Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
I am in the progress of demolishing my house. Is it worth it to salvage the house wire for bonsai?
Salvaged house wire for bonsai wire?
- Thread starter Cajunrider
- Start date
19Mateo83
Masterpiece
It works quite well once it is annealed. Copper “work hardens” after being bent. As long as it’s annealed it’s good to go. Now is it worth your time to strip It is the real question.
n8
Shohin
Cheaper and more efficient to recycle the wire and use that money to buy annealed copper or aluminum wire. Unless you're looking for another hobby to supplement your bonsai hobby...
Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
Depends on what you'd take as an hourly wage.
At our local recycling plant we can buy wire by the kilogram, for the current price of copper. It's leftover rolls from factories, electricians, houses, contractors and whoever brings it in.
Is it worth an hour of your time to get a couple feet of wire? I don't believe it is, compared to what I can get at the recycling plant.
But then again, I'm looking at it from a European standpoint. Our electrical wires are coated, then laid into tubing, and that tubing is either plastered into a brick or concrete wall, or backfilled with concrete in a concrete or brick wall. Which makes it very time consuming.
I know you Americans love to use wood for houses, and I don't know about your electrical standards. So it might be easier to salvage a whole bunch in a matter of minutes. Stripping and annealing can be done pretty fast if you get the hang of it.
To strip wire I attach the end to a yard tree and grab the other end to pull it tight. Then lay a boxcutter flat along the wire (like making a graft) and just slide the boxcutter toward the tied end while pulling the back to keep it in place. I can do 30 meters in less than 10 minutes. Roll it back up, heat it, done.
Just.. Don't ever, freaking never ever, cut towards your hands. Because the boxcutter will slip and it will hit bone. I speak from 6 stitches of experience.
At our local recycling plant we can buy wire by the kilogram, for the current price of copper. It's leftover rolls from factories, electricians, houses, contractors and whoever brings it in.
Is it worth an hour of your time to get a couple feet of wire? I don't believe it is, compared to what I can get at the recycling plant.
But then again, I'm looking at it from a European standpoint. Our electrical wires are coated, then laid into tubing, and that tubing is either plastered into a brick or concrete wall, or backfilled with concrete in a concrete or brick wall. Which makes it very time consuming.
I know you Americans love to use wood for houses, and I don't know about your electrical standards. So it might be easier to salvage a whole bunch in a matter of minutes. Stripping and annealing can be done pretty fast if you get the hang of it.
To strip wire I attach the end to a yard tree and grab the other end to pull it tight. Then lay a boxcutter flat along the wire (like making a graft) and just slide the boxcutter toward the tied end while pulling the back to keep it in place. I can do 30 meters in less than 10 minutes. Roll it back up, heat it, done.
Just.. Don't ever, freaking never ever, cut towards your hands. Because the boxcutter will slip and it will hit bone. I speak from 6 stitches of experience.
19Mateo83
Masterpiece
Just use the ground wire that Is bare and recycle the other two insulated conductor wires. Easy peasy
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Stripping the wires isn't too bad. I'm thinking about making a jig for stripping them. Once the jig is done, it's just a matter of pulling the wire through.
Deep Sea Diver
Masterpiece
Sure, that can be done if you have a bit of time!
You might want to check out this thread, especially post #8 etc. If you are interested in annealing your own wire.
Looks
cheers
DSD sends
You might want to check out this thread, especially post #8 etc. If you are interested in annealing your own wire.
Looks
cheers
DSD sends
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Do it.
Sorce
Sorce
Pitoon
Imperial Masterpiece
I would pull out every electrical wire I could pull along with any copper pipe. Bonsai wire or not, that copper can be turned in for cash.
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
I often collect offcuts from electricians. Most of my bonsai wiring uses shorter pieces so no need to have long lengths.
Household wiring tends to come in one size so there is not much flexibility in what you can wire with it. If you are mainly doing light wiring household cables are OK. I can sometimes find 2 slightly different gauges in household wiring but for thicker wires I have to look for larger, commercial cables.
Some cables consist of many thinner wires twisted into a thicker conductor.
You will need to learn to use the boxcutter properly to strip insulation. Cutting too deep can score the wire leaving sharp points that can cut fingers when wiring trees.
Electrical wires definitely need to be annealed but that's relatively easy once you get a process worked out.
Collect the wiring and put it aside until you can get a chance to try stripping and annealing. If it proves too much work you can always take to recycling for cash.
Household wiring tends to come in one size so there is not much flexibility in what you can wire with it. If you are mainly doing light wiring household cables are OK. I can sometimes find 2 slightly different gauges in household wiring but for thicker wires I have to look for larger, commercial cables.
Some cables consist of many thinner wires twisted into a thicker conductor.
You will need to learn to use the boxcutter properly to strip insulation. Cutting too deep can score the wire leaving sharp points that can cut fingers when wiring trees.
Electrical wires definitely need to be annealed but that's relatively easy once you get a process worked out.
Collect the wiring and put it aside until you can get a chance to try stripping and annealing. If it proves too much work you can always take to recycling for cash.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Half way. The big wires were tough to get out.
PaulH
Omono
I've done this too. most house wiring is 12 or 14 ga. so you still need to buy other sizes. This may not be environmentally friendly but I have thrown coils of insulated wire directly on my burn pile and when the insulation burns off the wire is perfect.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Since some of the wires are multi strand I now have wire from 20 gauge to 10 gauge. I am not sure I need to buy anything at the moment.
Frozentreehugger
Masterpiece
Copper wire needs to be annealed . It has a unique trait opposite of most metals . This is why it is used for bonsai . Annealing makes it soft easy to shape . When you work it ( like wrapping it around a tree ) It gets hard and strong so it will hold its shape . Annealing is easy coil up the wire . Drop it in a fire . Coals of a wood fire or the bbq both work great . Let it get cheery red rim I’ve it when cool it’s done . I simple throw it in water You can also buy ground wire at any hardware /electrical store. Multi strand easy to un wind . I find about 20 foot chunks easy to handle
