copper wire for tying

Don't throw away that old charger for your devices you no longer need. It contains 2 different sizes of copper wire. To get at it you 'll need to cut the cover off. Use whatever method necessary. Don't worry about damaging the wire. there will still be plenty. What you have in these chargers are transformers that step down the voltage from household 110 to whatever your device needs. The wire sizes depend on the ratio between the primary and secondary and the amount of current needed by the device. Old relays can also yield wire you can use. If you don.t have an unused charger go to a thrift shop. They usually have a variety for a dollar or so. Generally the smaller the charger the smaller they wire.

Dead Christmas light strings are a great source, too. Most of the stuff I salvage is equivalent to UTC size small.

Regards,
Scott

I have salvaged a couple of old tv surge protectors one had ideal copper wire for midges the other had heavier wire still good for streamers and larger nymphs

Lamp cord is an easy source of copper wire. Just clip the cord from an old lamp, hair dryer, coffee pot, or whatever. Cut about a 10" section from the cord, separate the two paces, then strip the insulation leaving an inch or two in the center to keep the bundle or wires together. The wire is about a UTC x-small -- perfect for midges and other small nymphs. On larger nymphs, I sometimes double it up.

Been doing this for years. I have enough copper wire in various diameters to rewire New York City.

Wire from transformers, relays, solenoids, etc is insulated with a special varnish, some natural copper colored and some a darker reddish color as are the spools of wire you buy for fly tying. Bare copper as in christmas lights and lamp cords will tarnish. If you lose flies as quick as I do it will probably make no difference but I would cover them with head cement if possible.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by oldster

Wire from transformers, relays, solenoids, etc is insulated with a special varnish, some natural copper colored and some a darker reddish color as are the spools of wire you buy for fly tying. Bare copper as in christmas lights and lamp cords will tarnish. If you lose flies as quick as I do it will probably make no difference but I would cover them with head cement if possible.

---

That’s a good point; luckily I guess, like you, I lose them so quickly it doesn’t matter.

Regards,
Scott

doing it for years

https://i.imgur.com/fejuHp7.jpg

I've been known to lay out the wire on my furling board and twist if I want more diameter. Also just twist with a drill if no furling board. Twisting also gives kind of a nice diffusion fusion of light.