Lowtech, all I did with the wire was fold it over on itself which made it much more rigid enabling it to be inserted into the Zingit easily since there is no sharp edge to catch on. Once the doubled wire comes through the top, just insert the tip of the piece of string and pull it through. I used the same techniques from this video.
Years ago I found a small palm sized awl while wandering around the craft store, waiting for the missus to finish her shopping. What I love about it is that the rounded butt of the tool, which doubles as the tip’s protector, can be left aside. Without it, I can stand the tool upright on a table, and use both hands to wrangle the cordage exactly where I want it. I can also use the awl in-hand, as it was designed.
I’ve also had several loop turners, and never really loved using them, but will do so when I require their stiffness. When that is less critical, but I want to make use of large “needle eye” type tools, I have a different take on the guitar string method: discarded networking cables.
We seem to have a near endless supply of discarded Cat-5 networking cable lying around. Once I strip off its outer core, there are 8 individually coated interior wires that work well even with ZingIt. The copper core has just enough stiffness to temporarily hold a shape, and the pvc shell slides easily through everything that I’ve spliced, without snagging. With careful use, I get months of use or more out of each inner wire before I have to move on to a fresh one. One last minor advantage is that I have really long lengths of Cat-5 cables, so the pullers I make could easily be as long as I want.
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“Perhaps it’s my natural pessimism, but it seems that an awfully large part of travel these days is to see things while you still can.”
•Bill Bryson, In a Sunburned Country
Piano wire
I use a carpenters awl from Home Depot, and a 12 inch doubled over piece of 14 gauge bare copper wire, separated from a scrap of generic 14/3 romex residential electrical wire. The small gauge suspended ceiling wire works good too. Or a piece of bicycle shift cable doubled over for real long pulls through longer stuff sack items, pant belt line cinch ties, etc.
Since I retired, some times I stay awake all day, some times all night.
The magic I found was from Fugal’s site (maker of those Turtle connections). You can find the beads on Amazon (make sure you are looking at the right kind of beads, not just “fill” for DIY bean bags) but Fugal has a nice sized package for $1.50. He calls these beads, “Play-Doh” for adults. One package is enough to make a handle for your wire pull.
You put them in Hot water and they melt, changing from opaque white to clear. Then you can mold them into any shape you want and as they harden up, they return to opaque white color. The WebSite has a video that shows them being used to make a handle for those wire pulls. Works GREAT! I have various hooks but for the small stuff - 1.75mm - I use a pull made of scrape guitar string wire. I used to have to wrap it around my fingers to pull. Following the video, I used the melted beads to form a handle around the “hand” end of the wire. When the handle cooled, molded to my hand shape, one small end of the wire poked out a bit because I hadn’t buried it well enough. It’s not a problem, but if I ever want to deal with it, I can reheat the plastic, and reshape it.
Having something you can mold into any solid shape you want - again and again - could be a handy tool. It definitely works to make a handle for those wire pulls
Link is: https://www.fugal-innovations.com/product/polymorph/
Last edited by cougarmeat; 09-01-2021 at 11:30.
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
"The magic I found was from Fugal’s site (maker of those Turtle connections). You can find the beads on Amazon (make sure you are looking at the right kind of beads, not just “fill” for bags) but Fugal has a nice sized package for about $2.00. He calls these beads, “Play-Doh” for adults."
Cougarmeat, do you have a link for Fugal's site?
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"I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road." -Stephen Hawking
"This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure." -Winston Churchill
Find your inner hammock.
Thank you
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"I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road." -Stephen Hawking
"This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure." -Winston Churchill
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