Wire

I have just unearthed 4 coils of this wire rope it has been stored in an lean to with no heating and before that in a Greenhouse all 4 show no signs of any rust and tried a magnet on them and it seems to be stainless steel wire and it is about 4mm diameter (just roughly measured it).

My question is are there any ideas at what this can be used for I will not be making any form of traction engine and will hopefully concentrate on stationary and loco builds.

If I can't find a use I may offer it to members here for postage, If I do I will place in the classified section

Edited By Derek Lane on 16/12/2021 12:21:20

I have a small version of a tirfor-type winch that would likely accept that diameter of wire. Smaller hoists may use quite thin section cables.

Looks like Bowden Cable that use to be used for a Brake and Clutch cable in a Sheath on Motor Bikes or anything that requires a control cable , Remember using this to replace brocken cable because it was easier to rethread this in the outer case than to replace the complete cable and sheath complete.

Regards Bee>M

I use it in the garden for the Wisteria to climb on as well as roses etc. I also used some to hold the slats on my fence which the local yobs used to have fun pulling off on the way home from the pub. ( happy it is now shut down and all is quiet again )

regards

I would imagine it's catenary wire, used to carry electrical cables overhead between buildings. Not much use for that application without the clamps and anchors.

I've used it for stringing wires.. clamps, eyes easily available or can make your own. More a question of how long a bit someone needs. I bought a reel for assorted jobs here and still have about half left. Also used as post stretcher-guys for viniculturists etc.

pgk

I have used stainless wire rope in the past but the cable in your picture does not look like any I have seen before.

Certainly the colour looks wrong for steel but also the cut ends look remarkably un-frayed.

Is the wire plated or is the colour balance wrong?

Ian P

I do have some Electrical cable I want to suspend so a piece of this would be ideal.

Ian P It definitely is steel the ends when I unwind it seems to spring back and if I wind with the weave it just goes straight back. The colour is a lot brighter than in the picture.

I did a rough measure for length by measuring a single coil and times it by how many coils and the piece I did was about 7 metres but would have to double check that

Ideal for trailer brake cables. Catenary is usually galvanised - it's much cheaper than Stainless. Noel.

Greetings Derek, wire of that type could br used on the standing rigging of a sailing dinghy.

regards

Brian B

Stainless rope is ill suited for applications involving winch drums or running over pulleys. It has a poor fatigue life in those applications.

Surely the sailing dingy wire is double wound so the use finer wire that accepts being bent round fittings more readily. The wire in the picture is Bowden pattern.

Greetings Bernard, hope you are well, and will enjoy your Christmas Celebrations. Stainless wire used in boats is of two types, one as you described, for running rigging, around pulleys and fittings, and another type, as picture above for standing, static uses, main shrouds, fore & backstays.

Regards,

Brian

This is catenery cable and i have instaled it many times but it comes as a kit with all the fittings and clamps and you get the shortest length of cable for the job in hand. But you always have a piece of cable left over which can come in useful sometime but if you try to buy the clamps and adjusters etc it is cheaper to buy a new kit about £35.00 for 30 mtrs. unless you make the bits yourself if you have the time.

David

David, you can get the end "bits" for a lot less than £35.

I have also used catenary wire kits but the wire is NOT stainless. I have replaced about 150m with 4mm stainless recently after the galvanised corroded away and broke after 10 years, but then I live near the sea. I fitted crimps of copper and thimbles of stainless, £35 would barely buy 30m of wire which had to be bought in a 250m drum. Noel

This is similar (same?) wire cable to that used for lifting garage doors. And also the safety cables for the springs to prevent them falling if/when they fail.