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Source for fine wire
- Thread starter jknaus
- Start date
NiChrome Wire
Here I found 10 feet carded 36AWG wire (0.005 inch outside diameter) for $2.00USD shipped in the US.
Regards,
Here I found 10 feet carded 36AWG wire (0.005 inch outside diameter) for $2.00USD shipped in the US.
Regards,
jknaus
Administrator
If the shipping to Canada is ridiculous (more than the wire's price), let me know so I get it and send to you. It is wire, an envelope should suffice to send.
Regards,
Regards,
Being that this is not a malleable metal such as lead or copper, I did ask Gary Jacobs (from the web site linked) about using it for scale models, here is his reply (posted with permission):
The main use of nichrome wire is for heating purposes because of its high resistance. This is what it was originally designed for. It is also used in high heat applications such as in ceramic kilns due to its high temperature capability without loosing too much strength.
Easy to roll straight
Not sure what this means. I am imagining taking a piece and rolling it between two boards. The answer is no. I don't know of any metal wire that this would work with. All metal has some springiness to it. It depends on its yield strength. The higher the yield strength, the more springy it is. Lead has a really low yield strength so it wouldn't spring back but even it springs back slightly. This wire is annealed which means it is fairly soft and has a lower yield strength by comparison to a heat treated condition. The best way to straighten any wire is to stretch it past its yield strength. You can do this with nichrome wire as well. I have straightened every size I carry in this way up to 14 gauge which is the largest I carry.
Keep an angle when bent
This is almost the same as the above requirement. Again, all wire will spring back to some degree, the higher the yield strength, the more it will spring back. You just have to bend it a ways beyond the final bend you want to allow for the spring back -- same as any wire other than lead.
Take paint
It seems to take paint as well as any metal.
Easy to cut
I regularly cut up to 14 gauge with standard side cutters. I use a small spring loaded pair for smaller wire sizes.
Consistent diameter
The diameter is consistent within a few 10 thousandths but the diameter of a certain size can vary from one lot or one manufacturer to another. For example, 26 gauge theoretically is 0.0159" in diameter but what I sell tends to run a little undersizes, around .0154". That is only a half thousandth. I found that my 14 gauge varied about .001 between two different manufacturers. In my experience, they always run a few 10 thousandths under the theoretical size so they would always go into a drilled hole the size of the gage. Actually, if you had a wire exactly .0050", you would have a hard time getting it into an exact .0050: diameter hole. There needs to be some clearance to account for minute variations in diameter, roundness, and straightness.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Gary Jacobs
All the bold words are from a simple list of desirable qualities I sent.
Regards,
The main use of nichrome wire is for heating purposes because of its high resistance. This is what it was originally designed for. It is also used in high heat applications such as in ceramic kilns due to its high temperature capability without loosing too much strength.
Easy to roll straight
Not sure what this means. I am imagining taking a piece and rolling it between two boards. The answer is no. I don't know of any metal wire that this would work with. All metal has some springiness to it. It depends on its yield strength. The higher the yield strength, the more springy it is. Lead has a really low yield strength so it wouldn't spring back but even it springs back slightly. This wire is annealed which means it is fairly soft and has a lower yield strength by comparison to a heat treated condition. The best way to straighten any wire is to stretch it past its yield strength. You can do this with nichrome wire as well. I have straightened every size I carry in this way up to 14 gauge which is the largest I carry.
Keep an angle when bent
This is almost the same as the above requirement. Again, all wire will spring back to some degree, the higher the yield strength, the more it will spring back. You just have to bend it a ways beyond the final bend you want to allow for the spring back -- same as any wire other than lead.
Take paint
It seems to take paint as well as any metal.
Easy to cut
I regularly cut up to 14 gauge with standard side cutters. I use a small spring loaded pair for smaller wire sizes.
Consistent diameter
The diameter is consistent within a few 10 thousandths but the diameter of a certain size can vary from one lot or one manufacturer to another. For example, 26 gauge theoretically is 0.0159" in diameter but what I sell tends to run a little undersizes, around .0154". That is only a half thousandth. I found that my 14 gauge varied about .001 between two different manufacturers. In my experience, they always run a few 10 thousandths under the theoretical size so they would always go into a drilled hole the size of the gage. Actually, if you had a wire exactly .0050", you would have a hard time getting it into an exact .0050: diameter hole. There needs to be some clearance to account for minute variations in diameter, roundness, and straightness.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Gary Jacobs
All the bold words are from a simple list of desirable qualities I sent.
Regards,
