DIY air core inductors

[richsticks]

OK, its wiring time so I've checked the price & availability of air core inductors in the UK and I am unpleasantly surprised.
speakerhardware.com seems to be the only place thats offering appropriate inductors at a reasonable price.
The states are too far away, so I've decided to wind my own.
Has anybody else tried this?
Nice & neat, scatter wound or a nice braid?
Opinions anyone?

[SoundInMotionDJ]

No firm advice...but a few things to think about:

How many inductors do you need? If you only need a "few" (whatever your threshold for a few is), then it is probably worth paying a premium to get factory wound inductors.

Can you source audio grade coated wire cheaply enough to make it financially worthwhile? In a few cases, I was able to find spools of coated wire in the right gauge, and I just used those "as is."

Do you have tools & knowledge to measure the resulting coil and verify the inductance? Are you willing to rely on calculations to get everything within tolerance?

--Stan Graves

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

http://billfitzmaurice.net/phpBB3/viewt ... =14&t=4140

[richsticks]

Bill,

Thanks for that - I missed audio-components.co.uk on my first trawl of the forum - they are reasonably priced, and local. For the record. I asked them a tech question about one of their products, and they came back with a detailed and accurate answer within the hour.

Stan,

Thanks too - all valid concerns, but I have all the necessary test equipment (and the knowledge to use it). Anything I wind will be checked with an LCR meter, and any filters will be checked with a scope and sig gen.
Part of the reason for me wanting to wind them myself is so that I can measure them, and tweak inductance values relatively easily.
The only thing we don't have is a coil winder, but I was going to try it on the lathe - with a bit of scrap wire first. It goes down to 60 rpm so it might be OK. I'll let you know how I get on.

[osbornemk]

Bill,

Thanks for that - I missed audio-components.co.uk on my first trawl of the forum - they are reasonably priced, and local. For the record. I asked them a tech question about one of their products, and they came back with a detailed and accurate answer within the hour.

Stan,

Thanks too - all valid concerns, but I have all the necessary test equipment (and the knowledge to use it). Anything I wind will be checked with an LCR meter, and any filters will be checked with a scope and sig gen.
Part of the reason for me wanting to wind them myself is so that I can measure them, and tweak inductance values relatively easily.
The only thing we don't have is a coil winder, but I was going to try it on the lathe - with a bit of scrap wire first. It goes down to 60 rpm so it might be OK. I'll let you know how I get on.

Here is a good site to help if you want to wind your own inductor...

http://www.colomar.com/Shavano/inductor_info.html