Originally Posted by NZ7C

Ahhhh.....looks like Grainger's carries it and can get you what you want in a day! Thanks guys.
Tim

In 48" lengths or a roll?

I'm interested in getting some too.

Charlie

I buy wire here: http://www.mcmaster.com/#metal-wire/=grmdrd (McMasterCarr's website makes it hard to link to the direct item). You want "spring temper" and I've used either the stainless steel or plain ol' steel (but keep dry). You can buy a lifetime supply for $20.

390' roll - I'll have it tomorrow and let you know if it's adequate - in which case $15 of it lasts forever!

The Grainger spring tempered music wire came in (one day turn around!). It is 390 feet in a 1 pound coil; .031" or .787mm diameter; item # 3L565. Looks like it should be great for those longer lengths. Tonight I'll cut a 4 foot length. If the twist from being coiled is too severe, I believe putting one end in a vice, pulling it straight and giving it just a slight counter twist with vice grips at the other end should eliminate any problems. Looks like a go. ($14 for the roll)

Originally Posted by NZ7C

The Grainger spring tempered music wire came in (one day turn around!). It is 390 feet in a 1 pound coil; .031" or .787mm diameter; item # 3L565. Looks like it should be great for those longer lengths. Tonight I'll cut a 4 foot length. If the twist from being coiled is too severe, I believe putting one end in a vice, pulling it straight and giving it just a slight counter twist with vice grips at the other end should eliminate any problems. Looks like a go. ($14 for the roll)

Let us know how it goes. Take a piece of piano wire, even as thin as .025, and try to roll it without kinking. Makes you wonder how McMaster rolls "spring-tempered" wire. I bought a roll, and it's on the shelf. Never could straighten the stuff.

The "Malin" fishing leader is coiled but has always straightened out, very, very slight curve. At least the .020" stuff.

Gary

It doesn't have to be straight. That's what the teflon tubing is for.

I'd have to get straight stuff, my OCD won't allow otherwise... Lol

Charlie

But Jeff, the teflon comes all wrapped up in a coil
Gary

Originally Posted by BavarianCharles

Let us know how it goes. Take a piece of piano wire, even as thin as .025, and try to roll it without kinking. Makes you wonder how McMaster rolls "spring-tempered" wire. I bought a roll, and it's on the shelf. Never could straighten the stuff.

Charles is right. I can get some but not all of the twist out. However, what's left creates too much internal pressure aka friction even inside a teflon tube. For a long stretch I'll leave it on the shelf as well. Hmmmm......now to plan B.
Tim

Originally Posted by NZ7C

Charles is right. I can get some but not all of the twist out. However, what's left creates too much internal pressure aka friction even inside a teflon tube. For a long stretch I'll leave it on the shelf as well. Hmmmm......now to plan B.
Tim

Smallparts.com has many different kinds of straight tempered wire, up to 72" length, under the category "Metal and Alloy Wire"

http://www.smallparts.com/s?savedSea...4431&x=0&y=141

How 'bout some Titanium to bling your DLG?

OK guys since you have wire to waste, try this please...back in the day, I used to straighten coiled #9 and #11 wire with this method but it wasn't hard steel...I would do 50 feet at a time.

Take a 3.5 ft piece and secure one end in a vise-grip. Attach the other end to a hand-held variable speed drill with a screw-eye or bent nail or whatever. Pull the wire straight and spin the drill. It may only take a couple of revolutions. You'll have to experiment. Cut off the bent ends. Your wire should end up perfectly straight. Mine did.

Let us know if it works.

John

Or make a 3 wheeled straightener. Similar to how the big wire manufacturing guys do it.

The three wheels are in a flattened triangle, the two bottom ones are fixed, and the top one, between the bottom ones, is adjustable up and down. The top wheel is set so it stresses the wire in the opposite direction of the curl.

The "fun" part is setting the wire, and the top wheel, and keeping the wire from rotating while being pulled through the straightener.

I have done this with larger wire and it was not a fun task. cant imagine trying to keep that small of wire in the correct orrentation.

for the wheels we used screen door rollers. if you could find a way to unspool the wire into the straightener you would be golden. is the spool a loose spool or is it on a spindle of some sort?

Alan

Originally Posted by Guz

Or make a 3 wheeled straightener. Similar to how the big wire manufacturing guys do it.

The three wheels are in a flattened triangle, the two bottom ones are fixed, and the top one, between the bottom ones, is adjustable up and down. The top wheel is set so it stresses the wire in the opposite direction of the curl.

The "fun" part is setting the wire, and the top wheel, and keeping the wire from rotating while being pulled through the straightener.

Originally Posted by gopherhunter

OK guys since you have wire to waste, try this please...back in the day, I used to straighten coiled #9 and #11 wire with this method but it wasn't hard steel...I would do 50 feet at a time.

Take a 3.5 ft piece and secure one end in a vise-grip. Attach the other end to a hand-held variable speed drill with a screw-eye or bent nail or whatever. Pull the wire straight and spin the drill. It may only take a couple of revolutions. You'll have to experiment. Cut off the bent ends. Your wire should end up perfectly straight. Mine did.

Let us know if it works.

John

I just tried this, and it did not work for me, at least not on my .022 "spring temper" wire. Couple of spins on the drill did nothing. A few more, nothing. A few more and it just sprung into a tangled birds nest as soon as the tension was released. Once untangled it still had the exact same coiled curvature as before.