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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: Tone Monster on May 26, 2004, 01:14:54 PM

Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: Tone Monster on May 26, 2004, 01:14:54 PM
how Can i make inductor especially dunlop crybaby 550mh inductor.How can i measure the inductor value. :?: :?:
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: Phorhas on May 26, 2004, 03:19:18 PM
I wouldn't recommend you do this. obtaining the metirials os hard eanough. IF you'll get exactly what you need you'll need to experiment ALOT to get the proper values. Winding the coil is hard eanough even without gwtting into all of that mathematics of calculating the inductance.

You have great Inductors available, go with one of those.
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: Mark Hammer on May 26, 2004, 03:30:17 PM
For whatever reasons, inductance measurement is just about the last thing you'll find on a DMM.  You can probably find something that will measure capacitance from 1pf to 2000uf, frequencies from .01hz to 50mhz, currents as low as 40ua, and your wife's fertility cycle for under $40, but inductance measurement will generally only be found on meters in the $100+ range.

Then there is the matter of getting a suitable core and the wire for the inductor, and all the trial and error.  

Even if you had a manufacturer ship one to you super, heavy-duty, extra-special express courier and it came with a celebrity strip-o-gram (your choice of Victoria's Secret or SI-Swimsuit model, past or present), it would probably still be cheaper than making one yourself.

I bought a bunch from a local shop for a buck a piece.  Closer to 750mh but they sound great.
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: cd on May 26, 2004, 04:02:05 PM
Read the "Technology of the Wah" article on geofex.com - you can use one side of a Rat Shack transformer.
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: Peter Snowberg on May 26, 2004, 04:27:03 PM
If you want to punish yourself, you can get the core pieces here: http://www.alltronics.com/amidon.htm

I don't know what size wire to use, but plan of getting LOTS of extra ;). Winding coils can be quite a task. Plan on doing a bunch of them before you get it right.

I would just pick up a commercial unit or start looking for small transformers to test with an inductance meter.

Take care,
-Peter
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: cd on May 26, 2004, 06:35:18 PM
I've seen inductance measuring on cheapo Fluke-copy DMMs, they were in the $50-60 range.  Don't know about their accuracy :(
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: R.G. on May 26, 2004, 11:37:28 PM
Nota Bene: It's simpler to measure an unknown inductor by resonating it with a known capacitor and measuring the frequency of resonance than by using an actual meter in most cases.
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: RedHouse on May 27, 2004, 12:15:54 AM
RG, more verbose if you please?
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: Manolo Dudes on May 27, 2004, 05:36:53 AM
Quote from: Mark HammerFor whatever reasons, inductance measurement is just about the last thing you'll find on a DMM.  You can probably find something that will measure capacitance from 1pf to 2000uf, frequencies from .01hz to 50mhz, currents as low as 40ua, and your wife's fertility cycle for under $40, but inductance measurement will generally only be found on meters in the $100+ range.

There are actually cheaper inductance meters if you search a bit. This is my "less than $60 LCR multimeter" (http://www.demestres.com/ds168.htm). It's branded by a local distributing company here in Spain but it's indeed a re-branding of a generic Taiwanese multimeter that should be easy to find anywhere. It measures inductance quite well and it's the one I used to wind my own inductor for my Tri-Wah (http://www.pisotones.com/Tri-Wah/Wah.htm). Using a toroidal core I needed very few turns of 0.1mm wire to achieve a total of 500mH.

Once said that, I still think that Stuart Castledine's wah.co.uk  is the sensible way to go.
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: Fret Wire on May 27, 2004, 10:17:05 AM
Here's a Capacitance Meter that also measures inductance. Covers the range needed for wah inductors. Also, the capacitance covers the full range needed for pedals. It lists for $49 sale price at the top of the page, and $42 sale price at the bottom. Go figure. I'll probably never try making my own inductors, but you know how toys are, I keep fighting the urges to buy this just to test the various inductors. :twisted:  

http://www.web-tronics.com/digcapandint.html

I already have the Cap Meter below ($29.95), and it's real nice. Already proved quite handy, only takes a secound to check caps just before they go in........ And the little caps that are hard to read, or I didnt label, and just put in a bag.  :shock:

http://www.electronickits.com/gold/capacitancemeter.htm
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: sir_modulus on May 27, 2004, 05:43:09 PM
just a suggestion....when i needed a inductor for a custom pedal, i used a pack of inductors/choke coils and put the inductor on board in sockets. I just swapped them till i found the one i liked. Packs are lke $3.99 Canadian
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: Pedro Freitas on May 28, 2004, 11:15:13 AM
Quote from: Fret WireHere's a Capacitance Meter that also measures inductance. Covers the range needed for wah inductors. Also, the capacitance covers the full range needed for pedals. It lists for $49 sale price at the top of the page, and $42 sale price at the bottom. Go figure. I'll probably never try making my own inductors, but you know how toys are, I keep fighting the urges to buy this just to test the various inductors. :twisted:  


I have this one. It's really nice and I've wound my onw inductors
with it.

Pedro
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: downweverything on May 28, 2004, 02:25:15 PM
I have a similar question(s).  how do you know what gauge wire to use and what is saturation on an inductor and how do you avoid it.  Im going to try building one for an acoustic 360 preamp which is a 1.5H (1500mH).
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: swt on May 28, 2004, 11:16:21 PM
Hi guys!. Does anybody know wire gauges for known types of wah inductors...halo, stack of dimes, etc?. Thanks a lot!
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: Arno van der Heijden on May 29, 2004, 09:22:40 AM
And does anybody know what core material they use?
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: downweverything on May 29, 2004, 12:56:03 PM
the morley wah i have looks the same as the ferrite cores i have.  so ferrite maybe?
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: lightningfingers on May 29, 2004, 05:40:11 PM
There is a very easy way around this problem you have all overlooked. Its called the Twin-T filter :lol:

okay i'm sorry i'll go away now.............
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: sir_modulus on May 29, 2004, 06:38:14 PM
I agree with R.G. on this one. Get a pack of random inductors from radio shack and use a resonence test to find the value. I have a meter, but is was expensive, and I in my right mind wouldn't spend that much on a meter (it was a gift). Or just buy a inductor if you want to make a specific pedal. You'll rarely get the sound you want with a hand wound inductor.
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: sir_modulus on May 29, 2004, 06:46:37 PM
Might i remind you that when winding your own inductors, you have to seal them too. More work than you want.
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: downweverything on May 30, 2004, 02:40:18 AM
i dont know many places that will make a 1.5H inductor for under $50. can anybody help on the gauge question? i think i have the rest covered.
Title: Can i make inductor (crybaby workalike inductor)
Post by: Paul Perry (Frostwave) on May 30, 2004, 07:01:04 AM
The optimum guage, is whatever "just fits" with the right number of turns.
That is, for a given inductor core, the inductance depends on the number of turns, and the Q (which is highest when the resistance of the winding is least) will be highest when you use the thickest wire that can fit.