Bulk Control line cable

[John Fitzgerald]

I just received a 1,000 ft spool of .015 stainless (in brown color) direct from the manufacturer.  Says on the box Made in USA.
It's the same stuff as a spool of sevenstrand I got many years ago that is now running low.
Paid  $16.70 plus $4.50 S&H.  This is by far the best price I have found.  It's half to 1/4 of what some are charging.

http://www.cablestrand.com/products/accustrand/

[Fred Cronenwett]

Thanks for posting that John....I was about to look myself for some bulk wire!

Fred C.

[John Fitzgerald]

They don't have an order site.  You have to call them and speak to sales and give info over the phone.  They were willing to sell because they don't have any retail distributors for that wire -it's normally sold to bulk industrial purchasers.  I don't think they would want to mess with less than 1,000 feet.  I bet 10,000 feet would be even less per foot...maybe a good group purchase?

[peabody]

The brown wire is pretty good...what Dave Pitkin (sp?) sold.....
However, if you fly on grass, the brown stuff becomes invisible and hog ties sight challenged like me....
Have fun!

[Dick Pacini]

They advertise bright or camouflage, which is probably the brown.  Were they out of bright in that diameter?

[Dan McEntee]

  The "brown stuff" is the old Lay Straight type of cable, and is made differently, and cost a bit more. If you look at samples of each you can see and feel the difference. The Lay Straight was lest prone to twisting, if I remember correctly.
   Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[John Fitzgerald]

They were not out of bright.  They didn't have any 1,000 foot spools on the shelf in the office, and it might have been a couple days to get it, I presume from the warehouse.  It didn't matter to me.  I have used the brown for years without problem.  According to the salesman, the only difference is the color.  The brown is normally used for deep sea fishing.  But, the brown I have used before (cannot speak on the new spool) doesn't seem to twist or be as kink prone as the Sullivan wire.

[Howard Rush]

Lay Straight, possibly spelled differently, was the standard British combat line 30 years or so ago.  I think it was (not stainless) steel, 3 or 4 strand.  Its successor is Staystrate, made by PAW, http://www.eifflaender.com/spares.htm . 

The CableStrand stuff is stainless steel.  The .012" and larger sizes are seven strands.

John, do the lines feel smooth or bumpy?

[John Fitzgerald]

Howard,
The Accustrand cable feels very smooth and slick.  I had my wife check too, and she said the same.

[Lee Thiel]

About 8 years ago I received a roll of brown from Lonestar Balsa.  Still have some left.  I just retired the first set of lines off of it a few weeks ago.  Finally fatigued at the area by the crimp.  Works fine for me.  I only wrap lines now, cause it just feels safer and looks better.
Lee, TGD

[Steve Helmick]

I can't believe it, but I again find myself in agreement with Mr. Peabody. I will only buy the shiny silver colored line. It's much easier to see in grass and on pavement. If you fly alone, brown may not be a problem for you. But when you're flying with a group, you're taking a bigger chance that your lines will get tromped on with the brown line, IMO. Every little bit helps.    Steve

[riley wooten]

This is the same wire Hi Johnson sold under the name Sevenstrand back in 50's and 60's.
Before the fire we sold it at Lone Star.  Can't speak for now but used to be more flexable and I thought
better than most cable. The biggest problem I had is that sometimes it is just undersize.  The one thing
I always did when making up lines was to run them out seperately and put a good pull on each one
before finishing both ends.  I was probably pretty lucky but never had a fly away or broken line during a                                                       line tangle...    rw

[Rafael Gonzalez]

I can't believe it, but I again find myself in agreement with Mr. Peabody. I will only buy the shiny silver colored line. It's much easier to see in grass and on pavement. If you fly alone, brown may not be a problem for you. But when you're flying with a group, you're taking a bigger chance that your lines will get tromped on with the brown line, IMO. Every little bit helps.    Steve

 
I have over 800' left of the brown stuff. I made over 10 sets of lines at 59'6" (60' from handle to engine) for combat. When I was avidly flying, I kept getting my planes yanked all over the place!!! People kept complaining that they could no see my lines and to set the planes away from the rest of the line. Got sick of the B@#@#ng and moaning...   I strongly suggest that if flying in a group, set up a few bright ones for peace. I had some complain that they lost the match because they tripped on my lines and it affected them psychologically...  Any excuse, I guess...

 

[Howard Rush]

Howard,
The Accustrand cable feels very smooth and slick.  I had my wife check too, and she said the same.

Goody.  I don't know for sure, but I speculate that sometimes the spools that feed the cable making machine have different tensions, which cause the cable to feel lumpy and to be weaker than cable wound from strands with equal tension.  I figure that smooth-feeling wire is good stuff.  I am banned, of course, from some hobby shops who are creeped out by a guy who just comes in to feel the lines, but that's the price you pay for quality.

[Paul Taylor]

My stooge line is a chalk line without the chalk. The line is bright yellow. If I'm at a crowded field I run the line out with my lines. Does two things. Marks my lines and reserves my slot.  

[riley wooten]

Goody.  I don't know for sure, but I speculate that sometimes the spools that feed the cable making machine have different tensions, which cause the cable to feel lumpy and to be weaker than cable wound from strands with equal tension.  I figure that smooth-feeling wire is good stuff.  I am banned, of course, from some hobby shops who are creeped out by a guy who just comes in to feel the lines, but that's the price you pay for quality.

Agree with everything Howard says....must be a good day!

[johnbyrne]

Gonna order some line but need some reels.  Is there a cheaper place to get them than I've found thus far?  I see right under $4 each.  Also, anyone find a good bulk source for eyelets?

[Dwayne]

Gonna order some line but need some reels.  Is there a cheaper place to get them than I've found thus far?  I see right under $4 each.  Also, anyone find a good bulk source for eyelets?

The only one I know of for eyelets is www.mbsmodelsupply.com

[Bill Little]

The only one I know of for eyelets is www.mbsmodelsupply.com

Tom Morris and CLC offer bulk quantities of eyelets for line finishing.

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM

[Russell Shaffer]

I've been making reels from hardware store plywood.  A half inch disk for the center and two larger ones from 1/4 ply.  They won't break if I drop them.

[dirty dan]

While I don't want to hit on anyone who buys line material in bulk--especially as I have sometimes done it myself--but those who do so ought never to be surprised when seeing a set of lines priced at around $20.00 retail at the hobby shop level.

And so we wonder where are the new fliers. Still in that hobby shop and considering some purchases the ARF Flite Streak seems reasonable as does the 25LA to power it. But $20.00 for a set of lines! We know where the blame lies for that circumstance.

Staystraight and/or Laystraight lines are clear, not brown. And they are compromised of three lines. As both Howard and I tell people these lines are of an unknown wire twisted and drug through a solder bath by Brits in an attic.

While Henry Nelson will be none too pleased to hear about it I recently bought from him a monster reel of .01375 Laystraight (NOS) which had more than 3,000 feet of wire on it. The price was staggering at $20.00 for the wire, $15.00 for shipping.

Yes, I am part of the problem...

Dan   

[John Fitzgerald]

Pre-made lines cost so much because it is labor intensive to make up the ends properly.  The Sullivans and such with factory crimped ends are way over priced, in my opinion.  When I have come into a set of those, I always end up re-doing the ends. Some of them (Sullivans) are as much as 3" different in length in the same pair.

[Howard Rush]

...I recently bought from him a monster reel of .01375 Laystraight (NOS) which had more than 3,000 feet of wire on it. 

I found a place for some of that in Mongolia if you're interested.

[john e. holliday]

I get all my bulk cable from MBS Model Supply.    He also has solid wire, but not in bulk last I remember.   Will have to check the site again.  Also from the day I found I could get them I never bought another set of lines that were already to use.

[Tom Strom]

John, have you measured your new bulk wire?  I got a roll from them advertised as .015, 30#, and when they arrived they were only .014.  Just curious what you do in this case?  Keep looking for .015, or use them and maybe not get to fly in a contest?

Tom

[Tom Strom]

The previous question for John Fitzgerald.  Doc, are the ones from MBS truly .015?

Tom

[Howard Rush]

John, have you measured your new bulk wire?  I got a roll from them advertised as .015, 30#, and when they arrived they were only .014.  Just curious what you do in this case?  Keep looking for .015, or use them and maybe not get to fly in a contest?

I was curious about that, too.  I recently got a spool of undersize .015 from MBS. 

[John Fitzgerald]

John, have you measured your new bulk wire?  I got a roll from them advertised as .015, 30#, and when they arrived they were only .014.  Just curious what you do in this case?  Keep looking for .015, or use them and maybe not get to fly in a contest?

Tom

Do they usually mic the lines in a contest?  I have only been to a couple and they did not mic them there.   My mic isn't good enough to tell for sure, but it looks and measures the same as my other lines.  From what I can gather, Cablestrand is the only stainless steel wire mfg in the USA. If I can get it here, I will not buy it from China.  I bet MBS gets it from Cablestrand.
 

[John Miller]

I ordered a roll of 1000 feet from Cablestrand today. Nice people to deal with over the phone. Apparently some of you guys have done so also, as they asked me if it was Fitzgerald who referred me.

[john e. holliday]

The previous question for John Fitzgerald.  Doc, are the ones from MBS truly .015?

Tom

The cable I use is miked at .015+.  Have not found them under.   The solid wire is miked at .014+, same as the cable.   We have miked at several spots along the line(cable or wire).   If you do an excessive pull test you may get a spot that measures under the specified size.

[Howard Rush]

The previous question for John Fitzgerald.  Doc, are the ones from MBS truly .015?

I realize that you're not asking me, but I requested .0152+ from MBS if they had any so they'd be legal for F2D.  Melvin sent me .014".  No, John, I didn't stretch them.  They were .014" on the spool.  From that, I conclude that MBS has only undersize .015 now. 

[Tom Strom]

I received my roll of Cablestrand today.  I put the mic to it and it is definately .014.  On the roll.  That's why I asked the question.  I used two different micrometers, (digital, high dollar) and they were the same reading.  So, I guess I should just be quiet and fly them?  On the other hand, the people were very nice and easy to deal with.  They also asked what I was going to use the wire for, and I told them.  They said several people had called and ordered recently.  I advised that I saw the add on this forum.  By the way, the .018 did mic out at .018.

Tom

[john e. holliday]

I realize that you're not asking me, but I requested .0152+ from MBS if they had any so they'd be legal for F2D.  Melvin sent me .014".  No, John, I didn't stretch them.  They were .014" on the spool.  From that, I conclude that MBS has only undersize .015 now. 

Did you contact Melvin to get it right??

[John Fitzgerald]

I ordered a roll of 1000 feet from Cablestrand today. Nice people to deal with over the phone. Apparently some of you guys have done so also, as they asked me if it was Fitzgerald who referred me.

Hope they are not upset at me.  They don't usually sell retail, I am told.

[Howard Rush]

Did you contact Melvin to get it right??

I didn't have time.  The cable was for folks in Mongolia.  I sent it home with a guy who was visiting here.  His homies will be able to use it for F2D practice or for F2B, but not in an F2D contest.  If Melvin had some fatter wire, he would have sent it.  I told him to send me what he had if he didn't have the right size. 

[John Fitzgerald]

It is the same seven strand cable whether it is .0145 or .0152.  If it measures a little small, it was twisted a little tight during manufacturing.  Bottom line, it is still 30 pound test.  Again, I have never heard of lines being mic'd at a stunt contest, but what do I know?  The spool I just received measures the same as one I got about 12 years ago from some model supply, don't remember which one.  It was sold as .015 flying cable.  I have looked at some of my older .015 silver colored Sullivan lines.  They are not twisted as tightly, and they do not lay as straight either.

[dave siegler]

I got a big spool of "cheater" .015 for free because it would mike .014 and Tom could not use it for combat.   Don't know where he got it might be from melvin.  He did not want to keep track of the legal and illegal lines.  If you travel half way around the world for combat meet, you want to have legal lines in your pitbox.

It works fine for me for general screwing around.  Think of it as .012+  I use on all my stuff. 

If I fly combat I use real .018 or the Russian barbed wire stuff for f2d.  I hate the brown (tobacco) color, I always step on it, but free is free so I replace it often         

[Howard Rush]

It is the same seven strand cable whether it is .0145 or .0152.  If it measures a little small, it was twisted a little tight during manufacturing. 

It's made from nominally .005" strands.  When you put a micrometer on it, wherever three strands line up is the place the micrometer will stop, so you'll read 3 x the strand diameter.

[John Fitzgerald]

I was sent a sample of "double spring temper" 6 strand tightly twisted stainless steel wire by the Cablestrand salesman who sold me the original spool of seven strand.  It was very nice of him.  He's trying to sell more wire and help us out with something that will like prove much more durable.  Anyway, it was enough to make up two sets of lines.  Made one 59'6" and the other 59' even.  It is amazing wire, and makes up easier than the regular stuff.  Don't have the exact final price for sure, but it's a lot higher than regular seven strand.  I am going to fly it next chance I get and see how it performs.  It lays very straight, not tending to twist or kink, and seems much more flexible too. I can pull about an inch of stretch in a set of lines at about 20 pounds of pull.  It's normally sold as medical wire, and is touted to be somewhat stronger than normal .015 seven strand stainless, which is 30#.  I mic'd it the same diameter as the seven strand I bought, .0145.  I examined it under a 100x microscope, and it still appeared smooth and evenly twisted.  

Addendum: I made up some ends on the extra few feet left over and tested the cable with a pull scale I calibrated with some weights.  I did nine different pull tests and it always broke between 21 and 24 pounds, only twice at the terminations.  Going to fly it on some lighter models, and treat it like really good .012.

[larry borden]

Just saw this on ebay, 1000' feet of .015 for 29.95 and it comes from Cablestrand.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fly-By-Wire-Control-Line-Airplane-Wire-1-000-FT-015-bright-7-strand-wire-/110842296108?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19ceb7372c

[John Fitzgerald]

Looks like it is re labeled and marked up considerably. See my first post on this thread.

Edit-March 30, 2012:  Today I flew a 42 ounce Fox .35 powered model with the new 6-strand tightly wound cable, 59 feet eye to eye.  It flies very nice, more like .012 than .015.  That's about the heaviest model I am going to try on it, since the strength is only a little better (15% or so) than standard .012.