Several days ago I read a Gas Engine Magazine article,
“Unusual Engines,” written by Bill Vossler (January 2005, page 18).
The article regarded Robert Geiken of Hastings, Minn. My interest
piqued while reading under the subtitle “New Life.” Geiken was
talking about problems associated with making replacement
springs.
I can’t help him find any unusual or unique engines, but I can
help him in reproducing his replacement springs. So I contacted
GEM about doing an article on spring winding. I wound
springs of all sizes and descriptions while employed by John
Deere.
I take the Home Shop Machinist Magazine (www.home
shopmachinist.net) and found this article titled “Design and Wind
Your Helical Springs” by Kozo Hiraoko. This was written as a
two-part article for May/June 1987 and July/August 1987. This must
have had good results because it was reproduced as a part of the
hardback book Projects Three, released in 1989.
I must say this is the best article on spring winding I have
seen. The only thing I would recommend to anyone who wanted to get
deeper into spring winding would be to contact the Spring Mfg.
Institute, Bristol, CT 06010, (630) 495-8588; (www.smihq. org), for
their handbook of spring design.
Bill Lankford
1632 Carolina Circle
Gastonia, NC 28054
