Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Amp Stuff => Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs => Topic started by: jeff on March 20, 2011, 11:52:48 am

Title: Shielded wire
Post by: jeff on March 20, 2011, 11:52:48 am
 Does anyone know where to get nice, easy to work with, not too thick/thin, shielded wire? I'd buy from doug but I can't find any. His has the exposed braided shield. I need stranded shield(easier to work with) insulated, like the type used to wire a guitar.
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: Tiny_Daddy on March 20, 2011, 01:29:03 pm
I have been using Belden 8451.
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: sluckey on March 20, 2011, 01:50:44 pm
Quote
I'd buy from doug but I can't find any.
Look again. RG-174 is what you want. It has a black plastic outer covering and is about 1/8" diameter.
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: kagliostro on March 20, 2011, 02:05:21 pm
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/cable/2632.html

Kagliostro
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: Geezer on March 20, 2011, 03:43:08 pm
Quote
I'd buy from doug but I can't find any.
Look again. RG-174 is what you want. It has a black plastic outer covering and is about 1/8" diameter.


Yeah, Doug has what you want. It is small & has a great shield that is easy to work with.
I just ordered more for myself on Friday..... I suspect it will be here tomorrow or Tuesday.

On this page, the RG-174, as Sluckey said>>>>
http://www.hoffmanamps.com/MyStore/perlshop.cgi?ACTION=enter&template&thispage=WireCable&ORDER_ID=!ORDERID!

It's "A" in the picture>>
(http://www.hoffmanamps.com/MyStore/catalog/images/IMG_2333.jpg)
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: bluesbear on March 20, 2011, 10:06:35 pm
I use George L. I don't suppose it's any better with the short runs in an amp, but I always keep a bunch of it on hand for cables. It's more expensive but I'd rather use it than have to store one more thing!
Dave
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: sluckey on March 21, 2011, 07:14:49 am
One thing to remember about RG-174... The plastic insulation for the center conductor is VERRRRY heat sensitive. Sometimes just heating the conductor enough to flow solder will heat the plastic enough to soften it to the point that if there is any strain on the wire, the plastic will slip off the center conductor, ruining your connection. And don't EVEN touch the iron to the plastic.

I still use 174 because I have plenty, but I also have plenty of RG-316. It's the same size and the center conductor insulation is teflon, so no more bo-bos in tight corners. 316 is a little stiffer than 174. I prefer 316 inside a chassis.

http://cgi.ebay.com/RF-Coaxial-cable-M17-113-RG316-50-feet-/150498248459?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230a65070b
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: jeff on March 22, 2011, 10:45:08 am
 Thanks for the RG-174 suggestion but I find the braided shield very hard to work with VS. the stranded shield. How do you seperate the braid so you can use it as two leads. Do you use a small tool and debraid the sheild? Say you want to wire the shield to a pots lug not to the back of the pot. I find the braid to be too bulky and I always lose some strands when trying to seperate them. With the stranded shield you just unwind and twist. The type of wire I'm thinking of is like what you'd see in a Les Paul or in headphones. Strip the insulation and the sheild is wraped around the conductor and easily seperated.
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: sluckey on March 22, 2011, 11:28:39 am
Braided shield is far superior to stranded shield. Don't try to unbraid the shield. I like to cut off about 1" of the outer jacket. Now slightly push the shield back just enough to relax it and bend the exposed wire doubled back on itself. Use a tiny jewlers screwdriver and begin to push the braid apart right at the bend. Continue separating the braid until you have an opening in the braid that's big enough to put the screwdriver blade between the braid and the center conductor. Now just ease the center conducter out thru the little opening in the braid. With a little practice, you'll be able to quickly do this without breaking a single strand of the braid.

There are other methods that work well too. I bet google can even turn up some howto videos.

Another option is to use the STP that Tiny Daddy suggests. It has a foil shield with a bare stranded wire in contact with the shield. Plus it has two center conductors that form a twisted pair. Very easy to work with and has good shielding properties.
.
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: jeff on March 22, 2011, 11:46:02 am
Cool thanks.

As far as the other wire is concerned should the second conductor be tied to the one you're using or the shield?
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: EL34 on March 23, 2011, 05:30:49 am
Quote
I'd buy from doug but I can't find any

Uh, it's wire, so it's on the nuts and bolts page.

No wait, it's on the wire page.
I remember why I put it on the wire page, beacause it's wire.
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: jeff on March 24, 2011, 06:07:28 pm
Uncalled for man uncalled for. What's the point of putting it this way? A simple check the wire page would have sufficed.

Here's the whole post. If you're gonna quote me, quote the important parts too.

 Does anyone know where to get nice, easy to work with, not too thick/thin, shielded wire? I'd buy from doug but I can't find any. His has the exposed braided shield. I need stranded shield(easier to work with) insulated, like the type used to wire a guitar.

Now how could I have known you sell braided shielded wire.
Beacuse I'm psychic

No, wait I'm not psychic
I remember why I know this, because I looked on the wire page.

I went to the wire page and there is no wire like the type I'm looking for/describing. I'd buy from doug but I can't find any(on the wire page, he doesn't sell it)If I was asking for braided shield wire, I get it, but I wasn't. It's like if I were asking about an inner tube for my bike whould you write "DUH-- the tubes are on the tube page you idiot"? This isn't the right forum for bike stuff but it is a tube, and you do have a tube page, but what I described's not on it. Just like it is a wire, and you do have a wire page, but what I described's not on it.

 If you spent half the time understanding the question as you did comming up with this witty quip you'd see that. I thought we're here to help fellow amp builders not rank on them.

I mean really. What's the point of putting it this way?
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: EL34 on March 24, 2011, 06:30:41 pm
I was going to say that I put it on the page that most people would never look at, but I put it on the wire page instead.  :laugh:

It's just a joke, that's what I do.



Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: jeff on March 24, 2011, 06:35:16 pm
 You know what I'm saying though. It would have been a funny joke if you did have what I need, But you didn't put it on the wire page. I need help finding wire you don't sell. Anyone reading that will say Oh he didn't check the wire page he'll check it and find what he wants, Next.
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: jeff on March 24, 2011, 06:42:50 pm
I don't know, maybe I having a bad day and should just lighten up. :dontknow:
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: John on March 24, 2011, 06:44:22 pm
I don't know, maybe I having a bad day and should just lighten up. :dontknow:

That's a great idea!  :laugh:
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: Willabe on March 24, 2011, 06:52:12 pm
Yeah, I think John's right, come on and I'll buy ya a beer!    
          
                   :occasion14:   While we listen to some a that good zyde-cajun music......      Ieeeee!!


               :m11          :m2           :m5           :m3          :m13



           Brad         :laugh:
 
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: EL34 on March 25, 2011, 05:33:05 am
People take me too seriously.  :m19

When I pop into the forum it's for just a minute or two.
I don't have time to read all the post.

I'll usually just read the top post and quickly post something at the tail end.

I usually miss all the post after post one down to the bottom.
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: tubenit on March 25, 2011, 05:48:12 am
Just a thought here .................

I personally prefer the braided wire Doug sells over any other that I've used. It's flexible and reasonably thin & I find it pretty easy to access and trim the inner wire.  And yes, I have used stranded wire that I took out of old PA systems.

I use a corn holder and it takes about 2 seconds to open the braided wire up. That is not much of an inconvenience or time effort to me.

With respect, Tubenit
Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: EL34 on March 25, 2011, 09:06:57 am
Quote
I use a corn holder.

I wonder if Cornholio approves of that?

Oh wait, you said corn holder!
 :icon_biggrin:

Title: Re: Shielded wire
Post by: echuta13 on March 25, 2011, 10:06:12 am
Every forum needs a heckler.  It's even better when its the owner.  :thumbsup: