Copper Wire!!?

Question

I am trying to make a roller coaster with the track being copper wire. It just doesn't want to be straight. I've tried everything to make it straight but nothing works. Please give me better solutions and if one of them work I'll give you Best Answer.

Answer 1

Roller coaster model?  A kids' bead toy thing?

Anyway, you can try Armature Wire, which is used in clay modeling.  It comes in different gauges so you can pick your thickness.  It will be significantly thicker than your copper wire.

d**k Blick Art Supply is a good place to get it online. http://www.dickblick.com/zz334/00a/

I also found some stuff at my local Ace Hardware: 9 gauge Multipurpose Wire.  I just looked it up and apparently there are different gauges of that, too.  Cheaper than armature wire, and galv. steel vs. aluminum, so stiffer.

The main thing with any of these products is that if it comes in a roll, getting it back to perfectly straight will be difficult.  If you have the resources, you might try stretching, as mentioned above, plus heat.  Don't heat the galvanized wire, though.  Burning zinc plating is verrry bad for your health.

Answer 2

Attach a s***w to a strong vertical stud, and then bring a pulley and hang it few feet away from that stud using a strong ceiling stud and a strong chain, run the wire from the s***w through the pulley and attach heavy weight from the other end, using a fire torch, apply heat to the wire, you're done.

Answer 3

Think I know what you're trying to do.......marble , ball bearing coaster?

Anyhow , even heavy gauge copper wire is too soft & you will never get smooth bends.

Try a welding supply store & ask for "bare" brazing rod in the diameter you need (12 ga should do ) It will be strong enough to hold bends & can be soldered.

Probably cheaper than getting brass rods from a craft or hobby shop.

Answer 4

you can try stretching the wire and keep it under tension--or go to a heaver gage of wire

Answer 5

Grab each end with a pair of plyers or put one end in a vice and yank it hard and fast one time the sudden jerk will make it perfectly staight.

Answer 6

Very simple solution. Just take the wire and pull  it up and down over the edge of a formica or similar table edge. The wire will become straight, but be somewhat curly. That can be solved by carefully guiding the wire between your fingers. With a little practice, you will get the wire perfectly straight.

Answer 7

to make copper wire straight you need to stretch it tight.

eg, vice and pliers

Answer 8

Copper wire is way too soft, bend it too many times and it breaks too.

Try steel wire, like they use to hang suspended ceilings. I believe you can get heavy duty versions in 2 or 3 foot lengths, sold in a bundle. You'll have to figure out a way to connect the ends, maybe soldering.

Take a cruise around your local Home Depot or Lowes and see what you can find. Try to see things differently than how they were intended.

Answer 9

Sometimes you can find tools to do this that may work a bit better.  I don't know if you have used any of them, but jewelery making tools work well for that kind of thing.  If you have an arts and crafts store in the area, just go and ask about them.  Good luck!