On 07/26/2010 04:49 PM, Ecnerwal wrote:
In ,
Tim wrote:

I'd sure like to order with
confidence that I'm getting something decent, not just the same metallic
noodles that I can get from the local hobby shop.

McMaster, Enco, MSC. All sell real metal to real metalworkers.

Last batch I got was from Enco. They have 12" cut lengths (straight) or
1 lb coils (not clear if an order of two pounds would be one coil or two
one pound coils - use the phone if it matters to you). I happened to
need stainless (mounting a skeleton, don't want rusty bones...btw, "just
say" never again.) The largest diameter of the three I got was 0.080" -
all of it (I also got 0.063 and 0.051) seems respectably hard for
stainless. Due primarily to slight variations in the price each way, I
got the .063 in 12" straight, and the other two in coils.

MSC also seems to have only 12" straight, and you report the same for
McMaster, so I guess straight 3 foot sections are out from those
suppliers unless you want drill rod, and that won't be prehardened.
Coils they all have, I think, and a 1/8 coil will be on a pretty large
radius (and about 24 feet)

If I had a way of straightening it as needed I'd be happy with a coil.
Somehow I think I could buy a _lot_ of straightened music wire for the
amount of time I'd spend trying to make a straightener.

12" would leave me with lots of little unused bits ranging from 1/2" to
5" (I know, bitch bitch bitch).

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Do you need to implement control loops in software?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" was written for you.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html