Had a problem with the wire spontaneously unspooling so I found candy containers that fit the spools. I run the wire out the lid, this lets me pull out what I need. Closing the lid on the end of the wire keeps it in place.
Storing Kanthal spools
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That's a cool idea. The spools that I get from TEMCO have a small hole on the side of the spool that I use to catch the wire to keep it from becoming unraveled.
Yeah, these spools have notches that help to keep the wire in place. But when I'm making coils, invariably I'l get careless for a second and *sproing* there it goes!
What stores do you find those in? I'll have to browse around here in CA. and see if I can find some of those.
That's a great tip. Even using the spools with the cut-out edge caused my wire to go all over the place. Tried tape, but that didn't work well.
Your little tip works great.
Thanks for that...
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I bought several spools of Temco kanthal a few weeks back 24, 26, 28 and a 30 gauge. They sure want to blow apart after you open them up to use and I didn't have faith in the trying to put a stopper in the center of the spool not going to burst after I set the spool down. I tied to use the hole they supply on the spool but it wasted several inches of wire every time you used the spool along with getting the 24 to behave is near impossible.
I made myself some super easy bobbin holders with a coat hanger, heat shrink, bunch of wooden mushroom caps and to my surprise some generic qtips that have the center hollowed out once you cut the swabs off. I just used what I had around the house but using beads instead of the mushroom caps will work.
I won't explain the basic jist to build one since you can search "DIY bobbin holder" on Youtube and get the basics to build your own. It took me about a hour to make 4 of these quaint little beasts and they work like a hot damn. The holder on the far right is one that I bought at a fishing store for 10 bucks, the others cost me inside of 2bits for all 4 of them. I forgot if they say in the videos but I used 6 inch piece of coat hanger bent in half. I also inserted a allen key into the hollowed Qtip shaft while I was heating the heat shrink or you will melt the tube closed with the heat in the torch.
I did build a holder for my spools out of Lego. Here's a few pics of my endeavors.
I still have 1 flat square piece to find in my tub of legos.
I did build this single spool caddy a while back to accommodate my 30 gauge since it is my most used gauge.
I love my lego and being 52 this year I can still sit down and build just like I was a kid...Never too old to be a Lego Maniac.
I made myself some super easy bobbin holders with a coat hanger, heat shrink, bunch of wooden mushroom caps and to my surprise some generic qtips that have the center hollowed out once you cut the swabs off. I just used what I had around the house but using beads instead of the mushroom caps will work.
I won't explain the basic jist to build one since you can search "DIY bobbin holder" on Youtube and get the basics to build your own. It took me about a hour to make 4 of these quaint little beasts and they work like a hot damn. The holder on the far right is one that I bought at a fishing store for 10 bucks, the others cost me inside of 2bits for all 4 of them. I forgot if they say in the videos but I used 6 inch piece of coat hanger bent in half. I also inserted a allen key into the hollowed Qtip shaft while I was heating the heat shrink or you will melt the tube closed with the heat in the torch.
I did build a holder for my spools out of Lego. Here's a few pics of my endeavors.
I still have 1 flat square piece to find in my tub of legos.
I did build this single spool caddy a while back to accommodate my 30 gauge since it is my most used gauge.
I love my lego and being 52 this year I can still sit down and build just like I was a kid...Never too old to be a Lego Maniac.
I bought several spools of Temco kanthal a few weeks back 24, 26, 28 and a 30 gauge. They sure want to blow apart after you open them up to use and I didn't have faith in the trying to put a stopper in the center of the spool not going to burst after I set the spool down. I tied to use the hole they supply on the spool but it wasted several inches of wire every time you used the spool along with getting the 24 to behave is near impossible.
I made myself some super easy bobbin holders with a coat hanger, heat shrink, bunch of wooden mushroom caps and to my surprise some generic qtips that have the center hollowed out once you cut the swabs off. I just used what I had around the house but using beads instead of the mushroom caps will work.
I won't explain the basic jist to build one since you can search "DIY bobbin holder" on Youtube and get the basics to build your own. It took me about a hour to make 4 of these quaint little beasts and they work like a hot damn. The holder on the far right is one that I bought at a fishing store for 10 bucks, the others cost me inside of 2bits for all 4 of them. I forgot if they say in the videos but I used 6 inch piece of coat hanger bent in half. I also inserted a allen key into the hollowed Qtip shaft while I was heating the heat shrink or you will melt the tube closed with the heat in the torch.
I did build a holder for my spools out of Lego. Here's a few pics of my endeavors.
I still have 1 flat square piece to find in my tub of legos.
I did build this single spool caddy a while back to accommodate my 30 gauge since it is my most used gauge.
I love my lego and being 52 this year I can still sit down and build just like I was a kid...Never too old to be a Lego Maniac.
Now that's a nice rack ....
Not a bad idea with the candy cases. I have spool stands for solder that fit perfectly. That's what I've been using. But this is something I got 25-30 years ago, and I haven't seen something exactly like it since. Which is fine, I have no use for it otherwise.
Great idea!! I had one completely unspool, so my wife took a piece of 1/2" elastic, cut to size and sewed the ends together. Fits like a glove and no more unspooling.
I used a old Fluffy Hair tie from my late wife's stuff..... Thought about making some from Elastic like your wife did... When you fold & sew the ends together, fold some extra to make a Tab you can grab onto....... ;-)
Wonderful idea guys, thank you so much. I too have had a twang or two a few times with my spools not fun at all.
I just use 3/8 wide rubber bands, put it on the wire close to one side of the spool, stretch to make another wrap, twist the rubber band 180 deg to make an X and pull it over the wire again close to the other side. Leave a short end of the wire hanging out to grab and just pull, the wire will come right out from under the band.
Actually found a stash of rubber bands that should do the trick, they're from asparagus of all things! And they're purple, too!!
Hey colbalt, I'm not very good at describing things. This is what I was trying to get across, this shows the view from both sides of a spool. Put the rubber band on so it's wrapped twice around the spool, twisting the band once to create the X. I tried just one wrap angled trying to cover both sides of the spool, without the X, the wire can still unwind and create a birds nest, I found out the hard way. Better?
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