Old Fashion waxed lacing twine.

[dasatcopthorne]

Hi All.

 

I still lace up my layout wiring to keep it tidy, but I have now come to the end of my supply.

 

Does anyone know where you can still get it, please?

 

I believe BR and BT(Post Office Telephones) used to use it.

 

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[kevinlms]

Hi All.

 

I still lace up my layout wiring to keep it tidy, but I have now come to the end of my supply.

 

Does anyone know where you can still get it, please?

 

I believe BR and BT(Post Office Telephones) used to use it.

 

 

Cheers

 

Dave

Used to, being the operative word. Long since taken over by the cable tie in plastic or its equivalent in Velcro for cables which are affected if too tight.

 

Try upholstery suppliers or rug makers.

[Fay Singpoint]

Googling "Waxed lacing twine" brings up a few results including this http://uk.farnell.com/alpha-wire/lc134-wh088/lacing-cord-wht-mw-1-52mm-457-2m/dp/1746691

 

BR and the GPO did used to use it although I believe the lacing techniques were different.

 

HTH

[stewartingram]

I started at Pye in Cambrige in 1964 and we used it - we certainly did work for the PO at that time too. We progressed to a more modern equivalent, much like plastic covered thin black wire, without the wire (if you see what I mean?), we were still using this when I left at the end of '82. Known as lacing cord of course, but by then on newer designs of radios we were using cable ties.

Maybe a contact via Radio Hams, or vintage radio enthusiasts, might source a supply?

 

Stewart

[shortliner]

Putting in <wiring lacing cord> without the brackets gives this. amongst others, which looks like what you want http://www.cablecraft.co.uk/protect/lacing-cord.html?gclid=CMnYw7Gyx7QCFW3KtAod-TYAlQ. I worked for Pye too, but about 4 years earlier , at Newmarket Transistors

[sagaguy]

Yes,Farnell,it`s also free delivery,also a good substitute for Meccano cord for cranes!!!

 

Ray.

[Judge Dread]

Lacing tape was waxed twine but that fell from grace many years ago. When last I used such as that it was a flat

section plastic tape. After my retirement from Hull's own telephone service I realised that my supply of tape was

running low, and so the next time I saw one of my ex workmates, I asked for a resupply.

The photograph shows a flash unit sub assembly waiting to be installed on my present layout "Meopham East Junction".

The knot used was a "clove hitch with two half hitches". Incidentally, this method of cable security was used in the aircraft industry.

I hope this helps.

[dasatcopthorne]

Thanks all for your replies.

 

I now have some black thread. Very good but cuts your hands easily.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[RANGERS]

One of the first things PO/ BT Apprentices learned on going "inside" (into the exchange as opposed to outside on the network) was the art of cable management - how to tie a clove hitch and how to lace a cable run. Twine was still being used on maintenance on electro-mechanical equipment up to it's final demise in the early 90s, it was still there when I left in 1992 (I exhausted my twine stocks a few years ago), I think it was still around for first generation electronic equipment (TXE2) but the second generation which came in during the early 80s was all cable ties.

 

Interestingly, the PO was slow to adopt the cable ties for cable forming as the extensive trials they put new equipment through revealed that it was impossible to maintain a consistent level of tightening them. Too loose and the cable form fell apart, too tight and they cut into the conductors giving a high risk of failure. That may have been why the aerospace industry also stuck with lacing for such a long time.

[Clive Mortimore]

At Marconi's we used miles of it in our cable forms (wiring looms). I was an inspector and had to check that the wires went to the correct place, and that the cable forms had not been laced up too tight as not to be bent when fitted in the cabinet or too lose that it all fell apart in the stores before fitting.

 

Mind you it did teach me to cable form my wiring and label both ends of each wire before trying to wire up layout. All wires are documented where they go to and from. I always have a template of the layout I am building and make my cable form on that. Today I use the frezzer bag ties to hold it together until I have tested everything then these are replaced with cable ties.

[RAF96]

I used to do archery and made my own bowstrings from Dacron cord. This was waxed by pulling it through/against a block of beeswax.

I don't think people do that with the newer Kevlar bow strings.

So - grab a spool of thick button thread and a block of beeswax and make your own lacing twine.

Rob

[billtee]

Try boot makers/repairers - I have a little left which I keep in my caravan for repairing my awning straps, etc. it's very strong, waterproof (well, almost!), and a reel doesn't cost the earth!

Bill

[billtee]

I should have added "saddlemakers" because that's what they use, too!

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

Waxed twine is readily available in any good yacht chandler. comes in different colours and thickness as well.

 

When I were a lad, it were only available in off white. Thems was the days

[Gordon H]

At Marconi's we used miles of it in our cable forms (wiring looms). I was an inspector and had to check that the wires went to the correct place, and that the cable forms had not been laced up too tight as not to be bent when fitted in the cabinet or too lose that it all fell apart in the stores before fitting.

 

Some of us still do, though where it is done is no longer called Marconi's.

Prototypes and Special-to-type Test Equipment is often wired using lacing tape (not cord) to this day, though not usually the waxed variety.

Gudebrod Type 20DR remains the favourite, though they have now been taken over by Breyden.

I would like to know how many lacing tape spot ties I have tied since first being shown how over 35 years ago!

[Brian]

Hi

For my first ten or so years with BR waxed lacing twine was used on all signalling and Telecoms wiring.  I still have memories of the cuts it caused in my little finger due to pulling up the twine!

After this a plastic cord in a couple of diameters was used.  This didn't cut into the bunch of wires and especially as more use of softer wire insulation covering was being used instead of the former Janap (spelling?) wire covering.

Finally giving way to cable ties, but the teeth were on the outer face, not the cheaper inner facing teeth type, Guess they are still used today? 

The use of slotted (Betaduct) style trunking removed most of the need to use any cable ties, except where a bunch of wires leave the trunking for local use - relay connections or multi pin plugs etc.