What gauge wire do you use?

[Adamo]

For some reason, on my last couple of builds I've been using 22 gauge wire and I'm finding that it's a little too big, especially when wiring the 3pdt switch. What gauge wire do most of you use?

[vigilante397]

I use phone cable Strip it open and you've got 16 or so thin (but still insulated), color-coded copper wires.

[Brisance]

0.75 mm²

[peterg]

22 gauge does make wiring the foot switch a bit tricky but it's manageable. I use 24 gauge on my 1590A builds. It makes stuffing the wire into the small enclosures easier.

[Adamo]

I use phone cable Strip it open and you've got 16 or so thin (but still insulated), color-coded copper wires.

great idea.

[Mark Hammer]

I love the #24 pre-bonded stuff from Small Bear.  Just thick enough to be durable.  Just thin enough to fit in cramped spaces and turn corners well.

[bloxstompboxes]

Been using the #24 prebonded stuff from small bear and have used some solid core #24 wire i got from rat shack.

I use phone cable Strip it open and you've got 16 or so thin (but still insulated), color-coded copper wires.

I have been wondering about using it myself. How does the insulation hold up while soldering and does it stay in place well or look tacky when trying to route it? I remember you could buy it in like 100 ft lengths at Wal-Mart even for cheap. If it works well, you could build a lot of pedals.

[tubegeek]

I use phone cable Strip it open and you've got 16 or so thin (but still insulated), color-coded copper wires.

I have been wondering about using it myself. How does the insulation hold up while soldering and does it stay in place well or look tacky when trying to route it? I remember you could buy it in like 100 ft lengths at Wal-Mart even for cheap. If it works well, you could build a lot of pedals.

Use Cat-5 computer networking cable (unless you want to avoid solid core wire) - it's free! There is always some portion of a roll left over on any networking project. Ask and ye shall receive, or dig through dumpsters. A few feet of Cat-5 with its 8 conductors will do a LOT of pedals.

4 colors x 2 (solid and stripe of each) and available with Teflon insulation which survives soldering extremely well. It can be either 22 or 24 gauge, look on the outer jacket.

[vigilante397]

I have been wondering about using it myself. How does the insulation hold up while soldering and does it stay in place well or look tacky when trying to route it? I remember you could buy it in like 100 ft lengths at Wal-Mart even for cheap. If it works well, you could build a lot of pedals.

I haven't had any problem with it at all. Obviously if you get the iron too close to the insulation it will melt, but if you're careful it's not a problem. I also like that it's thin enough to bend any way I want it but rigid enough to hold the shape I've put it into, so it stays in place very well, and while I don't show my guts off terribly often I have never had any negative comments about it looking tacky.  

[bloxstompboxes]

Use Cat-5 computer networking cable (unless you want to avoid solid core wire) - it's free! There is always some portion of a roll left over on any networking project. Ask and ye shall receive, or dig through dumpsters. A few feet of Cat-5 with its 8 conductors will do a LOT of pedals.

4 colors x 2 (solid and stripe of each) and available with Teflon insulation which survives soldering extremely well. It can be either 22 or 24 gauge, look on the outer jacket.

I think I may have some laying around and may try this on my next build.

I have been wondering about using it myself. How does the insulation hold up while soldering and does it stay in place well or look tacky when trying to route it? I remember you could buy it in like 100 ft lengths at Wal-Mart even for cheap. If it works well, you could build a lot of pedals.

I haven't had any problem with it at all. Obviously if you get the iron too close to the insulation it will melt, but if you're careful it's not a problem. I also like that it's thin enough to bend any way I want it but rigid enough to hold the shape I've put it into, so it stays in place very well, and while I don't show my guts off terribly often I have never had any negative comments about it looking tacky. 

Cool, I had been worried about the insulation. I am colorblind to an extent so the striped wire was also a concern. I try to avoid having to read color codes whenever possible. lol. Can't remember if I ever saw the guts of one of your builds so no offense meant.

[Jdansti]

Since you have some 22ga laying around, try this next time. First, twist the wire very neatly and smoothly before you tin it. Second, make sure you don't have any excess solder on the tinned part of the wire. After you tin it, wipe the solder off of the tip of your iron and use the "dry" tip to remove any excess solder from the wire. Finally, use some sharp cutters and cut the end of the tinned wire at a steep angle. This will make the end of the wire pointy and allow it to be threaded through the lug holes more easily.

[CodeMonk]

I use 22 Gauge for pretty much everything.
Except jumpers. I've got some 28 and 30 gauge wire for that, both bare and insulated.
I can fit 2 22 gauge wires in the lug of a 3PDT switch.

And I also do what JD said when needed.
works wonderfully.

If i need to fit 2 or more wires into a single PCB hole or lug and the lug is not big enough, I make a pig tail.

[davent]

Hundreds of feet of 22awg Teflon around for building tube amps so that's what gets used, and no problems with footsewitch lugs, plenty of room.

[vigilante397]

Cool, I had been worried about the insulation. I am colorblind to an extent so the striped wire was also a concern. I try to avoid having to read color codes whenever possible. lol. Can't remember if I ever saw the guts of one of your builds so no offense meant.

None taken, my guts are never memorable anyway. I'm no Pickdropper

[Brisance]

Possibly most electronics stores carry kits of like 8 different colors of wire, at least mine did, bought one kit for like 5€ and still using it. Although some colors are almost used up(after I started my system of yellow=signal, green=signal ground etc)

[CodeMonk]

Hundreds of feet of 22awg Teflon around for building tube amps so that's what gets used, and no problems with footsewitch lugs, plenty of room.

As I said before, I to use 22 gauge wire.
But I have run across a few lugs that are just a hair to small.
Being that most of those holes are rectangular, I figured out a solution...
After tinning, squeeze the wire just a little bit so that you end up with a rectangular shaped wire at the end instead of round.

[digi2t]

24 awg, multi strand, tinned. I was really lucky about a year ago, an electronics supplier near by was cleaning up shop, and they had a 100' spool of 25 conductor, 24 awg, multi strand tinned, sitting on a "Clearance sale" shelf in a back corner of the store. $50 for the spool. Technically, that's 2500' of wire. The bonus is that each wire has it's own color code, which makes for easy tracing when working on some of the vero monsters I've done. I'll be good for several years to come.

[vigilante397]

.... which makes for easy tracing when working on some of the vero monsters I've done

I've seen some of your vero builds. Monsters is a very accurate description

[lapsteelman]

I'm with Mark, the pre-bond 24 awg from Smallbear is the stuff. I have a big box of misc. wire that I used for years, but once I tried this stuff I was hooked.