Straightening and Stiffening a Wire (enderezando Y Haciendo R�gido Un Alambre).

Intro: 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

[aqua-regia]

Mon 18 Apr 2022 - Hey Rimar, I sat up all night searching for a way to straighten wire and contemplated buying the so many CRAP tools out there, when all it needs is a Genius Idea like the one you shared. Thank you for sharing your wisdom !!! May God Bless you with Health Wealth and Success !!!!

[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.

[Alywolf]

yes please do the instructable on how you twist both

[rimar2000]

Sorry, Alywolf, I will not do that. Please use your imagination, it is very simple.

[Alywolf]

aww but you said that you might above. thats ok, I am really good at figuring things out on my own anyway.

[enVide neFelibata]

always learning...

[rimar2000]

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

[Countrywings]

If you twist wires in a drill (to make twisted pairs for a radio speaker, for example) you can pass a heat gun or hair dryer over the wire (taking care not to melt the insulation) and then let it cool, keeping it under tension as it cools. The result will be wire that stays twisted. Or, simply allow the twisted wires to remain under tension for a while, and then release them. It might untwist a little, but should not be extreme.

[rimar2000]

Thanks for the suggestion. In the case of a pair of wires, I twist them separately. This is a lot toilsome if they are long, like a cord extension for mower. I tie an end, ask help to my wife or somebody to hold it and I go twisting both single ends while she goes turning her end.

[graydog111]

Great idea, Rimar. Can't wait to try it.

[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!