Wire size for Hello Kitty clips

[Ken Culbertson]

Does anybody know the wire size and spring diameter for the "Hello Kitty" clips?  I have given up trying to find some and resigned myself to making them.

Ken

[john e. holliday]

You haven' tried the Lee Machine Shop.  He has wire andd the tool if needed.

[Crist Rigotti]

Doc is right.  I use Jim's wire and tool to make my line clips at various lengths.

[Steve Helmick]

Ken did ask about "Hello Kitty" clips, not the ones most of us use. Otherwise, I agree 100%, call up Jim Lee and get the bending tool and wire for making Derek Moran line clips.

I do have a few words of caution about these clips. DO NOT go nuts and make dozens in all lengths up to +1" over stock clip length. If you want to make some "stock" clip length clips, help yourself, but almost anybody can make up a set of lines that is within 1/4" of eachother...and probably more like 1/16".

I like to use three standard Sullivan clips, keep one clip on one leadout, and both clips on the handle, including the oddball homemade clip. This establishes which line goes to the oddball clip. I hook the lines to the plane first and roll them out and hook up the handle by looking at the elevator and pulling each line. Between rounds, especially on a grass pit area, I remove the handle and roll the lines up to the plane and put the handle on top of the spool, so as to keep my lines from being abused by others who have no idea how to get in/out of the pits without stepping on or snagging somebody's lines.  Steve

[Brent Williams]

I measured the wire on a set of Hello Kitty clips,  .047".

[Ken Culbertson]

You haven' tried the Lee Machine Shop.  He has wire andd the tool if needed.

I have Lee's tool for regular clips and I will make it work for "Hello Kitty" with a little creative crimping and swearing.

Ken

[Ken Culbertson]

Ken did ask about "Hello Kitty" clips, not the ones most of us use. Otherwise, I agree 100%, call up Jim Lee and get the bending tool and wire for making Derek Moran line clips.

I do have a few words of caution about these clips. DO NOT go nuts and make dozens in all lengths up to +1" over stock clip length. If you want to make some "stock" clip length clips, help yourself, but almost anybody can make up a set of lines that is within 1/4" of eachother...and probably more like 1/16".

I like to use three standard Sullivan clips, keep one clip on one leadout, and both clips on the handle, including the oddball homemade clip. This establishes which line goes to the oddball clip. I hook the lines to the plane first and roll them out and hook up the handle by looking at the elevator and pulling each line. Between rounds, especially on a grass pit area, I remove the handle and roll the lines up to the plane and put the handle on top of the spool, so as to keep my lines from being abused by others who have no idea how to get in/out of the pits without stepping on or snagging somebody's lines.  Steve

I do the same thing except I unhook at the wing and roll to the handle.

Ken

[Ken Culbertson]

I measured the wire on a set of Hello Kitty clips,  .047".

Thanks!  I have some 1mm which is close enough to use.

Ken

[Motorman]

You want .051 stainless steel wire for the Lee machine bending tool. If you use music wire it will rust and you'll wish you used stainless. Also, lengths should be no less than .050" apart. Finer than that and you won't see a difference in the controls so don't waste your wire.

MM

[Jim Svitko]

You want .051 stainless steel wire for the Lee machine bending tool. If you use music wire it will rust and you'll wish you used stainless. Also, lengths should be no less than .050" apart. Finer than that and you won't see a difference in the controls so don't waste your wire.

MM

Yes, you want stainless.  I think I got 0.050 stainless wire from McMaster-Carr.

[Brent Williams]

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/spring-wire/length~1-ft/material~304-stainless-steel/

[Motorman]

Three times more for mirror finish, worth it.

[Ken Culbertson]

Three times more for mirror finish, worth it.

The set I got from Lee had more than enough wire but I still have no clue what size to order for the springs.  Since the wire is approx. 1mm I ordered a set of 3mm compression springs thinking that 2 1mm would fit over 2 1mm.  Wrong   So do I get 4mm or 5mm?  Anybody have one they can measure the OD?

[dave siegler]

there is a youtoub video on how to make them.  I cant find it does anyone have the link?

[Dan McEntee]

The set I got from Lee had more than enough wire but I still have no clue what size to order for the springs.  Since the wire is approx. 1mm I ordered a set of 3mm compression springs thinking that 2 1mm would fit over 2 1mm.  Wrong   So do I get 4mm or 5mm?  Anybody have one they can measure the OD?

  Start grabbing all the free retractable ball point pens you see. The springs in those might be about right, and if need be, stretched a bit or stacked up for longer clips. Go to the hardware store. A well stock local hardware store will have a decent spring assortment including small compression springs. Those w ill at least help you figure out what size you need.

  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[Ken Culbertson]

  Start grabbing all the free retractable ball point pens you see. The springs in those might be about right, and if need be, stretched a bit or stacked up for longer clips. Go to the hardware store. A well stock local hardware store will have a decent spring assortment including small compression springs. Those w ill at least help you figure out what size you need.

  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

Found one owned by a friend.  Just over 4mm.  This adventure has convinced me that the Lee clips are just fine and pretty easy to make.  I am officially stepping back from the ledge.

Ken

[944_Jim]

Man, I feel like an idiot. What are the springs for?

I thought the JL tool was all about making a loop of wire.of.a.given length, with the loose ends overlapped for about 180 degrees (one half-loop per side, at the "open end," and overlapped so the eyelet can't work loose).

Doh!

[Paul Smith]

OK, so I admit that I don't know what a "hello kitty" clip is. 
Please share this information with me and maybe a few others.
I do know about Luxon clips, slide clips, scissors clips and fishing swivels.

PS: is a pull-off between .015" seven-strand core cable and any solid wire over .018" I would bet heavily on the solid wire. 

[Brent Williams]

OK, so I admit that I don't know what a "hello kitty" clip is. 
Please share this information with me and maybe a few others.

[944_Jim]

Not what I was thinking, but I get it. Thanks so much.

[dave siegler]

making line clips with springs. 

[Tim Wescott]

I use 0.039" (probably 1mm) music wire for my Derick Moran-style clips on my full size stunters.  For my smaller planes (2 1/2 pounds or less) I use .025".  I've pull tested the heavier clips to 100 lbs each.

I haven't seen problems with rusting, but up until recently I've been flying slime, and everything I own is coated with castor oil.  I also live in Oregon, which even in the Willamette valley is pretty dry and is 100 miles from the ocean, so maybe I'm just lucky in that regard.