Simple, low cost, small thimbles

[georgeband]

There are several forum sites that discuss the use of metal tube to make thimbles. They look good but are difficult to replicate for small sizes, for example to have a hole that is half a millimetre diameter. There is also the difficulty of aligning a thread or rope to go around a thimble and not slip off before the glue grabs it. I suffered this when I used plastic beads for thimbles... 

 

The approach I describe here uses the insulation layer on a wire as the thimble. I used reclaimed telephone wire that is 0.8mm diameter over the insulation and 0.4mm diameter for the single strand of copper wire. Take a short length of wire of a suitable colour (I chose brown) and glue the thread around it so that it forms a single loop. (I used Gütermann linen thread, colour 4010, which is 0.3mm diameter and can pass for a served and leathered line. Superglue darkens this thread.)

Because there is a length of wire you don't have to be precise about where to place the loop or worry about it falling off. I used superglue and applied it with a pin that was barely wetted - if you can see a drop then it will drown the thread and refuse to harden, and instead wait for you to touch it with a finger. 

 

I then used dark brown, fly tying thread to seize the joint with a sequence of half hitches. Superglue does not stick well to the polythene insulation so the seizing performs its proper function and secures the join. The seizing also closes up the loop and so there is no visible gap between the thread and the thimble. 

Cut through the insulation and slide the thimble and line off the wire. The insulation layer can now be trimmed so it is flush with the rope ring around it. A fresh, sharp scalpel blade is vital for the trimming because a blunted blade will leave plastic hairs that are near impossible to remove. 

I have not yet needed to make larger thimbles which would use thicker wire. The useful colour for power wiring in the UK is brown (and black if you have hoarded some old or reclaimed cable) and the internal diameters are 1mm or more.

 

George

[tkay11]

Very nice idea, George. Thanks. As it happens I have some old telephone wire which I will now set to use.

 

Up to now I have used 1mm brass tubing with 0.5mm hole. I place a length of this in the lathe, close to the chuck, then make a tiny groove in the tubing. After that I simply use a jeweller's saw to remove it. It takes a lot of time, though.

 

Tony

Edited 16 hours ago by tkay11

[Y.T.]

I am going to stick to a brass tube. This is a sample 1 mm OD. I knock it with a center punch so it is easy to be wrapped with a rope. Not wiggling out. 
 

 

[druxey]

I've used the brass tube method for years. Anneal the brass first. Saw off a piece and place it in a brass plate of the appropriate thickness. File the piece of tube flat to the plate. Remove the ring, then flare each side with the center punch on a hard steel block.

[wefalck]

I am giving in to the temptation to divert this thread with another method that I have used occasionally: cored solder-wire. Push a wire into the core to avoid distorting the solder-wire while cutting sliced off. The rosin core can be washed out with a solvent. Flare one end slightly, make your eye and then flare the other side. Finally, both side can slightly peened over the rope.

Core solder-wire is sold down to 0.5 mm diameter, I think.

 

For a more sophisticated approach, you can also consult @archjofo's building log on his CREOLE.

[tkay11]

Whenever I've used a centre punch, the thimbles mostly don't end up symmetrical and often squashed. Must be my technique. Oh dearie me.

 

Tony

[druxey]

The center punch needs to be kept perfectly vertical, Tony. Also, several light strikes are better than one heavy one.

[wefalck]

I actually use what the watchmakers call a jewell-setting tool, for which I turn anvils and punches as needed. It has a micrometer stop so that I can set the exact distance between the anvil and punch in order to not squash the thimble.