Best way to calc. suface area of MC spring?

[timbn2]

I am using copy cad. any ideas?
thanks
Tim

[spankey666]

pi x D x L would be a good starting point providng the coil is of round section, then just add the tapered ends

[lcaswell]

Tape a piece of string to one end of the spring and then follow it along the entire coil. Cut it off. This will give you the length (height) of the spring if it was pulled straight.

Then use "surface area of a cylinder" here:

Caswell Inc - Calculating Surface Areas

[timbn2]

Thank you. I wondered if it would be that easy...