"whit3rd" wrote in message
...
On Monday, April 22, 2013 10:08:38 AM UTC-7, John Doe wrote:
I need something like a guitar string, about 18 inches. Preferably

from a local store.

So-called 'piano wire' is hard, but if you get some, and uncoil a length,
then stretch it (this requires a vise grip on each end), it gets straight.

Or, hammer one end smaller, then draw through a die (it will take some
lube).

You would be hard pressed to stretch a piece of music wire over .010 by
hand.
It's pretty tough to draw too.

Some time back, an RCMer from the golden years wrote this about this very
subject.

We routinely straighten music wire of all diameters at work. We use it
for hinge pins on aircraft. Our music wire comes in large rolls. The
way we do it, is to take a piece of tubing and bend it in sort of a
relaxed z shape as below.

---------\
\
\-------------

Clamp this in a vise. Cut the wire to length, and insert one end into
an air or electric drill. Insert the other end into the opening of
the bent tube, and turn on drill, and force wire through the bent
tube. Once its through a bit on the other end, then place the ch=uck
on this end, and then just run drill and pull the wire through the
bent tube.. Push it back and forth a few times, and when it comes out
it will be straight. A little oil may make it easier. We have
straightened music wire up to .185 this way.
foxeye



It works pretty well.



Paul K. Dickman