[Al Muckart]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if anyone can give me pointers to techniques for getting a good even twist on wire for grip wraps. I have a fairly good handle (excuse the pun) on how to actually wire wrap a grip, but what I'm not sure of is how to get a clean even twist over a long enough length of wire to have the result look nice.

People who have done this: did you buy the wire pre-twisted, and if so where from? If not, how did you do it?

Thanks.

[A. Spanjer]

I've not tried this method, but it should work.

http://www.instructables.com/id/A-Perfect-Twist/

[Leo Todeschini]

pop one end of the pair in the vice, the other in your drill

Tod

[Al Muckart]

Thanks guys. I've tried that in the past but I've always found the wire broke before it was fully twisted. I was using regular mild steel wire.

[Jim Mearkle]

To avoid breakage, stop every few minutes, reverse the drill and give it a few revolutions.

Then cut the wire a few inches from the drill chuck. Reversing the drill takes some of the strain out, and keeps the wire from going sprooing when you cut it.

Take out the piece you cut off, put the new end in the drill, and continue to twist.

This is a tip I got from Blade magazine back in the early '90s. It works for me.

The wire breaks because it is virtually impossible to hold the drill still and perfectly in line with the wire. Since the wire is constantly flexing as it rotates, it fatigues and eventually breaks.

[Al Muckart]

[Peter Lyon]

Jim has it. Just a couple of additional points I can add. I made a little doohicky for my drill out of spring wire, so that the ends of the wire tie to this and are running centred in the chuck. I usually run a long loop around a nail or some such, and just wind at a slowish speed. Ensure the two sides of the wire have even tension before you start, else the twists can do odd things.

I've twisted various wires. Stainless steel is strong, and you can put reasonable tension on it and run it fast with no worries about breakage. Brass can work but only if you start with dead soft wire, it work hardens as it twists and trying for a tight twist is risky. Copper is good but breaks easily so run it at slow speed with minimal tension. Mild steel should not fatigue any easier than copper, it is usually when the wire is twanging that it snaps. If you can keep the wire centred and the drill straight, so that the wave in the wire is as low-amplitude as possible, it should be OK.

[Al Muckart]

Thank you all, I'll give that a go. Peter, that's a good idea about making a sub-mount to keep the wire centred in the drill.