Stock Appreciation Rights (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2013

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]

	2013			2012
	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	$	0.558
Exercised	—	$	—	—	$	—
Forfeited	—	$	—	—	$	—
Outstanding at end of period	320,000	$	0.409	280,000	$	0.421
SARs exercisable at end of period	243,300	$	0.419	210,000	$	0.426
Weighted average fair value of SARs granted during the period		$	0.270		$	0.374

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

	2013			2012
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	$	0.409		$	0.421
Weighted average contractual life remaining (in years)	5.10			5.53
10-day average market price	$	0.530		$	0.400
Weighted average stock volatility	148.76		%	132.96		%
Weighted average expected life	4.60			5.11
Weighted average risk free rate	0.80		%	0.89		%
Weighted average dividend yield	—		%	—		%
Weighted average fair value price	$	0.498		$	0.374
Aggregate fair value	$	110,000		$	75,000
Aggregate intrinsic value	$	33,000		$	19,000
Total compensation expense (credit) for three months ended January 31	$	63,000		$	(6,000	)
Total compensation expense (credit) for nine months ended January 31	$	72,000		$	(5,000	)
Unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested SARs granted	$	24,000		$	17,000
Expected period to recognize compensation expense related to non-vested SARs granted (in years)	1.87			2.00
Total liability for SARs on consolidated balance sheets	$	124,000		$	75,000