Ceramic Wire?

Don't know about ceramic wire- never heard of it (it sounds like an oxymoron).  However, fine thread is getting hard to find.  My local craft store says sewing is declining as a hobby. I now find the best, finest thread in sources catering to model ship builders, like Model Expo.

For airplane rigging I use monofilament, since I generally do not need to tie knots.  Sailing ship rigging is something else, the flexibility is important.

Don Stauffer

Don't know about ceramic wire- never heard of it (it sounds like an oxymoron).  However, fine thread is getting hard to find.  My local craft store says sewing is declining as a hobby. I now find the best, finest thread in sources catering to model ship builders, like Model Expo.

For airplane rigging I use monofilament, since I generally do not need to tie knots.  Sailing ship rigging is something else, the flexibility is important.

Ultrawire is the closest I can think of...I don't use it for rigging, but I do make eyebolts with it.

As for sewing...maybe its a regional thing...but it's not at all declining around here. The opposite, in fact. All the hip young moms are taking up sewing and making baby clothes, my wife included. Hey, if it makes her happy...

I use a product called EZ-Line, it is what Railroad Modelers use to rig telephone/telegraph lines on layouts. It is made of rubber and a little bit goes a long way, it can be glued into place with CA and will take acrylic paint without a problem or even color it with a sharpie marker works. Best of all it is flexible even after it is taunt on the model so if someone should happen to touch it the line in all but extreme cases will not break.

I have had it on planes I rigged that are 10 years old and they haven't become brittle or broken off yet.

Here is a link on it and where to buy it from. http://www.bobeshobbyhouse.com/ezl.html

hth

Cheers,

Thom

I've bought some EZ Line: thanks for the tip. Never know when something is going to pay off. I have a box full of stuff that doesn't really work, but the stuff that does can help a lot. For $5 I'll take the plunge.

Doog, if you're still there, I never found ceramic wire, but I did track down a Euro product from Scientific Wire Company - black coated 50 gauge copper wire (that's .10 mm). Turns out that if you cut a bit off and then pull it apart with two pairs of pliers, it goes rigid. Whether it will work with a biplane, I'm not sure. It might be just the ticket for some ship rigging. I'll report in.

Eric

Eric.

See my post in this topic board re: .008 phosphor bronze wire..

Tom

I'll just stick with copper wire from transformers. I have a lifetime supply of the stuff.

AT6

I'll just stick with copper wire from transformers. I have a lifetime supply of the stuff.

That is what I use too.  I don't know if I have a lifetime supply or not.  If I run low, next time I scrap a piece of electronics I will grab a coil or transformer or two and salvage the wire.  Getting thin copper wire is getting harder these days.  Few amateur electronics hobbyists wind their own coils these days.

The Bay area's best old fashioned electronic supply store sells 38 gauge copper wire and said that was about it for finding something on a spool. As noted stuff from the UK is 50 gauge and black to boot. I've heard of people cutting up cheap speaker wiring - like 20 gauge stuff for second rate stereos - and unwinding the wires which are very thin. Heaven knows, one thing I have is speaker wire. If 50 gauge isn't small enough we'll try it.

Eric