Making a Finger Trapping Tool

[glgflyer 0]

What is the best size wire for making a finger trapping tool from and where can it be purchased? It will be used for making closing loops, probably from the standard type IIa material. Thanks.

[hackish 8]

One of the local riggers asked me to make a few for him. I haven't had the time yet but I'm planning to use 0.035" stainless MIG welding wire. If it works out PM me your address and I can cut some off a spool and send it to you.

-Michael

[heavydude 0]

Oh man there was an excellant site I found with the details on this and how to make tools of different sizes,
have the printout at work. I will do a quick search and see if I can find the site.!

[gearless_chris 1]

There is some picture hanging wire at Walmart for under $1 that works fine, it's in the hardware section.

"If it wasn't easy stupid people couldn't do it", Duane.

My momma said I could be anything I wanted when I grew up, so I became an a$$hole.

[glgflyer 0]

Thanks Ed,

That would be great. If you find it please let me know.

[heavydude 0]

http://www.jumpergirl.com/rigging/docs/howtomakeaclosingloop.html

Thats one of them, there was a better one that recommended different fids,

[heavydude 0]

I will find other site tommorow but I remember that for the smallest finger trapping tool they used Guitar E string(metal) thats also the easiest string that busts playing guitar so I had a bunch of broke ones always around. The small size is only really good however for microline on linesets I believe. A std fid, metal or plastic works real well for loops.

[glgflyer 0]

Thanks man.

[riggerrob 558]

I get inconel aircraft safety wire from my friendly neighborhood aircraft mechanic.

10 thousandths of an inch for Cypres closing loops,

32 thou' for most Spectra suspension lines,

40 thou' for fat Dacron steering lines.

[councilman24 36]

Most hardware stores or hobby shops have piano wire. I don't remember exactly what size. 0.02 or 0.03. One size for the loops you want. Another for microline and cypres.

This is what Rags recommended when I learned about this in the 90's. Safety wire, picture wire, etc, have been substitutes.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[heavydude 0]

And the new FAA rigging book availible free on-line also has both single and double loop construction. FAA-H-8083.

[glgflyer 0]

Thanks to everyone for all the information. This is all very helpful. Please keep it coming.

[hackish 8]

Made something this evening... Mostly just the handle. I've found that the stainless welding wire is too hard so it's a bit too brittle. I'll have a look around the shop tomorrow to see if I can come up with something else. At worse I'll just anneal some of the mig wire for you.

Hey, just thought about something. You know any guitar players? I seem to remember that guitar wire can be twisted without it snapping...

-Michael

[glgflyer 0]

Actually, I do have some friends who play guitars. I'll try and get a piece of it and see how it does. If I have any luck I'll let you know. Man, you got fancy with that handle didn't you? It looks nice. Thanks for letting me know.

[masterrig 1]

The E or first string works real good. Clean periodically with a little WD-40 and a clean rag.


Chuck

[glgflyer 0]

Is the number 1 string the top or the bottom?

[masterrig 1]

Quote

Is the number 1 string the top or the bottom?

It's the bottom string. I don't think, the top, wound string would work.


Chuck

[hackish 8]

Quote

Actually, I do have some friends who play guitars. I'll try and get a piece of it and see how it does. If I have any luck I'll let you know. Man, you got fancy with that handle didn't you? It looks nice. Thanks for letting me know.

Sometimes I get in the mood to make something fancy. Once the setup is done on the machine - grind the cutting tools correctly they're pretty easy to make. Only about 15-20 minutes each. I'll have a look around for different wires but I can just send your handle if you like.

I haven't played guitar in 20 years but I wonder if the E string might be a little too small. I'm not sure what they make them out of but I agree with the fact you would have to oil them slightly to stop them from rusting.

-Michael

[dpreguy 14]

Hmmnn...piano wire-guitar string-picture wire...none of these are good.

Go to a Radio Controlled (RC) model airplane store, and you will find the only wire that actually works. .125 is the size (diameter)and works for all applications: Cyrpes closing loop to the big stuff.

Make it about 10 inches long, more or less.

My handle construction:
I put the handle end of the two wires in a vice with the shaft part of a big screwdriver and take a full turn around the screwdriver shaft, then cut off the excess with dykes. This results in two circles at the "handle" end. Then take a couple of pieces of something 'grip-ey' and make washers about the size of quarters. I use leather and just use a big hole punch to make the big diameter and a small O punch to make a hole in the middle of the leather "washer".
Make two washers.
Now get a bright pull up tape and punch a size-O- hole in the end .

Use a brass grommet you can get at any hardware store. I've never tried to use a parachute grade spur grommet, but that may work. I use the cheapo brass hardware store kit that comes with a dozen brass grommets and a tool and a die used with hammer setting.

Put the ferrrule part of the brass grommet on the die, and then shove the first leather washer onto it. then the two wire circles, followed by the brightly colored pull up tape, and finally followed by the second leather washer and finally, the brass washer. Set the grommet by hammering in the usual manner to set a grommet and you nave a beautiful wire threader to use for any finger trapping use. I have used these for about 10 years, and have made and given away dozens of them. They work. If you want to experiment with bigger wire sizes, that's your call, but I've never had any trouble with one size for all lines

[pchapman 262]

Quote

Go to a Radio Controlled (RC) model airplane store, and you will find the only wire that actually works. .125 is the size (diameter)and works for all

Yes, RC shop / hobby shop. I've occasionally seen it at a crafts store too.

For the record, you must have meant to type
.025

I can't recall exactly what sizes I've found best, but .025 seems good for Cypres material, and acceptable for everything else. If one is making a fid only for heavier lines, a slightly thicker wire is easier to push through.

You described quite an elegant handle with the grommets & leather washers. I just wrap the wire ends through & around a piece of wooden dowel. Sharp wire ends can tuck into a hole in the wood or just be wrapped with tape.

[glgflyer 0]

Hey! I just found some 20 gauge (.032) wire in the craft department at Walmart. They had 20 gauge (.032) and 22 gauge (.025). The 22 gauge really looked small and flimsy to me so I got the 20 gauge. Looks like it might be perfect. We'll see.

[riggerrob 558]

Any lump of scrap iron will do for a handle, but I prefer to use old rings (RW-2, RW-3 or RW-4) so that I can loop them over a fixed hook and use both hands to "massage" onto the other.

Try sizing the rings to match the size of the wires, the size of the suspension lines, etc.

If you attach an RW-3 ring to your 0.04" wire, and RW-3 to your 0.32" wire and an RW-4 to your 0.01" wire, you will be able to distinguish between them at arm's length.

The rings also come in handy for hanging them on a peg-board/shadow board, which simplifies tool-count at the end of the day.

[hackish 8]

I had a lot of trouble finding some good wire. There was lots of steel wire to be found - mechanics wire but I'm very much against that because of rust. I tried some piano wire but it too was too hard and it snapped like the SS MIG wire. I didn't want to try to anneal the SS wire because it's too hard to be consistant.

Ultimately some brass wire did the trick. The handle has a relief milled in the top so you can tuck the ends in out of the way. I think it would be easy to hang it up by the wire should one be so inclined.

I'll get this one in the mail.

-Michael

[spootch 0]

I had a friend go down to Michael's the store they have whats called jewlers wire. it comes in diffrent sizes. Works great !

[lekstrom10k 0]

AS others have said a hobby store has spring steel wire in all sizes . We have Lobby Hobby in MI It is used in control cables and in bigger sizes landing gear wire. Some packs have two wire that are srtraight at 12 inches longfor 50 cents. I have used dowel rod or even broom sticks Put two small holes about 040 through it cross ways .Bend the wire over a ruler for a u-turn stuff the free ends thru the holes .Bend inat 90 then the secon bend to stuff them back down the holes to lock. the hole work best at 5/16 c/ls