Author Topic: Music wire source? (Read 7435 times)

DFHicks · « **on:** October 21, 2015, 10:01:59 PM »

I need some more music wire (1/16"). I purchased a plastic tube of it made by K&S on-line several years ago. It was from a supplier but I can't remember the name. I have done an internet search and found only one source (on E-Bay) and they just carry 1/32" & smaller. K&S has a web page but they only sell to retailers. I checked with hobby store stores when I was looking before & they were 1/32" & smaller also. Haven't explored that again as it is a 60 mile drive. Surely there must be more on-line hobby stores than I found. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Greg

okieboy · « **Reply #1 on:** October 21, 2015, 11:39:47 PM »

I take my music wire business to McMaster Carr. Just type "music wire" into the search box on their home page, then scroll down to the 1085 grade.

Eric Krewson · « **Reply #2 on:** October 22, 2015, 12:04:42 AM »

Any place that sells to the radio control airplane guys usually have a bunch of it in all sizes.

JBJ · « **Reply #3 on:** October 22, 2015, 12:07:01 AM »

Check your local hardware store. Mine carries it and they will even special order, if need be.
J.B.

flehto · « **Reply #4 on:** October 22, 2015, 12:34:06 AM »

I get mine locally from Ace Hardware.....Fred

JCKelly · « **Reply #5 on:** October 22, 2015, 01:45:32 AM »

Yes, www.mcmaster.com does have music wire in 1080 steel.
Do get this carbon steel "Music Wire" and not any variety of stainless.

Music Wire has been around a couple hundred years and is THE strongest piece of metal, any metal, that you & I can buy, outside maybe of something new in a laboratory.

It gets its strength through how it is processed, which involves drawing and passing through molten lead baths very roughly 1600F. When the process was invented they called it "patented wire", appropriately enough.

Mark Elliott · « **Reply #6 on:** October 22, 2015, 02:46:49 AM »

I also get mine from the local Ace Hardware.

hortonstn · « **Reply #7 on:** October 22, 2015, 03:00:48 AM »

What do you use it for?

okieboy · « **Reply #8 on:** October 22, 2015, 03:23:39 AM »

You guys must have better hardware stores than are available to me. Although they have some wire and some mild steel rod, I haven't seen hard music wire in a hardware store in years. I am going to go and ask them about special orders.
Music wire makes great pins. Music wire makes good springs, including coil springs if you know how. I use it to make small punches, scribes, chisels and scrapers. Making a chisel, you can just sharpen the end or heat, flatten, grind, reheat and quench, final sharpen and add a piece of hickory dowel for a handle. I'm sure it has other uses, but that's a start.

DFHicks · « **Reply #9 on:** October 22, 2015, 03:46:07 AM »

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. I'll check for Ace Hardware locations first but it's good to have on-line suppliers as well. Also the information on music wire was very interesting and helpful. I will echo okieboy about hardware stores or the lack of them in my area.
I am using it for the pin in a curved patchbox hinge. I have only made a couple of PB's quite some time ago so a curved hinge maybe a bit too ambitious. It is giving me fits that's for sure. But that's half the fun, right? Is there a tutorial or information on the curved hinge other than the Brumfield site?
Regards,
Greg

gumboman · « **Reply #10 on:** October 22, 2015, 01:34:49 PM »

I bought some earlier this year from HOBBY LINK. Shipped to my home fast in a nice robust tube. Size is 1/16"
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/k+s/k+s504.htm

Captchee · « **Reply #11 on:** October 22, 2015, 02:13:02 PM »

might try looking for Piano wire .
You can find it on line through Tower hobbies or Horizon Hobbies

DFHicks · « **Reply #12 on:** October 22, 2015, 06:25:17 PM »

The source "gumboman" posted is the one I ordered from before. The name of it came back to me as soon as I saw it. So I have an excellent memory with prompting. Thanks again to all who responded.
Greg

gunmaker · « **Reply #13 on:** October 22, 2015, 06:58:34 PM »

Quote from: hortonstn on October 22, 2015, 03:00:48 AM

What do you use it for?

Everything, Barrel pins, Trigger pivots, rod pipes, 5/64th's is a good all around size....Tom

Mark Elliott · « **Reply #14 on:** October 22, 2015, 08:45:42 PM »

I use music wire for barrel tenon pins, thimble tenon pins, hinge pins, and pushrods in patchbox release mechanisms. I also use it for small tools as it is plain carbon steel that may be re-hardened and tempered. I also use it in model airplanes for landing gear, struts and such. Music wire has a 100 & 1 uses.

Turtle · « **Reply #15 on:** October 23, 2015, 02:21:32 AM »

I get my 1/16th" wire from Tennessee valley manufacturing.
Turtle

Hemo · « **Reply #16 on:** October 23, 2015, 05:37:30 AM »

I found that little plastic lawn marker flags from the hardware store are attached to 1/16" wire, and I use these all the time for pins. Tough, springy, and cheap!

Gregg

billm · « **Reply #17 on:** October 23, 2015, 06:15:48 PM »

Grainger has it.

flehto · « **Reply #18 on:** October 24, 2015, 06:20:59 AM »

For curved hinges I use 1/16 baling wire....can be easily bent. For straight hinges and all the other pins in a build, music wire is used.....Fred

Dan Fruth · « **Reply #19 on:** October 24, 2015, 08:49:29 PM »

Music wire is available from MSC , Enco, and McMaster Carr. There is also a tig welding rod that is .062 dia. and is not high carbon. i would stay away from iron wire, as it is way too soft for pins.....PS...It has been my experience that Ace gets all their stuff from China, FWIW....Dan

Daryl · « **Reply #20 on:** October 24, 2015, 09:18:18 PM »

Quote from: Eric Krewson on October 22, 2015, 12:04:42 AM

Any place that sells to the radio control airplane guys usually have a bunch of it in all sizes.

Exactly

B.Habermehl · « **Reply #21 on:** October 24, 2015, 10:43:57 PM »

The big box building supplies stores have music wire supports for insulation in boxes of 100 or so 17 inches long by about 5/64 dia. I picked up a box at lowes a while back. It was only a couple of bucks. BJH

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Author Topic: Music wire source? (Read 7435 times)

DFHicks

DFHicks

DFHicks

Turtle

Hemo

billm