Typically they are wound on a former of the correct size on a bench winder and then placed into the slots

 

Thanks but this is for the field, so no slots per se.
When I rewoubnd the field with same gage wire and varnish it moved very slowly so I thought something mechanical wrong - then saw smoke coming out. Wonder what fault will cause this as there seemed to be no mechanical obstruction.

 

Thanks but this is for the field, so no slots per se.
When I rewoubnd the field with same gage wire and varnish it moved very slowly so I thought something mechanical wrong - then saw smoke coming out. Wonder what fault will cause this as there seemed to be no mechanical obstruction.

I assume you used enameled (thinly insulated) magnet wire for the rewinding. Just checking all possible causes. Also, nicking the wire (damaging the enamel can cause shorts.

 

I assume you used enameled (thinly insulated) magnet wire for the rewinding. Just checking all possible causes.

yes

 

... and all new windings were in the same direction as the original? Winding one counterclockwise will cause the fields to fight the others and cause heating.

 

Thanks but this is for the field, so no slots per se.

So is it wound around the laminations themselves?
For fields, when connected, pass a small DC current through the whole unit and check with a compass for opposite poles.

 

yes

I may have wound slightly different no. of turns for the 2 poles. What effect would this have?

 

Depends on 'slightly' , a couple of turns is not going to make alot of difference.

 

Tested it now just won't start or run, fairly loud magnetic sound.

 

Field Poles same polarity?

 

No, opposite polarity

 

Field Poles same polarity?

You were right! I had said opposite polarity as I was so sure and did not check - which I did yesterday and found that they were of same polarity which I reversed on 1 pole, Tried on reduced voltage and it rotates; will now test on full V.