While conductive thread is so good for so many e-textile purposes, sometimes insulated wire can come in handy. Finding really thin, flexible wire is not always easy, especially when shopping online, so here are some links to some of the resources we have found useful.
AWG
Wikipedia AWG wire gauge info >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge
Conrad (AT, DE, UK)
Conrad (local electronics store in Germany and Austria) sells a really nice thin, multistranded wire called LIFY 0.05 mm. It comes in lots of different colours too (even if the pictures online don’t show them all)! Conrad UK also has an online shop, that is horrible to navigate, but does supply the same stuff.
Conrad AT >> http://www.conrad.at/ce/de/overview/2510112/Li-Typen
Conrad DE >> http://www.conrad.de/ce/de/overview/2510112/Li-Typen
Conrad UK >> http://www.conrad-uk.com/ce/en/overview/2510112/Li-Types
LIFY 0,05mm^2, 25m in 9 different colours:
>> black
>> red
>> gray
>> white
>> orange
>> purple
>> green
>> yellow
>> blue
Daburn (USA)
Sub-miniature:
Daburn >> http://www.daburn.com/2671ultraflexiblesub-miniaturewire-u/lstyle15681692.aspx
Miniature:
Daburn >> http://www.daburn.com/2670miniaturehook-upwire-conformstomil-w-16878d105c-600v.aspx?variation=9432
McMaster Carr (USA)
McMaster Carr sells Daburn sub-miniature wire as “Continuous-Flex Miniature Wire”:
>> http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/118/801/=h37uic
McMaster sells lots of different kinds of thin, flexible wire:
All three ultra-flex miniature wires turned out to be very fragile, in that they were easy to tear by hand. Also the isolation of the red and white were silicone and thus will not slide nicely between the layers of fabric.
AWC (USA)
32 AWG, PVC >> http://www.awcwire.com/Part.aspx?partname=B32-7
Maplins (UK)
Maplins >> http://www.maplin.co.uk/silicone-extra-flexible-wire-9910
Alpha-Wire (International)
>> http://www.alphawire.com/en/Products/Wire/Hook-Up-Wire/Premium/33201
Lokolo (EU)
Textile insulation >> http://lokolo.eu/tag/textile/
Sparkfun
Ribbon cable can often be an okay source for thin, flexible (multi-coloured) wires.
>> http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10649
Good Tip: Get a small-gauge wire stripper!
Sparkfun’s 30AWG stripper >> http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8696
Home Depot’s selection >> http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical-Electrical-Tools-Accessories-Electrical-Tools/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbm76/h_d2/Navigation?catalogId=10053&Nu=P_PARENT_ID&langId=-1&storeId=10051
Radio Shack’s selection >> http://www.radioshack.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2032310&s=D-StorePrice-RSK&s=D-StorePrice-RSK
Links from Adrian Freed:
>> http://www.daburn.com/2451DAFLONMicrominiaturePTFEHook-UpWire250C300V.aspx
>> http://stores.ebay.com/Johns-Silver-Teflon-Wire-Shop/32-AWG-and-Tonearm-wire-/_i.html?_fsub=3966786
>> http://stores.ebay.com/Johns-Silver-Teflon-Wire-Shop/34-AWG-/_i.html?_fsub=428680119&_sid=155009&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322
>> http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/35799-ptfe-hook-wire-32-awg-blk-2840-7-bk005.html
>> http://www.surplussales.com/wire-cable/Wire4.html
>> http://www.flyfenix.com.br/index.php?menuesc=3&prod=261
>> http://www.daburn.com/2401PTFEWireMIL-W-16878/4typee-600v.aspx
Hi,
I am trying to find mutli-core conductor fabric material and have after about 1 hr 20 minutes of web searching got nowhere,I saw on your site you have very thin conductors and conductive material, and so was hoping you would be able to help me.
I look forward to any help you can offer.
Many thanks.
Robert Hancock.
just put together a new post that covers this!
multi-strand conductive materials >> http://www.kobakant.at/DIY/?p=2800
Thank you for your reply, your post has been helpful and I will be contacting the UK company.
I`m looking for round, single wire, transparent covered wire of either cupper or steel wires. Does anyone have suggestion for where to buy this?
what type of wire bends the material
i am making fabric jewellery and need to know what kind of wire will bend the
petals
please reply sooooooooooooooon
can you write the type of wire or something
can you reply quickly
can you also mentionn where i can buy it from and what kind of shops sell those kind of things
bye thanks anyway
i need some kind of wire that bends material
is it just normal wire
what kind of wire is it
can you give me the name or the image
i have been searching for wire for nearly 3 weeks
unluckily i didn’t find the answer anywhere
after a long time i was giving up
but when i was your website i thought i might get an answer
i am relying on you for an answer
i need the answer really soon
thanks for your time
I look forward to any help you can offer.
bye anyway
please give an answer really quickly i need it for my school project
bye and thanks
you want to look at shape memory alloys.
i have never worked with them myself, so i don’t have any good documentation.
>> http://www.kobakant.at/DIY/?p=2884
i’m working on a project and i was wondering what kind of wire would i need to use to make a foldable mesh laundry hamper. It needs to be strong and thin. thanks.
I’m looking for any information on where I can buy the (steel wire, collapsible wire, or flexible wire) they use for making the collapsible mesh hampers. I know where I can get the mash wholesale but not the wire.
I would also like to know what size thickness is best to use. Thank you in
advance for any information you can send me. Virginia
I am looking for the ribbon wire that is in collapsible laundry hampers.
looking for a round flexible and collapsible wire like the one used for collapsible laundry hampers.
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