wire will recoil, unravel, and tangle into a mess around it, otherwise. Trust me, it really will.
Enjoy a nice little spool of mermaid hair wire. Works with lower gauges too, I reckon!
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I actually need to do this! I've always wished for my wire to be neat and orderly like N.Devine83's spools or someone of the sort. I can't help but feel like a slob sometimes. I have my own quirky way of organizing my wire and it does work, I don't waste much. But it could look a lot neater and more aesthetically appealing. Great post, useful information. Gotta get my build station in order!
