After I unwound and cleaned the coil, I wound it on a spool. This is the result.
![A good source for cheap magnets and magnet wire 13616-0](https://www.fieldlines.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=bc4f33d22a3f96f9b0309e74841a10f8&action=dlattach;topic=150257.0;attach=13616;image)
There is nearly 2 layers of wire in that spool, 107 feet total. I measured the resistance using my milliohm meter, it is .435 ohms.
All the wire insulation stayed intact, there was no bear spots anywhere on the wire. Some of the yellow tape that was on the coil didn't come off, but I think that is not a problem.
These are some of the tools that I used to clean the coil and to straighten out the wire.
![A good source for cheap magnets and magnet wire 13617-1](https://www.fieldlines.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=bc4f33d22a3f96f9b0309e74841a10f8&action=dlattach;topic=150257.0;attach=13617;image)
The scrubbing sponge that you see there was the main cleaning tool. That is how it looked after I was done with it.
I used a cheap pair of felt gloves from the $ store and rubber gloves over them. I used the rubber gloves because I soaked the sponge in soapy water. I think that it could be possible to clean the wire with just a dry sponge. In that case, the rubber gloves will not be necessary. Using just a good pair of cotton or leather gloves would be just fine.
I used the nut driver to straighten out the wire after it was cleaned. It doesn't have to be a nut driver. Any smooth round tool could do the job.
Unwinding, cleaning and rewinding that coil in my cramped up basement was not easy. It took a total of 27 minutes.
If the work could be done outdoors, it would be a lot easier and faster. I think that it could be done in about 10 minutes
outdoors.
This is how I would do it outdoors;
After I break the coil loose with a rubber hammer or a piece of wood, I would put a plastic pipe or wood dowel through the coil. I would attach one end of the wire to a fence pole or a tree. Then I would slowly start walking back unwinding the coil.
Then I would go to the beginning and start scrubbing the wire with the sponge.
After that, I would use the nut driver to straighten out the wire. Keep the wire taught while doing that and make sure there are no kinks on the wire.
There are other ways to straighten out the wire. One way is to secure one end of the wire to a solid wall or a vise and the other end to vise-grips and pull on the wire. I have used that method to straighten out the nichrome wire from hair dryer heating elements. It works well. If you do that, make sure that you use eye protection in case that the wire breaks or come loose.
That's it. All that remains now is to wipe the wire with a damp rag and wind it on a spool.
The price of new magnet wire is $15 a pound or more (in 2020) if you buy a large spool. And it costs a lot more than that in some countries, if you can find it. Anyone who has access to old microwave ovens can save a lot of money on wire and build a nice permanent magnet generator.
Ed