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Where can I find metal wire?


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Hi, 

Where can I get metal wire and it cannot be shiny?

 

I am running out of my different types of wire. Such as 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 gauge steel wire. 

 

I use it mainly around my deadeyes, chain plates, preventer and some other uses. 

It needs to be easy to be d into shape and avain I hate shiny material. 

Any recommended websites or stores? 

 

Thank you in advance. 

Marcus 

Current Built: Zeehaen 1639, Dutch Fluit from Dutch explorer Abel J. Tasman

 

Unofficial motto of the VOC: "God is good, but trade is better"

 

Many people believe that Captain J. Cook discovered Australia in 1770. They tend to forget that Dutch mariner Willem Janszoon landed on Australia’s northern coast in 1606. Cook never even sighted the coast of Western Australia).

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https://www.mcmaster.com/copper/shape~wire/

 

McMaster-Carr might be worth a look.

 

If you wish to be independent about this  - a fat wire and a jewelers draw plate with a series of hoes in your range of interest would allow for that.

But wire that is hard can be  difficult to pull.   Steel has the advantage of becoming soft if you heat it and allow it to cool slowly.  Then when it is the desired gauge it can be hardened.

Copper and brass cannot be hardened by heat and quench - the more you work it, the harder it gets.

NRG member 45 years

 

Current:  

HMS Centurion 1732 - 60-gun 4th rate - Navall Timber framing

HMS Beagle 1831 refiit  10-gun brig with a small mizzen - Navall (ish) Timber framing

The U.S. Ex. Ex. 1838-1842
Flying Fish 1838  pilot schooner -  framed - ready for stern timbers
Porpose II  1836  brigantine/brig - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers
Vincennes  1825  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers assembled, need shaping
Peacock  1828  Sloop-of -War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Sea Gull  1838  pilot schooner -  timbers ready for assembly
Relief  1835  ship - timbers ready for assembly

Other

Portsmouth  1843  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Le Commerce de Marseilles  1788   118 cannons - framed

La Renommee 1744 Frigate - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers

 

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Might I recommend not using steel or iron wire - it may rust. Use either brass or copper wire. To get rid of shine, either lightly sand with fine (400 grit) paper or, better, use a coloring agent such as the Jax range of chemical colorants:

 

https://jaxchemical.com/product-category/colorants/

Be sure to sign up for an epic Nelson/Trafalgar project if you would like to see it made into a TV series  http://trafalgar.tv

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Try molybdenum and you will love piano wire ;)

 

However, the hard temper can be drawn out of piano wire by cautiously heating it up with a torch. The different oxidation colours will give you an indication of the hardness:

 

image.png.843aa377ee636525aca830ddc77c00f1.png

 

Try on samples until you get the hardness/springiness you want and then always heat to that temperature.

wefalck

 

panta rhei - Everything is in flux

 

 

M-et-M-72.jpg  Banner-AKHS-72.jpg  Banner-AAMM-72.jpg  ImagoOrbis-72.jpg
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@Jaager

Thanks for the link and will take a look at. Sounds promising. 

 

@druxey

Thanks for the link and I have heard of that material. 

 

@Laggard

I don't have access to that and was never planning to use it. 

 

@wefalck

Thanks. Just for some wire your suggestion is pretty elaborate. 

 

@bridgman@bridgman Bob

Great idea. There is an Ace store a town over and a TSC (tractor supply co.) couple of miles from here. 

 

Never knew they sell K&S metals. Good to know. I know it is a Chicago company and in the past you could not order from them but I checked that recently and it seems that now you can. I always purchased that from Micromark and they are still the cheapest around. 

Marcus 

Current Built: Zeehaen 1639, Dutch Fluit from Dutch explorer Abel J. Tasman

 

Unofficial motto of the VOC: "God is good, but trade is better"

 

Many people believe that Captain J. Cook discovered Australia in 1770. They tend to forget that Dutch mariner Willem Janszoon landed on Australia’s northern coast in 1606. Cook never even sighted the coast of Western Australia).

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If you have a hobby shop near by, most (but not all) carry the K&S line.

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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Our local Ace has a K&S display and  a good wire selection.  My only gripe is that the overdo the “Helpful Hardware” business.  Whenever I go into the store, someone sticks to me like a leech.  If they’d just leave me alone they might be surprised what I might buy.

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I use Ace and HD and others but I find better pricing on line and one or two day delivery most of the time..   Copper is great for deadeye chains as it can be blackened with LoS in situ.

For me I prefer brass where the item has to be stiff such as a hook.

Allan

 

 

PLEASE take 30 SECONDS and sign up for the epic Nelson/Trafalgar project if you would like to see it made into a TV series.   Click on http://trafalgar.tv   There is no cost other than the 30 seconds of your time.  THANK YOU

 

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@mtaylor

Thanks

 

@Roger Pellett

I'll check the Ace store for the wire and thanks for the heads up on the over done customer service.

 

@allanyed

"better prices online"? Are you willing to share your sources, websites? 

"blackened by LoS in situ". Please explaine. 

Thanks. 

 

I have bought wood from hobby Lobby but never saw any k&s metals. 

 

Marcus 

Current Built: Zeehaen 1639, Dutch Fluit from Dutch explorer Abel J. Tasman

 

Unofficial motto of the VOC: "God is good, but trade is better"

 

Many people believe that Captain J. Cook discovered Australia in 1770. They tend to forget that Dutch mariner Willem Janszoon landed on Australia’s northern coast in 1606. Cook never even sighted the coast of Western Australia).

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16 hours ago, Roger Pellett said:

Our local Ace has a K&S display and  a good wire selection.  My only gripe is that the overdo the “Helpful Hardware” business.  Whenever I go into the store, someone sticks to me like a leech.  If they’d just leave me alone they might be surprised what I might buy.

That's odd.  I'm always looking for a clerk to tell me where what I'm looking for is located. Try dressing like you were going to church and see if that helps. Definitely do not wear a hoodie! You may be the victim of "retail security profiling." Is it possible you're setting off the "shoplifter alarms" every time you walk into the store?  :D :D :D 

Edited by Bob Cleek
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Metal wire of many kinds can be found in stores that carry beading supplies. I suppose it may be a regional thing, but in my area there are a few "bead stores" that carry nothing but supplies for "hobby beaders." They have lots of types of wire and beads that can be useful for ship modeling.

 

Also, I've found some electrical parts are wound with salvageable copper wire, often in very fine gauges, which may be useful. You often have to clean off insulating coating, sometimes simply shellac, which is soluble in alcohol. The wire can be stripped by running it through a draw plate. 

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1 hour ago, flying_dutchman2 said:

Please explaine. 

I think what Allan is saying is that - he attaches the chain plates as raw copper.  He then paints it with Liver of Sulfur to blacken it. 

The copper would need to be absolutely clean after it was attached.  Doing it this way, none of the blackened coating would be lost vs if it had been blackened prior to attachment.

This suggests that LoS leaves a coating that is easily abraded back to raw copper.  

NRG member 45 years

 

Current:  

HMS Centurion 1732 - 60-gun 4th rate - Navall Timber framing

HMS Beagle 1831 refiit  10-gun brig with a small mizzen - Navall (ish) Timber framing

The U.S. Ex. Ex. 1838-1842
Flying Fish 1838  pilot schooner -  framed - ready for stern timbers
Porpose II  1836  brigantine/brig - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers
Vincennes  1825  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers assembled, need shaping
Peacock  1828  Sloop-of -War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Sea Gull  1838  pilot schooner -  timbers ready for assembly
Relief  1835  ship - timbers ready for assembly

Other

Portsmouth  1843  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Le Commerce de Marseilles  1788   118 cannons - framed

La Renommee 1744 Frigate - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers

 

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2 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

That's odd.  I'm always looking for a clerk to tell me where what I'm looking for is located. Try dressing like you were going to church and see if that helps. Definitely do not wear a hoodie! You may be the victim of "retail security profiling." Is it possible you're setting off the "shoplifter alarms" every time you walk into the store?  :D :D :D 

 

Well, then the hoodie would be a surefire way to get some assistance.

 

 

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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Marcus

I usually just do an Amazon search for whatever I need, be it copper wire spools, sheet stock or ????   Thanks to Mr. Bezos, I pay less, get things fast, and have more time to be in the shop rather than burning gas and time going shopping.      I am a fan of McMaster Carr and Grainger for some things such as drill bits, fasteners, and a few other things where I want to be sure I am getting jobber quality, not junk. 

 

Yes the copper should be cleaned once you finish your soldering.    I like to file or steel wool off the excess solder, then just give it a soak in acetone to get off any residue.  Pickling is also a favorite depending on the situation.   I know it is not good to handle the parts with bare hands, but I find it is easy to dip my finger tips in acetone and wipe clean with a paper towel immediately before setting the parts in place.   RARELY  have I had a problem since doing it this way.    Rubber finger cots are a great alternative and probably better for your skin though.

 

Allan

 

PLEASE take 30 SECONDS and sign up for the epic Nelson/Trafalgar project if you would like to see it made into a TV series.   Click on http://trafalgar.tv   There is no cost other than the 30 seconds of your time.  THANK YOU

 

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@Jaager

Thank you for the explanation. 

 

@Keith Black

Thanks for the link and it looks promising. 

 

@allanyed

Thank you for the method of making it black. 

 

Everyone else, the comments made me laugh. 

 

Marcus 

Current Built: Zeehaen 1639, Dutch Fluit from Dutch explorer Abel J. Tasman

 

Unofficial motto of the VOC: "God is good, but trade is better"

 

Many people believe that Captain J. Cook discovered Australia in 1770. They tend to forget that Dutch mariner Willem Janszoon landed on Australia’s northern coast in 1606. Cook never even sighted the coast of Western Australia).

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You might look into a hobby shop carrying Tichy phosphor bronze wire. They market several sizes: https://www.tichytraingroup.com/Shop/tabid/91/c/ho_wire/Default.aspx

I have not tried to blacken it, but I have painted it.

Ken

Started: MS Bounty Longboat,

On Hold:  Heinkel USS Choctaw paper

Down the road: Shipyard HMC Alert 1/96 paper, Mamoli Constitution Cross, MS USN Picket Boat #1

Scratchbuild: Echo Cross Section

 

Member Nautical Research Guild

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Try a company called Clover House. They specialize in wire and sheet metal products for the modeler along with dry transfer sets for Model Railroaders. Oh and chain,they also have fine chain. Check online.

Bill, in Idaho

Completed Mamoli Halifax and Billings Viking ship in 2015

Next  Model Shipways Syren

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3 hours ago, reklein said:

they also have fine chain

 

 Bill, it seems the finest chain size they carry is 20 LPI part number 4385, they don't have part numbers 4383 or 4384.

 

 

Edited by Keith Black
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Maybe I'm a peasant but I have managed to buy wire of various gauges in copper and steel from ebay with no problem at all, other than the fact that it all comes from China like everything else!

Current build : Fokker Dr 1

 

Completed non-boat build 1/16 Model expo Sopwith Camel - in shore leave.

Previous boat builds:

Yacht Mary

Artesania Latina Red Dragon (Modified)

Non-boat build 1/24 scale Dennis bus by OcCre - in shore leave.

Mare Nostrum (modified)  Amati Oseberg (modified)  Chaperon sternwheel steamer 1884   Constructo Lady Smith kit/scratch build   

OcCre Santisima Trinidad Cross Section 

Constructo Robert E Lee Paddle Steamer  Constructo Louise, steam powered river boat   OcCre Bounty with cutaway hull 

Corel Scotland Baltic Ketch (not on MSW) OcCre Spirit of Mississippi paddle steamer (not on MSW)

In the Gallery:
 Mare Nostrum   Oesberg  Constructo Lady Smith   Constructo Robert E Lee   Constructo Louise   OcCre Bounty   OcCre Spirit of Mississippi

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  • 5 months later...

22, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32  gauge darkened annealed wire available at Blue Jacket Shipcrafters. 

Edited by Dave_E

Dave

 

Current builds: Rattlesnake

Completed builds: Lady Nelson

On the shelf: NRG Half Hull Project, Various metal, plastic and paper models

 

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