CMPT

[z.monkey]

CMPT, Composite Magnetized Planar Transformer...

This is a project I did last winter.  You know, stuck in the garage, looking for some thing to play with...

Howdy All

I am posting this thread of fail because the last two weeks have been another one of those intense learning curves that has resulted in failure.  Granted I did learn a lot about the process of winding planar coils, but I have no good results, so far.

I ordered new Neodymium magnets for my CEET core two weeks ago.  Just after the weekend where I rebuilt the primary (polar red coil) on CEET...

[z.monkey]

After rebuilding the polar coil I was contemplating the device, and realized the equatorial coil (flat, yellow coil) is mismatched now.  Doh!  gotta build it again.  If you don't build it right the first time, you are destined to do it over, and over until you get it right?  Sound familiar?

I decided to change my strategy concerning the core material and really wanted (but didn't get) a solid NIB (Neodymium Iron Boron) magnet core.  The following Tuesday I ordered the core magnets to build CEET2, well what was supposed to be CEET2.  Here are the core NIB magnets...

[z.monkey]

The larger diameter ring in the center is to serve as a mounting point for the equatorial coil keepers.  These keepers are the plastic substrates from CD-ROM disks.  I burn off the media with the microwave oven and use the plastic disc that is left over for this set of keepers.  These keepers contain the windings for the equatorial coil in the equatorial plane of the magnets, refer to Illustration 2-3 in the Alchemical Manual.

Before I could glue the equatorial coil keepers into place I needed to devise a winding jig to hold these keepers in place while we are winding and gluing the equatorial coil.  This is where I started having problems.  The larger diameter magnet in the center of the core has an inside diameter of 1/8 inch.  This is way to small to get a bolt through to use as an axle for the winding jig.  I tried to find a magnet with the same outer diameter, thickness, and a 5/16 inch hole in the center, and could not.  So, I decide to modify the hole size...

[z.monkey]

So, not only was this not a good idea, it ruined a drill bit, and in retrospect I could have caused the magnet to catch on fire, or explode.  Don't try to machine NIB Magnets...

So, the remaining NIB magnets, N52s, have a 5/16 inch hole, so I decided to use 5/16 inch hardware for the winding jig axle.  This next shot shows two 5/16 inch fender washers glued together as the mount for the equatorial coil keepers.  Also you can see the stack of NIB magnets, and the 5/16 inch bolt which is used to clamp the entire coil, and act as an axle...

[z.monkey]

At this point I am getting excited.  I got the core hole size problem fixed and am starting to assemble the winding jig...

Here we have the finished bottom keeper with a hole drilled through it to pass the start of the windings through.  I have to small nails on the other side to secure the loose wire...