Not long ago the writer was called upon to replace a broken spring in a machine. It had to be done at a moment's notice, as the work could not be held up. The supply of springs was exhausted. The writer was given a piece of No. 60 wire, but no one had such a thing as a winder, so he was obliged to make one, and had a spring within a half hour.

In a junk pile was found a piece of soft steel, 4 by 1 1/2 by 1/2 inch wide, with a 1/2-inch hole in one end. A 1/2-inch lag screw was placid in a brace, a pinhole was drilled in the gimlet end of the screw, then putting the screw through the hole in the steel, which was held in a vise, the spring was easily wound.

This suggested the construction of the spring winder illus-trated herewith. A piece of soft steel. 4 by 1 1/4 by 1/4 inch, forms the body. A 1/2-inch shank, titled with a chuck taking from 0 to 1/2 inch, was run through the hole at the top and provided with a crank handle.

Fig. 79 - Home-made spring winder.

An assorted lot of lag screws serves for the open spring's, and rods are used for the close springs and springs of oval or odd shapes.