Finally found a source of really thin wire - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 11:33:49 am
content: So when you need to dead-bug a 0.5mm pitch IC or do other super-fine stuff like bodge-wiring tiny tracks on a PCB, wire-wrap wire has always been about the thinnest stuff you can easily find, but at typically 0.5mm dia with a 30AWG ( ~0.25mm) core, which is marginal for 0.5mm pitch. The only thinner option being enamelled (magnet) wire, which is a total pain to strip.I just stumbled across this in Farnell - 0.3mm OD, 36AWG ( 0.1mm) core. Strips really easily ( even with a fingernail) and doesn't shrink back or melt when soldered.Rather expensive at £24 for 30m, but a roll will likely last a long time.http://uk.farnell.com/search?st=alpha%202936They also do a nice 30AWG stranded wire with 0.5mm ODhttp://uk.farnell.com/search?st=alpha%202930Both are rated to 600V!

author: DmitryL
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 12:01:43 pm
content: For such things I use this:http://uk.farnell.com/roadrunner/rrp-123/wiring-pencil/dp/967348See below, they also sell spools of wire. It is kind of "enameled", but the insulation is easily stripped by soldering iron tip.

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 12:10:21 pm
content: You've found a very cool thing. Thanks for the link.I've been annoyed in the past by magnet wire. The usual suspects never seem to label it as "solder thru" or anything useful like that, and stripping such fine stuff is a nightmare.Edit:Twenty colours? You have to be kidding me! I think I just stirred in my pants a bit!

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 12:12:07 pm
content: if you get the right kind of enamelled stripping is a very easy, just dip the cut end into a blob of solder on the iron

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 12:13:27 pm
content: Quote from: DmitryL on March 20, 2018, 12:01:43 pmBut that stuff does get a bit messy with blobs of the melted insulation, and you need a fairly high temp to strip

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 12:14:09 pm
content: Quote from: langwadt on March 20, 2018, 12:12:07 pmThat's what they say.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 12:14:15 pm
content: 0.4mm pitch QFP bodge-wires

author: DmitryL
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 12:28:15 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on March 20, 2018, 12:13:27 pmDon't know, it is just like a normal "magnet wire", insulation is pretty sturdy, though less resistant to heat than what used in a real "magnet wire". It desintegrates very cleanly without any residue. I use leaded solder (so, not too hot iron) and it takes about a couple of second of exposing insulation it to a melted solder to remove it and have bit of wire tinned.Try it, I quite like this wire

author: Abbas
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 02:07:00 pm
content: I quite like to salvage parts from old/not used things. The best source in which I get thin wires are earphones mini speaker wire, which can be stripped easily from an old or unused earphones. they're flexible enough and easy to solder to.

author: poorchava
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 02:50:03 pm
content: I use fine magnet wire. Small diameter ones are almost universally self-soldering (insulation melts form soldering iron temperature) and you can get them down to extremely small diameters (thinnes I have used is probably 40um)

author: xani
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 03:06:42 pm
content: I just use wire-wrap wire and dedicated stripping/wrapping tool (chinesium from aliexpress is enough), wire itself is usually only few bucks per few hundred metres.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 03:11:09 pm
content: Quote from: xani on March 20, 2018, 03:06:42 pmAs I mentioned, WW wire isn't always thin enough

author: CopperCone
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 03:51:31 pm
content: I find magnet wire to be unruley and springy in these diameters.

author: @rt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 04:02:41 pm
content: Copper wire from Jaycar (Australia) is easy stripped with an iron at the sort of temps for unleaded soldering 390C or so,except I use leaded solder, and it turns out being a waste of solder keeping the blob clean.To do it neatly is very doable though. The idea is to cut and form the wire first.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 04:24:58 pm
content: Nice find, I have the Roadrunner with a few bobbins of 34AWG (I've got a Roadrunner protoboard with combs somewhere too, unused) but it gets messy really easily, I always preferred Kynar but couldn't find it smaller than 30AWG (I haven't looked for a *long* time though).That 36AWG PTFE (or non trademark named) insulation looks really useful and 30M will see me out my days...

author: cstratton
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 04:45:03 pm
content: Looks like digikey has the 36 awg Alpha Wire too... for a mere $38.25 per roll.If they'd do a multi-color assortment instead of a single 100 foot roll it would almost be worth it.At a larger scale, the 30 awg silicone insulated stuff is great for picking up signals off an 0402 passive or P75 pogo pin socket and bringing them out to a crimp pin debug harness. Used to use multicolor wire-wrap wire for that, but this solders better and lasts longer when handled.Though if there's already a wrappable header post on both ends, then the wire wrap wire can still make sense.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 04:49:38 pm
content: Quote from: wilfred on March 20, 2018, 11:54:41 amI seem to recall he tears up old LVDS cables, unless he started buying new wire..

author: ajb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 05:14:25 pm
content: I've been using Belden 8057 for a while, which is a 34AWG solderable enameled wire. It strips easily with a 360C iron, and I've never had an issue with the melted insulation. When doing short bodges having to do any sort of mechanical stripping is particularly annoying. It's expensive at $75/spool (Wow, I don't remember it costing that much!), but it's a big enough spool that I'll never need to buy a second one.

author: Conrad Hoffman
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 05:37:05 pm
content: Remember that one of the applications for silver bearing solder is for very fine copper wire. Some copper dissolves in regular solder, weakening the wire, but with the addition of Ag the integrity of the wire is preserved. Break out the SN62 or the Savbit!

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 07:07:23 pm
content: Quote from: Monkeh on March 20, 2018, 04:49:38 pmLast time I watched, he switched to using magnet wire with some kind of poly insulation that melts off when soldered. He doesn't strip.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 07:12:51 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on March 20, 2018, 11:33:49 amI'm using enamelled wire all the time for prototypes. It is very easy to 'strip' with a hot soldering iron by melting the enamel away.

author: maginnovision
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 07:26:38 pm
content: I've had mixed luck, strangely, with solderable magnet wire. That stuff would have helped with this sram bodge. The wire wrap wire was too big so had to be very careful.

author: elecman14
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 07:28:02 pm
content: If you are looking for a way to strip 36 awg OK Industries ST-450 works really well. It is the only reliable way besides heat I have found to strip wire that small. It also has a depth stop so you can strip lengths repeatably.

author: Nusa
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 07:30:35 pm
content: Quote from: steverino on March 20, 2018, 07:07:23 pmLouis has a store:https://store.rossmanngroup.com/index.php/. Put "magnet wire" in the search box. Question answered.

author: poorchava
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 10:35:49 pm
content: Quote from: elecman14 on March 20, 2018, 07:28:02 pmThat is no good with shorter wires, because you have to pull on the wire. Personally, I use Knipex 12 40 200. It's expensive new at 55€ + VAT @ TME, but I got it for ~40€ post-exposition. I actually managed to strip 30 AWG Kynar i ~0.5mm ringsWorks with magnet wire too, although it needs some fiddling with depth setting.

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 10:56:20 pm
content: Nice find Mike.WW wire is what I usually use it has a major setback, it breaks easily. It is not that great to withstand mechanical movement, how does this new wire compare?