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Strip insulated wires to harvest the valuable copper "thread" for E-textile projects.
In this I'ble I will show you my method, of stripping insulated waste cable for E-textile projects.
Why pay for expensive conductive thread when there is a cheap and available source at our finger tips.
Todays electronics often leave us with, useless lengths of insulated wire.
The equipment long since dead.
Now re-cycle this cable into a new purpose.
In this I'ble I will show you my method, of stripping insulated waste cable for E-textile projects.
Why pay for expensive conductive thread when there is a cheap and available source at our finger tips.
Todays electronics often leave us with, useless lengths of insulated wire.
The equipment long since dead.
Now re-cycle this cable into a new purpose.
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Signing UpStep 1Slice Insulation
Take you insulated wire and cut a small slice up the length of the end.
Expose the cluster of threads.
Firmly grasp the wire then peel the insulation back down the length.
If done correctly the insulation should, all come of like a banana skin in one piece.
Expose the cluster of threads.
Firmly grasp the wire then peel the insulation back down the length.
If done correctly the insulation should, all come of like a banana skin in one piece.
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You still can get conductive thread,
It's not the stuff you buy online,
But still conducts, I'm sure it's fine.
why cant this be classed as a thread? hmm...? its flexible enough to be poked through a needle and then stitched or 'Threaded' in a fabric, also being conductive Equals conductive thread =D
Lftndbt great idea! i think i might experiment with running it through glue and hanging to dry to solve Gorfams's problem of spillage or getting
caught in the rain!
Cheers again!
REPLY
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Just FYI have a look at my avatar, that circuit is produced using this method.
Also did you not read the title? I never stated that this Instructable shows you "how to make actual conductive thread". It shows you how to obtain a satifactory alternative. The inner strands of cable are conductive and are suitable for sewing with.
The Instructable was to point out that there are free and easy to obtain alternatives, to actually going out and spending money on thread. Obviously that has gone over some people heads.
Don't take my comment as aggressive, yet I am a tad perplexed as to your issue. Check this out please http://www.instructables.com/id/RoBot_Gets_E_textiled_First_Ever_Interactive_Bot_/
It seems like the good points are:
- it's cheap or free (genuine conductive thread costs out the wazoo).
- it reuses old cabling that is difficult to recycle.
- it probably has low resistance in comparison to most geniune conductive thread.
Drawbacks might be:
- May break easily. Genuine conductive thread uses extremely fine metal wire wound around a nylon core, which gives the thread the flexiblity & strength to stand up to being sewn & (presumably) worn.
- May short out. What happens if you spill a glass of water on the textile in your avatar? (And, if your glass was holding Pepsi instead, how do you launder the piece?)
- May poke at you. Once the copper threads start breaking, they'll turn into eensy beensy little bristles.
My guess would be that this would work well for an art piece that's going to go up on the wall, and might work in a soft toy/stuffed toy (although not one intended for small children). You could maybe get it to work in a hat, I think, if you placed the threads within a stiff brim or crown - and never, ever, wore it in the rain.
Like the title says, it's cheap and dirty.
(Hmm... it might also be good for prototyping/test runs, so you don't risk blowing the super-expensive thread on a set-up that winds up letting all the smoke out anyway.)