Coil Winder Tool
The issue:
I wanted to wind the spring safely and quickly.
V1:
The early design allowed me to wind the spring successfully. However I quickly realized its biggest flaw. There was no way for me to safely tie the spring with zip ties. I have designed a push block that would raise the coil up a few milimeters. That (in theory) would allow me to tie a zip tie all over the perimeter of the spring. Theory is one thing though, and as with all things in this world it differs greatly from reality.
When I tried this method I failed to tie it and the spring exploded on me twice. It was time for a redesign.
V2:
The base design and working principle are the same as with the previous version. The tool is basically a 3 part constraining mould with a cutout slit and a crank. The middle tang of the spring is secured in the crank slit, then the rest of the coil is passed through the slit, and the whole assembly gets bolted together with some M3 hardware.
What is different is the inclusion of the 5 slot cutouts. These allow to insert zip ties through the mould, and enable tying only the coil (and not the coil to the mould).
Operation
Place the crank through the top piece and through the middle piece. Then insert the coil center tang in the crank slit. Pass the steel ribbon through the slit. Place the bottom part and screw the mould together. Start cranking and occassionally pushing material in if needed.