Where to buy ~0.5mm enamel wire for hobby use? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Whales
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2019, 03:46:13 am
content: I want to wind some more coils for some crystal radios, however everything I have been able to find seems to be around 10x the price of copper by weight. Remarkably Jaycar (brick and mortar store) is selling it for almost the same prices I can find it from China.Is this normal? These 100g rolls lookreally little, but am I still expecting too much?Jaycar 0.5mm 100g:12AUDAliexpress 100g #1:9.50AUDAliexpress 100g #2:11 AUD (inc shipping)eBay 0.57mm 100g:8.50AUDI am tempted to see what aluminium options there are, or just stick to harvested stranded.

author: andy3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2019, 04:07:32 am
content: 0.5 mm diameter is quite heavy wire. 100 grams will be hardly anything length wise. If you can get it from eBay, this guy has a sizable amount for US$ 8.59 plus shipping:https://www.ebay.com/c/17005611085Not sure how that works out in AU$.

author: BradC
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2019, 04:13:49 am
content: Try wiltronics for larger rolls.https://www.wiltronics.com.au/product-category/copper-wire-enamelled-winding/

author: Whales
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2019, 06:32:15 am
content: Quote from: andy3055 on October 19, 2019, 04:07:32 amAbout 55m according to seller from the 2nd Aliexpress link above.Quote from: andy3055 on October 19, 2019, 04:07:32 amThe pictures look sizable, but unfortunately it's only 40M for 14.50AUD.

author: ArthurDent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2019, 01:50:25 pm
content: If you check eBay you can find a lot of sellers of AWG #24/0.5mm/0.0220inch diameter magnet wire in lengths up to a few thousand feet.https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ftrt=901&_sadis=15&_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_stpos=03868&_ftrv=1&_from=R40&_nkw=24+awg+magnet+wire&_sacat=0&_sop=12One seller on eBay has 197 feet for under $8USD including U.S.A. shipping but it could cost you twice that much in shipping which will be a problem for you unless you can find a local seller. Another option is to find some local scraped device like a transformer and recover wire from that device. I used to get long lengths of antenna wire that way. There is a good chance that any coil you would wind for a crystal radio isn't that particular about wire size unless you want the coil to look a certain way or a larger size is easier to wind.

author: Whales
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2019, 09:30:17 pm
content: Quote from: ArthurDent on October 19, 2019, 01:50:25 pmAh, looking by AWG and feet (instead of mm and g) seems to provide some interesting options.QuoteI think I might end up doing this.QuoteI am specifically after solid core + hard insulation (ie lacquer), so I can trim the insulation off one side of the coil and make a sliding contact. I am currently using standard insulated stranded wire which makes this very hard. I also have some thinner enameled wire, but once it gets to a certain thickness this also gets delicate and fiddly.

author: eliocor
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 20, 2019, 08:52:56 pm
content: https://www.wires.co.uk/acatalog/cu_enam.html

author: andy3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2019, 12:00:22 am
content: I happened to go to a swap meet today and noticed that there were people selling enameled wire in small spools and immediately thought of this post. These guys are selling them real cheap as they are there mostly to get rid of things. May be that is a place you can find in your area. Swap meets are not that common like those days though. Just a thought.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2019, 12:40:00 am
content: Quote from: Whales on October 19, 2019, 03:46:13 amHardly remarkable-------the bricks your Jaycar store is made of cost about 10x that of mud, too!Quote

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2019, 03:33:31 am
content: If you have a motor rewinder locally to you go hit them up you might be surprised how little they want if anything if it is scrap or the tail end of a roll.Different story if it is lighter grades so unless you want full rolls you are likely stuck with retail or importing.Worth a go but these guys are first rate and I have used them in the past for some oddballshttp://www.cablesplus.com.au/

author: BurningTantalum
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2019, 03:24:02 pm
content: These folks have a good range in their hobby section, and were very prompt in replying to a query. They quoted post free for a kg reel. I have not purchased from them yet, and I have no connection with the company:http://www.badgerwire.com.au/

author: artag
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2019, 10:30:50 am
content: eliocor gives a link to wires.co.uk, who are part ofhttps://www.scientificwire.com/index.html- a very useful stockist of both small and bulk quantities for UK readers.