WTB: Old wire spools - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: MrWizerd
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2016, 12:30:22 am
content: I have a bunch of wire that either has a really huge spool (500') or none at all, and at my bench my hookup wire I keep about 50' of 22 awg and 16 awg I wanted to put them on spools. The 22 awg wire has spools that are 2" in diameter with a 1" hole, and are just shy of 1" high when laid down. I would like some more of this size, but I don't know where one buys spools in small quantities. The 16 awg I have no spools for again most of the spools I have found are huge, I was thinking for these something around 3" diameter with 1-2" for the wire to sit in so the hole could be any size and about an inch tall. Basically just big enough to get about 50' of wire onto and not have huge spools as I don't have a lot of space.Anyone have anything like that? or know where I can get them? I have thought about just buying some wire from Jameco or something just to have the spools but then I would have more wire then spool, and buying the wire twice is something I would rather do only after using up what I have. Anyways, as always thanks for taking a look see, and any help that is offered.

author: ozwolf
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2016, 03:05:12 am
content: Why not look around your neighbourhood for someone who does woodturning? Making up a few custom spools for you on a woodlathe is a dead easy.Carton of beer will get you quite a few spools.Ozwolf

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2016, 03:20:47 am
content: Ebay:http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=empty+plastic+spool

author: liquibyte
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2016, 03:24:00 am
content: Dude's an ebay junkie, I think you just made his day.

author: sleemanj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2016, 03:28:59 am
content: Life Pro Tip! Weigh the spool before you wind your wire onto it, then write the empty weight of the spool on the spool, along with the weight of say 10cm of the wire. Now you have an easy way to find out how much wire is left on the spool in the future.

author: MrWizerd
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 27, 2016, 06:29:09 am
content: Quote from: sleemanj on January 27, 2016, 03:28:59 amThat is actually a really cool idea! I will definitely do that.The idea of turning my own spools is actually a great idea, when my neighbor decides to come back from Alaska (he lives there and he has a house that is empty with a tragically full shop) I believe he has a lathe and may be able to make some, but I am not sure if or when he will be on his way back.I have poured through eBay for workable spools, the problem is most of them are too big and the ones that may not be are hard to judge size on because they don't measure them nor have any sort of scale with the pictures. I have looked at the few suppliers I could find as well but most of them are more wholesalers than anything else.

author: PaulAm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2016, 10:31:14 pm
content: If you have access to a 3d printer, check this one out:http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:7980

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 29, 2016, 12:56:06 am
content: If you can lay your hands on some ABS plastic sheet, some ABS pipe, plastic pipe cement, a holesaw that closely matches the O.D. of the pipe, and another for the the reel O.D. you can build strong reels of whatever size you like. Use waxed wood blocks of the desired reel interior width, holesawed for the pipe size and cut in half through the hole for easy removal as assembly jigs. Let the glue dry for a day before using them or doing any finishing work requiredAnother option would be wooden cotton reels with thin ply or hardboard cheeks cut out with a holesaw glued and pinned on either end.