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cspirou:
I want to start winding my own transformers. Finding copper wire isn't an issue but finding bobbins and steel laminations in anything less then an industrial quantity is really difficult to find. Anyone know where I can get laminations and/or bobbins in small quantities? Should I just scavenge for old transformers and take them apart?

Solderdude:
power transformers or audio transformers ?
For what kind of power levels ?

Making audio transformers that perform well is closer to an art form than a mere 'technical' thing.
With merely a technical thing I mean ... take some 'core' laminates, grab some wire and wind it around a bobbin and presto... 'a transformer'.
That most likely won't ever yield a fine audio transformer.

Likewise with mains transformers.
You need to know more than just the ratio, but also know about saturation, magnetic field strenghts, properties the trafo needs to have, power losses, wire distances, winding techniques and what not.

cspirou:

--- Quote from: Solderdude on September 24, 2015, 01:17:51 PM ---power transformers or audio transformers ?
For what kind of power levels ?

Making audio transformers that perform well is closer to an art form than a mere 'technical' thing.
With merely a technical thing I mean ... take some 'core' laminates, grab some wire and wind it around a bobbin and presto... 'a transformer'.
That most likely won't ever yield a fine audio transformer.

Likewise with mains transformers.
You need to know more than just the ratio, but also know about saturation, magnetic field strenghts, properties the trafo needs to have, power losses, wire distances, winding techniques and what not.



--- End quote ---

First power then output transformers. Power transformers will be between 50VA to 100VA while audio will have an output of about 10w. I've read a fair amount about transformer windings patterns and studied up on as much of the other relevant information as I can. However I can theorize all I want but eventually I need to start winding to see what works and what doesn't.

Solderdude:

--- Quote from: cspirou on September 24, 2015, 01:37:30 PM ---However I can theorize all I want but eventually I need to start winding to see what works and what doesn't.

--- End quote ---

That will basically be it.

The ultimate question is whether or not it would be more economical to simply buy standard tranformers unless you need non standard voltages/currents or multiple windings in non standard configurations.

It will be very hard (impossible ?) to beat the performance of the better and specialised audio transformers already on the market.
No harm in trying though and educational at the least.

Armaegis:
We need to encourage him. All the old-school guys are dying off.

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