Spring making, coils folding over... help?

[MakingThings]

Hi everyone,
I'm hand making long springs. And I'm having trouble - they wind well but as the spring gets longer, it becomes as if it's trying to fold itself over. I don't know why, and I would really appreciate any help with this issue!

Here is a video of the phenomena:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJDuzaK ... e=youtu.be

Yes, the mandrel size and resultant spring size are correct.
The spring is simple circular shaped coils.
The wire is simple circular cross-section music wire.

More detailed info:
Can you see how at the beginning end (left side in video) the spring behaves normally, but further up (as I wound more coils) when the spring is pulled a bit, instead of it gradually opening up, first it just pulls itself sideways, flattening the spring basically. Like it's getting squashed. Like the plane of the circular coils are trying to align with the axis of the spring, instead of being perpendicular to it.

Only after applying more tension to the spring does it 'pop' back into proper shape, and look and behave like a normal spring (like a slinky for example).

Anyone ever had this problem or know what is causing it and how to fix it?

Many thanks!

[Magicniner]

Show your winding technique, not the results!
Otherwise we're guessing, but as a guess I'd say your wire guide is too far from the work and is allowing variable spring at the point the wire is being wound.

[Magicniner]

I make springs that people want to buy BTW.

[Mr Ron]

Are you winding the springs freehand or using the feed on the lathe?

[jpfalt]

The problem is twisting of the wire before it goes onto the mandrel. You need to make sure the wire is torsion free when it reaches the guide shoe and wraps onto the mandrel.

[10KPete]

For most things, especially winding, wire must come off the reel/coil as a straight line, not off the end like a Slinky. Otherwise the twist will catch up with you!

Pete

[tornitore45]

Making Things
You have been given exhausting explanation of the reason on the HMEM forum. If you are not yet convinced of your error go out in the garden and try to uncoil a 100' garden hose from the bundle on the ground. You will feel the axial torque on your hands getting stronger as each coil unfurl. That is what happen to your wire.

[MakingThings]

Thanks everyone. Once I made sure the wire was in the same plane as the mandril it worked great