How to twist two wires together

[Pushtone]

I've often wondered how builders got such neatly twisted wire.
Then I found this

http://www.brown-note.com/heaters/

and it was was of those I can't believe I didn't think of that moments.
Using a drill to twist the wires. duh So thats how it's done.! 


I striped the jacket off 20 feet (6 meters) of 22awg mic cable.
Threw the braided shield away and used the core conductors to
twisted a set of three wires into stock for wiring for pedals.

The mic cable core conductors have white and black insulation.
I cut the white one in half. I used a red sharpie to color one of the white wires.

So now I have 10 feet of three-color twisted 22awg wires.
I twisted the left over 10 feet of black into 5 feet of two conductor.
All this from one old mic cable I found in the dumpster.

Just in time too, as I have run out of old computer power supplies to gut for wire.

I've been cutting 6 inches (15 centimeters) off at a time.
I can always un-twist it.





(some nice looking amp kits at that link too)

[Somicide]

wow, that's pretty neat, certainly a help in keeping boxes tidy!

[markm]

 
Nice!

[sfr]

I usually twist small lengths by hand, using pliers or vice grips with smooth jaws, although I've seen the power drill method before - often times in car audio electronics, where you want to get a bunch of wires together for running a 10 foot run.

I prefer zip ties, just because if you need to add, subtract or replace a wire in the "bundle" you don't have to untwist if from whole mess (depending on where it's all attached, this can be a hassle) simply cut the ties and run a new wire. 

I wonder if this is good for pedal stuff?  I was under the understanding that heater wires for tubes are twisted because they carry AC and the idea is to try and cancel out any hum generated by this. 

With the signals we deal with in pedals, though, couldn't twisting things together make things *worse*?  (Not that I don't do it myself many times.)  Is there a rule of thumb for what sorts of wires can be twisted together, or when it's appropriate? 

[$uperpuma]

I learned to do that when I was running longer wires installing security systems in cars... made them easier to manage

[darron]

another good drill trick: if you have rusty screws from an old pedal/amp, put them in a drill with the surface on the outside. fire the drill up and press the screw into some steel wool. be careful no to left the screw catch the wool though, but that's never happened so far.

quick and easy, your screws will be back down to the shiny metal finish. you might still have rust in the slots where the screw driver goes though, if you are expecting this then you may as well fill the screw in with black paint and let it dry before you clean the screw up.

[markm]

I've used my drill to cut the long shafts on pots to the proper length.
Just snug up the shaft in the chuck, pull the trigger and hold a thin hacksaw blade where you want the cut to be.
They turn out perfect! 

[RedHouse]

When I read the subject of this thead I thought it was one of those "How To Boil Water" things you see on the cooking channel. 

[RLBJR65]

I've used my drill to cut the long shafts on pots to the proper length.
Just snug up the shaft in the chuck, pull the trigger and hold a thin hacksaw blade where you want the cut to be.
They turn out perfect! 

Cool idea Mark!

[petemoore]

  This IS how to do it!
  I use a synthetic wine bottle cork with one end having a tuner peg detent cut into it [I use ~1/4'' drill pushing the cutting edge in 'funny' cause the side edge cuts funny and 'pulls'...I counter...and get a slot in the end of the cork.
  Then I just drill a ~1/4'' hole into the other end, and glue in a dowel rod, filing 6 sides on the ~3'' length of dowel so I have a 'bit' that sticks into my electric screwdriver...
  This quickens greatly the tuning process, I've been using this method for decades and have seen copies available, but the cork, if 'milled' right, grabs 'my' tuners, is spongy enough to not possibly damage anything...used on little tuner pegs 6 in a row or 3 per side 'big gibson' types.

[idlechatterbox]

Safety-wire pliers, used mainly in aerospace, would also work. They grab on, you lock the handles, and pull on the back. The pliers spin like a corkscrew and you have twisted wires (you can snip with them too).

http://www.rcoon.com/SafetyWirePliers.html

[markm]

I remember that type of pliers.....
A friend of mine that used to race motorcycles had to safety wire EVERYTHING on his race bike in order to pass tech inspection.
Great Idea!!