Straightening and stiffening a wire (enderezando y haciendo r�gido un alambre).

EDITED 05 feb 2011:

I discovered, years ago, an easy, cheap and efficient way to straighten and stiffening a wire:

An end of the wire is put in the electrical drill, the other end to some hook or vise, tense the wire and rotate the drill a few turns.

The result is surprising.

This method is useful to construct axes or straight rods, and even to make springs. It can be used on thick (all you can manage, obvious) or thin wire.

That is all, folks.

Descubrí, hace años, una forma fácil, barata y eficaz de enderezar y dar rigidez a un alambre:

Un extremo del alambre se pone en el taladro eléctrico, el otro extremo se fija a un gancho o a la morza, se tensa el alambre y se gira el taladro unas pocas vueltas.

El resultado es sorprendente.

Este método es útil para construir ejes o barras rectas, e incluso para hacer resortes. Se puede utilizar en alambre grueso (todo lo que uno pueda manejar, obvio) o delgado.

Eso es todo, amigos.

Step 1: Discovered september 19, 2011

Popular Mechanics (Spanish version) said this in 1955

I am not too misguided, you can see.

Comments

[batonas]

nothing new for me, used it for making lightning-rod's

[rimar2000]

Wow, thanks for teach it to me. Do you say the thick wire that connect the lightning-rods to ground?

[batonas]

Yup that thick aluminium wire connected from ground to lightning rod, we used perforator's for the task, twisted wire is much more stiffer.

[rimar2000]

Ok, it is so. First version of this instructable says "hardening" instead of "stiffening". Some readers told me that that was not correct.

[jdennis7]

That's awesome! I'm going to use this trick whenever I need to.

[rimar2000]

Thanks, jdennis7. It is really awesome, I was astonished when discovered it.

[doo da do]

Now I can use that metal wire the power company left on my property, 10 years ago.

[rimar2000]

Glad to hear this. In my workshop I keep stuff from decades ago.

[The Green Gentleman]

Awesome!

[rimar2000]

Really, I was astonished when discovered this.

Thanks for comment!

[The Green Gentleman]

Thank you for sharing this! 

[SOFISINTOWN]

Ah... Deseo que había visto hace dos semanas...

[rimar2000]

Uhhh, that usually happens frequently to me. Thanks for comment!

[dagob]

Thanks for sharing rimar2000. It is really very helpfull.

[rimar2000]

Thank you for comment. And yes, it is very useful, I use this method sometimes.

[barefootbohemian]

Cool! I use a similar method to twist wire but never thought to straighten wire with it. I am going to have to definitely try this for my 8aug that is too bent to make look right. Gracias por comparator us conocomiento. No hablo español muy bien no mas lo intento :)

[rimar2000]

Thanks for comment, barefootbohemian. Yes, I also was surprised when I discovered how effective this simple method is. Remember to use the hammer before.

[biochemtronics]

Thank you very much. This is very helpful.

[rimar2000]

Yes, it is!

I use this method whenever I need a straight wire.

[ilpug]

Oh wow, this is going to be so useful.... Thanks!

[rimar2000]

Yes, I guarantee it!

Thanks for your comment.

[enVide neFelibata]

yeap, ... great solution indeed. This always amaze people when I teach it on my workshops. It's also great to twist electrical wires together.

[rimar2000]

Yes, but electrical wires twisted in that manner tends to untwist. I prefer do it slowly, turning each of both individually. That is more stable. I give the common end to some helper, and while I go twisting in the same direction both wires, he goes leaving them twist reciprocally. If you don't understand (my English is sad) I can take any photos. Or may be I will do an instructable, is an easy and useful way to twist wires.

[enVide neFelibata]

always learning...

[rimar2000]

I should add: Anyway, your method works, too.

[pfred2]

Thank you I learned something that will come in handy I'm sure. I have spent time trying to hammer wire straight. That is very time consuming and does not work so well.

[rimar2000]

Thank you for your comment. Really this method is awesome for its efficiency and simplicity

[pfred2]

Yes I tried it on a little piece of coiled up tie wire here it worked great. Now I have a straight piece of wire standing up in the corner.

[fn06afranci]

mucho gracias :D

[corey11]

I do this to make rungs. I take multiple wires and twist both ends, wrap one end around something small and secure (like taping a pencil across the tines on the back of a chair) and stil the other end in a drill. It twist the wot together to give it an awesome look, and strengthen it. I then use a caribean reef knot (or cobra knot depending on where your from) and weeve it into a ring. I have a way to blend the ends to look like one continuous ring, but that I will not share

[rimar2000]

Thanks for your comment, Corey

[mileskubota]

Thanks!

[rimar2000]

You are welcome! This method, I can say "I discovered it", but it was not uncommon to be something known since before.

[Creativeman]

great instructable, rimar! Cman

[rimar2000]

Thanks, Creativeman.

[BeDub]

Very helpful!  About how many times do you turn the wire in the drill?

[rimar2000]

I can't say this, you will see the wire straighten, and if you do too many laps it will break. Maybe one turn each 4 inches of length is an estimate.

[bauble]

Thank you very much for this. I've now done this trick with very thin wire about the thickness of a pencil line. Now I can attach something light to it and it will dance about in the wind. I've been wishing I could buy wire like this for years. Now I can make my own. Amazing!

[rimar2000]

Thank you for your acknowledge! Remember that this is coincidental...

[arirang777]

I really love this trick! If I just could knew about it few days ago! Muchas gracias por compartir su ingenio y saludos a la pampa del cono sur.