Stock Appreciation Rights (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Apr. 30, 2012

SARS [Abstract]

Stock Appreciation Rights Vesting Schedule [Table Text Block]

Number of Years the Grantee has remained a Torotel director following the Date of Grant	Shares represented by a SAR in which a Grantee is Vested
Under one	—	%
At least one but less than two	33	%
At least two but less than three	67	%
Three or more	100	%

Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights Award Activity [Table Text Block]

	2012			2011
	SARs Under Option	Weighted Average Grant Price		SARs Under Option		Weighted Average Grant Price
Outstanding at beginning of year	240,000	$	0.407	240,000		$	0.418
Granted	40,000	$	0.558	40,000		$	0.300
Exercised	—	$	—	(20,000	)	$	0.425
Forfeited	—	$	—	(20,000	)	$	0.310
Outstanding at end of year	280,000	$	0.429	240,000		$	0.407
SARs exercisable at end of year	210,000	$	0.439	180,000		$	0.439
Weighted average fair value of SARs granted during the year		$	0.256			$	0.560

Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]

	2012			2011
Number outstanding	280,000			240,000
Range of grant prices, upper limit	$	0.695		$	0.695
Range of grant prices, lower limit	$	0.208		$	0.208
Weighted average grant price	$	0.429		$	0.407
Weighted average contractual life remaining (in years)	5.28			5.67
10-day average market price	$	0.270		$	0.560
Weighted average stock volatility	135.82		%	133.90		%
Weighted average expected life	4.86			3.00
Weighted average risk free rate	0.95		%	2.17		%
Weighted average dividend yield	—		%	—		%
Weighted average fair value price	$	0.278		$	0.444
Total vested SARs	210,000			180,000
Weighted average aggregate fair value	$	6,650		$	16,780
Weighted average aggregate intrinsic value	$	220		$	6,605
Total compensation expense (benefit)	$	(28,000	)	$	52,000
Unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested SARs granted	$	9,000		$	28,000
Expected period to recognize compensation expense related to non-vested SARs granted (in years)	1.90			1.43
Total liability for SARs on consolidated balance sheets	$	52,000		$	80,000