Stock Appreciation Rights (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 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 period	280,000	$	0.429	240,000	$	0.407
Granted	40,000	$	0.270	40,000	$	0.560
Exercised	—	$	—	—	$	—
Forfeited	—	$	—	—	$	—
Outstanding at end of period	320,000	$	0.409	280,000	$	0.428
SARs exercisable at end of period	243,300	$	0.418	210,000	$	0.428
Weighted average fair value of SARs granted during the period		$	0.270		$	0.560

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

	2012			2011
Number outstanding	320,000			280,000
Range of grant prices, upper limit	$	0.695		$	0.695
Range of grant prices, lower limit	$	0.208		$	0.208
Weighted average grant price	$	0.418		$	0.428
Weighted average contractual life remaining (in years)	5.61			6.04
10-day average market price	$	0.270		$	0.560
Weighted average stock volatility	143.73		%	134.74		%
Weighted average expected life	4.84			3.00
Weighted average risk free rate	0.69		%	1.54		%
Weighted average dividend yield	—		%	—		%
Weighted average fair value price	$	0.389		$	0.444
Total vested SARs	243,300			210,000
Aggregate fair value	$	57,000		$	69,000
Aggregate intrinsic value	$	2,400		$	42,000
Total compensation expense (benefit)	$	6,800		$	(11,000	)
Unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested SARs granted	$	18,000		$	23,000
Expected period to recognize compensation expense related to non-vested SARs granted (in years)	2.28			2.23
Total liability for SARs on consolidated balance sheets	$	59,000		$	69,000