Does anyone on the list know where I can find small coilsprings? I
need to come up with at least a dozen, or so (minimum), for a series
I’m creating. All of these, ideally, will be 1-1.5mm in diameter by
6-10mm in length, with either loops or tapers at each end;
preferably loops. If push comes to shove, I could probably go as
large as 2mm in diameter, but I’d much rather go with the smaller
diameters, if at all possible. Thanks, in advance!
Douglas Turet, G.J.,
Turet Design, LLC
P.O. Box 242 Avon, MA 02322-0242
Make them. Get the wire of the specific gauge you need, find a
dowel, try small knitting needle, or even a i-1.5 mm wire, and wind
the wire around the dowel. Cut in the lengths needed, and there you
are.
When winding, after the coil is as you wish, give one twist
backwards ant the coil will not spring open.
A battery operated automated screw drivrer will do the winding
perfectly.
Here is a link to smallparts.com, specifically a page with small
springs. smallparts.com There is on listed, #CS-47, which is 9.65mm
long X 4.72mm O.D. I hope that this works for you.
That’s Stock Drive Products - all kinds of cool stuff, including
springs. Small Parts, Inc. also has them, but SDP has many more. I
needed a certain spring lately, and instead of tracking it down out
of the millions of springs in the world, I just bought some guitar
string and made my own…
Since I do a lot of watch repair, I have about a zillion different
sizes of spring bars for watches instock. Many times over the years
as I needed various small springs for different applications, I would
select an appropriate sized spring bar and cut an end off, pull the
coil spring out, and cut it to the proper length. I don’t know if
there are any of the proper diameter for your application, but it is
one direction to consider.
Two possible sources for little coil springs would be - old watch
bracelets, the type of ladies watch bracelet which is often found on
Edwardian gold watches usually have small coil springs inside the
links (the more modern gents watch bracelets usually use a zig-zag
wire spring) and, secondly, old petrol cigarette lighters used long,
small diameter springs to push the flint up against its wheel and
probably the modern flint-and-wheel gas lighters do as well.
if someone has’nt already said go to enco and order spring wire it
come in inch sizes, like .010" dia several hundred feet can be had
for quite cheap. just need to know what dia you need- goo
Coil springs are incredibly easy to make, at least if ordinary
spring steel wire is acceptable.
Find the MUSIC WIRE (also known as PIANO WIRE) in an appropriate
diameter, a guitar shop may be the best source. Make a mandrel,
perhaps the back end of a twist drill, ideally mounted in a
Jumpringer winder. Wind some samples and adjust the sizes and tension
as needed. When you have the little devils the way you want them you
MUST “stress-releave” them or they won’t have their proper strength
and endurance. Fortunately it’s easy. Pre-heat the old kitchen oven
to 550 and bake them on a cookie sheet for an hour or so.
In a former life I used to make recoil springs for competition.45’s;
it’s duck soup!
To add to the list of easily found small springs. Try old Bic style
pens and for very small ones use the spring inside a spring bar for
watch bracelets.
I have removed springs from spring pins used for watch bands. You
can hold the pin with two pair of pliers and snap the end off. I hope
this helps. You got me curiuos so I looked up your web site and its
not working correct.