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How to Keep Wire from Kinking When Working With It

Wires are a fundamental component of civilization. They hold up bridges and towers, carry electricity, carry audio and video signals and form beautiful filigrees on jewelry. All wires -- no matter the size and materials -- have a common danger -- kinking. Kinks in wire can be dangerous if they are supporting structures. If the wires are carrying electricity, kinks can be dangerous. Kinks in signal carrying wires can degrade the signals. Kinks mar the beauty of tatting and other decorative wiring. A few simple precautions can prevent kinking when working with wire.

Instructions

- 1
  Wind unused wire on a spool. The best way to keep any wire from kinking is to keep it on a spool and carefully transfer it from the spool directly to the place where it is going. Developing this skill is critical to keeping the wire from kinking, no matter what the wiring job. Kinking takes place between the spool and the work. Minimizing this distance also minimizes the chance that the wire develops kinks.
- 2
  Pull wire smoothly and carefully. For example, when pulling wire through a conduit, apply just enough force to get the wire through the conduit. Any extra force could stretch the wire around a sharp corner, which introduces a kink in the wire. Never, under any circumstances, push a wire. This is the easiest way to guarantee the wire kinks.
- 3
  Relax if you are working with fine wires. People who use fine wires for jewelry or tatting say that the best way to avoid kinks in the wire is to relax and make all your movement smooth and easy. Apparently, the state of mind of the worker is reflected in the work done with fine wires. In some sense, this also applies to working with thicker wires. For example, keeping calm will keep you from pulling a wire too hard through a conduit.

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