Control Lines

[TroyMartin]

Hi guys....  So if you want to make your own flying lines, what vendor of braided line are guys using???  Fly by wire??  I need to use .015 lines....  Thanks !!

[James Holford]

Sullivan or Sig.. I'm sure there are others... I rather pay Tom Morrise to do mine

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[john e. holliday]

If you are making your own lines, go with the bulk lines from MBS Model Supply.   He even has the stuff for the ends of the lines.  Just type in MBS Model Supply on your browser.

[Tim Wescott]

If you are making your own lines, go with the bulk lines from MBS Model Supply.   He even has the stuff for the ends of the lines.  Just type in MBS Model Supply on your browser.

+10!  Good quality stuff, and inexpensive.  He's got a day job, so call him after hours Kansas time.  When I'm feeling lazy enough to do crimped ends I use his swage tool which, technically, isn't to AMA standards for line termination but which, I feel, does a better job.

[rich gorrill]

Do not buy fly by wire off the Bay. Unravels like crazy when it is cut. I use MBS only when I make my own lines. If you are new buy them from any reputable dealer. Tom Morris will make them to specified lengths.

[Keith Miller]

I also vote for MBS.
I have a spool of Fly-By-Wire that is ridiculous. The line has to be stretched and relaxed/un-twisted to come close to being useful.

[Bill Johnson]

Do not buy fly by wire off the Bay. Unravels like crazy when it is cut. I use MBS only when I make my own lines. If you are new buy them from any reputable dealer. Tom Morris will make them to specified lengths.

There was this discussion on another thread a couple months ago, about 2 weeks after I bought 2 spools off Ebay. The name of the company is Fly-By-Wire by Cablestrand.com. So, last weekend, planning for the worst because I can't afford to throw out 2000 ft of cable, I set up this entire rig with ball bearing swivels attached to screw eye anchors on a fence post. Attached the first cable, .012, to the swivel, unspooled 60 ft of cable and with a good grip on it, cut it and pulled it tight. No unwrapping at all. None. Tried a couple more, unspooled 65 feet of .015 attached to the swivel, no twisting. Attached that free end to a spring, then the spring to another swivel and screw eye on another post and under a 5 pound spring load, no unwinding either.

So, at least the 2 spools I bought are good. Their website states it's distributed by a couple reputable dealers to include RSM.

[Joseph Patterson]

    MBS HAS GOOD STUFF!
        DOUG

[Fred Cronenwett]

I use MBS lines also, here is a video on how to wrap the end of the lines that I shot several years ago

Fred

[john e. holliday]

Jim Lee has a tool for wrapping lines at Lees Machine Shop.  But looking at Fred's tool it would have to have taller posts.  But with Jim's tool I don't think a vise like that is needed.   Maybe Jim needs to make a video separate from the video that was on Stunt News Video.

[Fred Cronenwett]

The tool I made has the block on the bottom so I can mount it in the vise to keep it from moving around. I only use one of the pins

Fred

[chris perkins]

Very helpful video Fred Thanks

[Chuck_Smith]

I've been doing them by hand for over 45 years. It's not that hard. I think I do what everyone else has figured out. Start your wraps on an open loop, once they're going on straight insert the eyelet and then push the beginning wraps up to the eyelet. Wrap down, fold over the tag end and then wrap back up. When you get near the end trim the tag end and then finish the wrap. You'll get fast at it quickly.
 

[goozgog]

Hey Troy.  For Christmas, I ordered .018 and .015
from MBS at $35.00 a spool. I made up some lines
last weekend and I'm very happy them.
I don't think you can go wrong with this supplier.

  I use 1/6" K&S copper tubing instead of brass eyes.
Cut a 1-1/4" length, thread it onto the control line
then bend it around a small screwdriver to form the eye.
Wrap as usual.

  Using copper tubing has several advantages.
  I use hard point handles, so my lines have to be
EXACTLY equal length. I am fortunate to have a long
paved driveway that I marked at 60' plus increments.
I complete one line and one end of the second line,
then I anchor one finished end of each line and roll them
out on the drive. To get equal lengths I thread the
unfinished end into 1-1/4" of tubing , estimate as close as
possible for equal length and bend the eye. Before I do
the wrapping, I can pull the  line through the bent tube
until it accurately matches the other finished line.
The bend in the copper holds everything accurately
until it's wrapped and it does not require a vice or jig.

BTW, a very good source for wrapping wire is multi-strand
"lamp cord" wire (#14) that I peel and unlay. Individual strands
make good wrap wire.

  
Cheers!

[john e. holliday]

I bought two reels of the bulk  cable from MBS.   Make up the end in the shop on both reels and then roll out to length and finish.   He has the wrapping wire also that I also use.   I've been using annealed brass tubing for the ends for years and yes it helps hold the cable while wrapping.   Even on the bell crank end.