piano wire

[markgum]

Hi;
when I took a class on pen turning we used piano wire to 'burn' a ring around the pen. For the life of me I can't find the size of wire we used. I'm NO musician; and before I head to the music store and say I need some piano wire to make pens with thought I would check here for the size.
any help appreciated.

 

[GoodTurns]

pretty much any wire will work. PSI sells a set with knobs on the ends. I have used several different types of steel wire (brass would probably stretch) and just about anything will work...you're just creating a friction burn line. grab whatever you find around your shop!

 

[Hello]

guitar string instead....I prefer the heavy guage A string

 

[rherrell]

The high E or the B strings for guitar don't have any windings on them, i.e. they're "smooth". The low E,A,D and G strings all are wound and IMO don't work as well. You can get a cheap set for under $10, try all of them and see for yourself![8D]

 

[monkeynutz]

Just check with your local mob enforcer and ask him for something called a "garrote"...

Seriously, AS has several options, and each set comes with 3 different sizes of wire. http://www.arizonasilhouette.com/Pen_Kit_Finishing_Supplies_&_Tools_2.htm

 

[markgum]

thanks for your help. I just ordered some from AS.

 

[OldWrangler]

Just make sure you don't wind the wire around your finger or use loops. If it snags, there goes a finger. Put some dowels or knobs at the ends to hold on to.

 

[redfishsc]

Originally posted by OldWrangler

Just make sure you don't wind the wire around your finger or use loops. If it snags, there goes a finger. Put some dowels or knobs at the ends to hold on to.

I've seen people wrap that sanding cord material around their fingers for sanding in the grooves of spindles. I always cringe and squirm when I see it, because I see the worst that could happen[B)][B)][B)]

 

[TellicoTurning]

Originally posted by redfishsc

Originally posted by OldWrangler

Just make sure you don't wind the wire around your finger or use loops. If it snags, there goes a finger. Put some dowels or knobs at the ends to hold on to.

I've seen people wrap that sanding cord material around their fingers for sanding in the grooves of spindles. I always cringe and squirm when I see it, because I see the worst that could happen[B)][B)][B)]

This makes my skin crawl thinking about this... I LOVE my fingers and plan on taking all of them with me to the here-after... they might have lathes there to play on too.

 

[low_48]

A little piece of scrap formica (high pressure laminate) works even better. It will almost instantly start to burn. Just stock by your local countertop shop and "suggest" that you are looking at new countertops and would like a couple of samples to show the wife [}] Or maybe ask if you can look in their dumpster? A little scrap last forever. If the standard thickness is too much, sand the edge to a knife edge before touching off. That will make a hairline burn.

 

[nava1uni]

I just use different sizes of wire that I get from the hardware store, not brass but steel. I wrap it around a small piece of dowel. It's inexpensive and I can get all different width burn marks.

 

[ScribbleSticks]

Actually, the best place to buy music wire is at the hobby shop. The music wire is marketed under the brand name of K&S Wire. You will find all the wire sizes you are looking for listed by the thousandths of an inch. They come in 36" lengths.