Lace Bobbin Winding Machine

thingiverse

Lace Bobbin Winding Machine As coronavirus forces us to spend more time at home, my wife decided to learn how to make lace - she prefers to say that "the stars aligned" - and all of a sudden, she got the basic equipment needed for this new hobby from a friend. The only thing missing was the lace bobbin winding machine. Since badly wound bobbins can cause a lot of trouble, I decided to 3D-print a simple one. It's hand-driven with a 1:5 gear ratio. Because the body is too large for my printer, I divided it into two parts with a puzzle-like joint. Assembly Instructions: - Attach the drive handle to a big gear using a 4mm x 25mm self-tapping (Spax) screw. - The screw itself should be free to rotate inside the gear but tightly fit to the handle. - Put a washer between the gear and the handle. - For the axle on the big gear, use an M8 x 50mm bolt. Push it through the gear and tighten with a nut. Then, put one skate bearing in the bolt and push everything into the hole on the base. Next, put another skate bearing and loosely fix it with a nut but don't tighten yet. - Be careful as the big gear needs to mesh with the pinion gear, so observe when mounting the handle on the right side. - For the pinion gear, use an M8 x 50mm bolt and push it through the pinion gear. Then, firmly tighten it with a nut. - Put the skate bearing on the bolt and again push it through the hole in the base. Next, add another skate bearing and washer and tighten with the bobbin holder. - Tighten the nut on the big gear too, and add another nut and tighten both to prevent them from being loose (or use a nylock nut). - The right bobbin holder has a thread so it should be screwed in tightly. If it's too loose, it will unscrew while winding a lace bobbin. - On the left side, the skate bearing is pressed into the hole. I heated the holder a little and forced the bearing in. There is only one bearing on this side. - The 8mm shaft that's 70mm long is pressed into the left bobbin holder with force. You need to attach a suitable spring to press the bobbin onto it. I simply wound one from a steel wire. - Then, put the shaft into the bearing. There is no retainer so the shaft can pop out. Usage: - You need to clamp the winding machine to the desk! I used a C clamp. - The bobbin in the right driving holder can slip so I put some bluetack into the hole to increase friction. Have fun! Video at: https://youtu.be/K38SPtD1egA