String Winder (Machine)

 

Photo by Will Gullette

 

Built: ..... 1988, San Francisco, California.
Dimensions: ..... Length:  114 ¼ in.
Height to the top of timing gear:  49 ½ in.
Height to the top of work table:  33.0 in.
Width:  36 ¼ in.
Materials:  ..... Douglas fir, poplar, birch, kydex,
formica, aluminum, and steel.

                             

          I designed and built the String Winder to make wound strings for the Bass Canon.  However, the versatility and accuracy of this machine also enable me to make custom wound strings of various lengths and diameters for other musical instruments such as harps, guitars, and pianos.  The detailed graphic shows the setup for making a custom wound string for the Bass Canon;  this string has a steel core wire, a nylon fiber bedding, and an outer bronze wrap wire.