winder table

I did not build the fancy winder you see here of course.  But I needed to be able to use that winder with a counter so I could wind at will and just watch the counter.    I realized that using our 50' cutting table would just monopolize that and I only needed to be able to do 12" wide.  So I grabbed this old folding table and went to work.

I mounted the 1" strip of UHMW on one side and had that as my fixed edge.  The other edge I also planed to use a moveable 1" strip but unless it is firmly fastened to the work surface, 1" is too thin to stay straight.  It is very whippy.  So I used a full blown 6" wide piece because I already had those.  But then I realized that the board was bowed up at the edges and the material would slip underneath it.  So I built a fulcrum from this aluminum corner stock.  I mounted it with spacers to the 6" UHMW board, which I actually tapped threads into.  Then I used hex head bolts and nuts to create transverse pressure against the corner stock which pushes teh edges of the board flat.

I cut two grooves into the table with a router and used hardware so it could slide into the fixed width then be fastened tight to the table.

The counter mount was difficult too.  I toyed with ideas of springs and all kinds of different elaborate mounts.  Bear in mind also that the material thickness can vary (though all are around 0.6-1.5mm).  Then it hit me - just use hinges! Now gravity will push the counter wheel against the material, no matter the thickness.  I even got some fancy corner braces which look nice even if unnecessary.