Revised 9-20-2011
Custom Rewind in Birmingham, Alabama fabricates a variety of electromagnetic products in addition to their stator rewinding service, including items as diverse as an inductive pickup sensor used in steel mills. However, stator fabrication comprises a major portion of their business with shipments made in volume every month. Their customers include some of the major vendors of motorsport electrical components. If you have purchased a stator from one of these vendors it may have actually been fabricated by Custom Rewind.
Among the Honda CX/GL motorcycle community, Custom Rewind has earned an outstanding reputation for their high quality stator rewinds and exceptional customer service. I have personally installed several of their stators in my own bikes, and have since ridden many thousands of miles with no problems.
Recently, a GL650 project bike needed a replacement stator. In addition, I wanted to have a spare on hand should the need arise for one. I phoned Gary at Custom Rewind and made arrangements to send him two pulled-out Honda stators to be rewound.
At this same time, I had a vacation trip planned that would coincidentally have me in Birmingham the following week. I asked Gary if I could pick the stators up in person in lieu of having them shipped, and also expressed an interest in seeing his business in operation. Gary agreed to my request and I had a most pleasant and educational visit.
Gary was a gracious host, making me feel welcome and taking time to answer my questions in detail. It was obvious he is highly motivated to provide a quality product to the motorcyclists who are the end users. His business is clearly a labor of love.
This brief review touches on just a few points of potential interest from my visit.
My two stators were ready when I arrived. Gary packed them in boxes before I
departed.
This machine can be used to apply powder coating material.
The vat contains green powder coating material.
Similarly, this vat contains clear powder coating material.
The powder coatings on these rotors are being cured in this oven.
Some extra powder coating is being manually applied to this rotor.
A holding fixture secures this stator frame for winding. Simple but
effective.
This stator is now being wound. Notice the worker's right hand is gloved.
All stators are hand-wound at Custom Rewind.
Winding has been completed on this stator. The leads still need to be
dressed and terminated. The skilled worker knows exactly how much slack should
be left for optimal routing.
Some partially complete stators and rotors.
This is Gary, the man behind Custom Rewind.
Gary has a very high opinion of his employees, and in my brief time there I sensed they also have a deep respect and admiration for him. Very refreshing in this day and age.
On a personal note, Gary was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, approximately ten years ago. The disease has affected his speech somewhat, but I have no trouble at all understanding him. Only ten percent of persons diagnosed with ALS survive beyond six years, so Gary is obviously doing something right in addition to his work. Keep it up!
In conclusion, if you need to have a stator rewound consider giving Gary a call. Many bikes are in operation today thanks to his efforts. It is best to phone as contact through their website can be undependable.
Disclaimer: This review was written entirely on my own initiative and free will. I have received no compensation (money, goods, services, etc.) for it.