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Source of fine insulated braided wire?

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  • Member since
    February 2010
  • 384 posts
Source of fine insulated braided wire?
Posted by Redore on Monday, February 25, 2013 11:10 AM

When rewiring locomotives, or repairing them, it's handy to use the very fine wire that the manufacturers use more and more today.  Is there a good reasonably priced source of this wire in bulk?  Micro Mark has short lengths for like $2.00 / ft but that doesn't seem right.  Digi Key has 1000 ft rolls, way more than I need.

I think this is 32 Guage AWG stranded wire.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Monday, February 25, 2013 11:35 AM

Modeltrainstuff has a 10 foot bundle containing one each of the standard 9 NMRA colors for about $10. Search for digitrax decoderwire

              --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
  • 13,757 posts
Posted by cacole on Monday, February 25, 2013 7:15 PM

Train Control Systems sells their decoder wire in multiple colors, but only in 10 foot lengths.

http://www.tcsdcc.com/public_html/Customer_Content/Products/Supplies/Wire/Wire.htm

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: S.E. Adirondacks, NY
  • 3,246 posts
Posted by modelmaker51 on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 3:34 AM

You are looking for "stranded wire" not "braided wire".

Jay 

C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1 

Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums 

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 11:47 AM

Hi Redore

I have found a great source for very fine, like 22 to 30 gauge wire to be in old computer cables and internal wiring. Over the years I have accumulated lots of super flexible wire by cutting the ends off printer cables, mice, monitor cables, cat 5 (usually solid) and the like. Strip off the outer jacket and you have a trove of multi color fine wire. Some computers had ribbon cable inside that you can peel off as many conductors as needed, though its nearly always gray.

Often there is a bare ground or shield wire in there too and that makes a handy common wire when wiring multiple lights inside a structure.

There's a bin full of this stuff where I work plus what I've amassed in tinkering with computers over the past 15  20 years! Maybe there's a computer recycling center near you or ask around for old devices that you can cut the cords off. Sometimes this stuff is only about 3 feet or less but it fits the bill for much of our model use.

Have fun! ED

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • 384 posts
Posted by Redore on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 9:11 PM

Yes, today at work I was looking at a box of scrap ethernet cable.  I took a 4 ft section.  Ten minutes later with the Xacto and I had four twisted pairs of very fine wire.  More than I will ever need.  Solid wire, but that fine, who cares?  Problem solved. 

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 10,582 posts
Posted by mlehman on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 9:35 PM

Better than that, grab and old mouse and cut its tail off...no, not a furry one, one like the slick one next to you keyboard. Mouse wire is insulated, multi-strand and very flexible.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

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