braided radiator hose

[vwdave92]

So I've been looking for a source for braided rad hoses.  I found some beading wire that works for smaller diameter but couldn't find any that would pass for 2 or 3 inch hose.  There are aftermarket suppliers but I wanted a cheep, quick source.  I cut apart an old iPhone charge cable and BINGO.  Under the rubber coating is a braided shield looking exactly like the needed braids.  I clipped all the ends and stripped all the wire out of the center leaving just the braided outer.

[Buffs Fan]

So I've been looking for a source for braided rad hoses.  I found some beading wire that works for smaller diameter but couldn't find any that would pass for 2 or 3 inch hose.  There are aftermarket suppliers but I wanted a cheep, quick source.  I cut apart an old iPhone charge cable and BINGO.  Under the rubber coating is a braided shield looking exactly like the needed braids.  I clipped all the ends and stripped all the wire out of the center leaving just the braided outer.

Man I just did that with an android charger and threw it away I didn't think about using that for radiator hoses

[Ace-Garageguy]

The cords on many "Venetian" window blinds are also often made from a very fine braided material, in diameters useful for models.

[Bainford]

de-soldering braid comes in several useful sizes and has a very accurate braid, but it is copper coloured so must be painted with the appropriate metaliser paint.

[Bugatti Fan]

Seek out a store like Maplins in the UK or Radio Shack in the US and see if you can obtain very thin diameters of screened cable.

Strip off the outer insulation to expose the metal screening. Basically this is what modellers are buying as scale braided hoses.

[peteski]

I clipped all the ends and stripped all the wire out of the center leaving just the braided outer.

The problem with hollow braid is that it will easily collapse when you bend it. Then it looks like krap, um, a kinked hose.  If you replace the center wire you took out with a piece of solder in the approximately same diameter then the "hose" will retain its shape when bent and it will also bend easy (as the solder is soft).

Edited October 12, 2017 by peteski

[TarheelRick]

If you have a big box craft store (Hobby Lobby, Michael's, A, C, Moore, etc.) check out the jewelry making aisle.  They have different sizes of braided cords which make excellent hoses, and they are available in different sizes.  Sometimes WalMart has it in their craft section.

[KENNEDYJR]

Seek out a store like Maplins in the UK or Radio Shack in the US and see if you can obtain very thin diameters of screened cable.

Strip off the outer insulation to expose the metal screening. Basically this is what modellers are buying as scale braided hoses.

Is this it? They have sizes down to a 1/16th.

https://www.cableorganizer.com/metal-braided-sleeving/

[BigTallDad]

Also take a look at braided fishing leaders (at a sporting goods store).

[Ace-Garageguy]

The braided elastic bands women (and some guys, I suppose) use for holding ponytails also work great, look exactly like old-school black fabric hose, and can be painted silver to look like stainless braid.

[Art Anderson]

Seek out a store like Maplins in the UK or Radio Shack in the US and see if you can obtain very thin diameters of screened cable.

Strip off the outer insulation to expose the metal screening. Basically this is what modellers are buying as scale braided hoses.

Except that the "Radio Shack" of yesteryear, is no more--most have been converted to Sprint Cellphone offices, or simply closed down.

Art

[landman]

I found an iPad/iPhone chargingf cable in the road. It had been run over a few times. Under the vinyl cover....a nice braided shield, and the right size too.

[Bugatti Fan]

Art, I was not aware that Radio Shack had gone. We used to have Tandy stores all over the place here in the UK that had Radio Shack items as regular stock. They have also long gone.. I guess that maybe Tandy was the same company as Radio Shack trading in the UK.

[peteski]

Yes, Radio Shack was at some point part of Tandy corp.

[Evil Appetite]

I've been searching out companies that make and sell strictly wire. One of them being here.

This one is just  a directory but i searched for .012 diameter wire and came up with a bunch of manufacturers and distributors. These are probably the places aftermarket guys buy their wire. They more than likely wouldn't sell you 3 feet at a time, you'd probably have to buy a spool but basic hookup wire probably wouldn't be that expensive as opposed to basic braided wire. that would probably be a little more expensive. Nothing says you cant sell a few feet here and there though.

[peteski]

I've been searching out companies that make and sell strictly wire. One of them being here.

This one is just  a directory but i searched for .012 diameter wire and came up with a bunch of manufacturers and distributors. These are probably the places aftermarket guys buy their wire. They more than likely wouldn't sell you 3 feet at a time, you'd probably have to buy a spool but basic hookup wire probably wouldn't be that expensive as opposed to basic braided wire. that would probably be a little more expensive. Nothing says you cant sell a few feet here and there though.

Of course the aftermarket guys buy the stuff in bulk from wire manufacturers or distributors.  They often do not deal with individuals.  Also remember that if you have the wire diameter, that is not the outside dimension of the insulation.

Edited November 6, 2017 by peteski

[fanatic]

I used the wire in a 20 lb picture hanging kit from ACE hardware to simulate 1/8 scale -8 aeroquip. The scale is about right, and it looks good to me. I used brass tubing to form ends, which also keeps the ends from fraying.  There is a 50 lb kit that would work for -10, or larger scale, and I used the thinner one for brake lines.

[SfanGoch]

On 10/19/2017 at 10:05 AM, Ace-Garageguy said:

The braided elastic bands women (and some guys, I suppose) use for holding ponytails also work great, look exactly like old-school black fabric hose, and can be painted silver to look like stainless braid.

The problem with those hair bands is the rubber in the center. As it ages, the rubber/elastic deteriorates (read melts), becoming a sticky mess. I had to deal with that situation after using them for hoses in the engine compartment of a 1/16 King Tiger. The c-rap is almost impossible to remove.