Wire Straightener For Rf Electonics

C

cnlong

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Working on parts for microwave/rf antennas and need some help getting wires reasonably straight.

Any suggestions?
 
Depending on what kind of wire, the easy way is to put one end in a vice, grab the other end with a pair of pliers and jerk. Works amazingly well. Another way is to put one end in a vice, the other end in an electric drill chuck, turn at very slow speed while pulling hard.
 
Grip both ends and gently pull. If you have any stubborn kinks gently rub them with a wooden dowel while pulling. Any straightening you do will work harden the wire to a degree, so keep it minimal.

Sent from somwhere in east Texas by Jake!
 
I made some from bronze and aluminum TIG wire. The aluminum bends but rolling it on a bench top with a board worked well. The bronze seemed to hold shape well. I used the tension and twist trick with soft wire but the ice here just bends them and in weather not conducive to climbing


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Clamp in vise.

Make a die set.

Get 2 chunks of metal of choice and first make a scrape cut across one in the middle.

Use hacksaw or ??

Place it face to face with a mating chunk then drill holes through both to allow them to bolt together and bolt them together.

Not place in drill press and drill small hole end to end hoping the guide cut you made will keep drill from wandering.

You could mill out a notch too.

Work drill size up to wire size.

Add a countersink to each end.

Open and round out the countersink to smooth transition.

Clamp on wire then pull through while turning wire.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk
 
Ditto on the five wheel straightener, but adjustment is bear. Clamp one end in a vice on a work bench, clamp the other end in an unmounted vice, at least 4 inch, or bigger and holding tight to the loose vise, swing the vice hard so that when it reaches the end of the wire it will put a major load on it. I was surprised how effective this is. The second vice could be anything heavy that you can clamp the wire securely to. Oh yes, you loose the ends of the wire from clamping.
Or you could make a lever action wire straightener, but they usually are for short lengths.
 
I've used ratchet straps and two trees to stretch copper wire for antennas.
Also look for a "lead came stretcher" for stained glass work for another idea.
 
I've done some antique radio work that required square buss wiring, so have a coil of it. Naturally, it should be arrow straight with nice tight corners. To uncoil it, I used several methods, one of which was pretty effective and already mentioned. I clamped one end in a mill vise and instead of pliers, I wrapped it around a heavy bar and gave it a couple of stout jerks. It straightened it nicely. But for more control, I used another method. I again clamped one end in a mill vise, but the other end I clamped in a toolholder on a lathe that was reasonably close to being in line, and used that to stretch the wire. It can out remarkably straight. I then kept it taped to a 1 x 4 until I needed it. I still have some, and it is still straight, along with what is left of the coil.
 
Are these wires for the arms of a dipole, log periodic or Yagi? How about using small diameter rod that you purchase it in straight lengths?
 
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