Ferromagnetic solderable wire? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: Marsupilami
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2022, 07:01:57 pm
content: Folks help me out!For a project I have in mind I'd need a wire that is-solderable with conventional electronics process-ferromagnetic (steel, nickel?)-off the shelf available in >=24ga (<=0.5mm diameter).I was looking at stuff like tinned copper clad steel wire but it doesn't seem to be a common household item.Mechanical properties are secondary if it's not butter soft.Any tips?Thanks!

author: MikeK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2022, 07:23:20 pm
content: Pretty much all resistors from China have plated/tinned iron-based leads.

author: mag_therm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2022, 07:48:43 pm
content: Search terms "soft iron wire" , "annealed iron wire" "iron binding wire"Craft and jewelry supplies, Etsy too.I have a roll of about 28 AWG here and I recently soldered some to pcb pads to make a sensing resistor.It just needs to be scraped clean with a blade, then the ordinary resin cored solder can be used.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2022, 08:05:48 pm
content: Tin plated of course preferred; clean iron tins alright without special flux, it just needs to be clean, and takes more time than usual.Nickel is a PITA, its natural oxide layer is quite tenacious with respect to rosin flux. When clean, it just takes that much longer; when dirty/oxidized, maybe never.Also "lock wire", unless that's only available in stainless which won't tin at all (and isn't very magnetic).Tim

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2022, 08:07:08 pm
content: If you want stiff wire, MIG steel welding wire is usually copper plated, but it is not soft annealed.EDIT: In my experience all steel filler wire for welding, except stainless, is copper plated. But it is also fairly stiff tool.EDTI2: Searched on copper plated baling wire (it's soft), found "stitching wire," which is probably soft here:https://www.nebalingwire.com/product/stitching-wire/

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2022, 08:14:09 pm
content: Would Tinned Copper Covered Steel do?Been looking at Belden 8434 ....https://www2.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Belden-Wire-Cable/8434-060100?qs=1cd4jdYraVNg1fEI3VxGBg%3D%3Dorhttps://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/belden-inc/8434-060100/7388922Expensive and you'd have to strip the insulation but you'd end up with around 100 meters of tinned copper covered steel so it should be magnetic ...

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2022, 10:02:02 pm
content: "Copperweld" is a common trademark for copper-coated steel wire, found in coax cables where the skin effect makes the thin copper an efficient conductor, and other places where mechanical strength is required.https://www.copperweld.com/buildingwire/productsTheir page for "signal wire" is in progress.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2022, 10:15:56 pm
content: buy some high quality pure copper test leads on ebay from china, it will be ferromagnetic copper type

author: Marsupilami
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2022, 05:27:07 am
content: I came to the conclusion that I have overconstrainted the system. I'll have to separate the thin solderable and the ferromagnetic part.Thanks for all the tips!

author: Terry Bites
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2022, 09:56:41 am
content: You're better off to go with some kind of crimp termination- as long as the joints are gas tight, they'll last at least as long as solder. I've used jewlers "crimp tubes" before. artbeads.com/crimp-tubes-and-crimp-beads/I'm sure there's something like that used in making DIY vacuum tubes but I cant remember what it's called.

author: CaptDon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2022, 02:39:59 pm
content: I had some multiconductor cable (3 shielded twisted pairs each with its own drain wire) that was apparently just plain steel wire. We used it for audio routing between musical keyboards and a multi-input amplifier. The cable got wound up and placed in the back of the amplifier for storage and apparently the speaker magnet has magnetized the wire. The wire is now microphonic!!! You can hear the cable when you tap it or move it with your foot as it produces the thump or tap coming out of the amplifier!!

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2022, 04:20:46 pm
content: Quote from: CaptDon on November 07, 2022, 02:39:59 pmHah, and now we connect with this thread:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/rf-microwave/hartley-oscillator-frequency-jump-during-tuning/Tim

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2022, 06:54:37 pm
content: Kovar wire is ferromagnetic and solderable.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2022, 07:58:28 pm
content: Many TH components (resistors, mica capacitors, disc capacitors) use plated steel wire that is solderable and ferromagnetic.On small disc capacitors, copper wire would conduct too much heat and possibly damage the interior connection.My diagonal cutters have become magnetized, so this is obvious when shortening the wires.