Rich Hallman - N7TR wrote:
> Looking to buy several thousand feet of radial wire. What's the best
> source for this bulk need? #14 or #16 Solid Copper?
>
Why so large a conductor? You're going to be paying by the pound for
copper, so a better tradeoff is more radials of smaller diameter wire
(or, fewer dollars for the same radials)
Motor Rewinding shops are a place that will often have large quantities
of magnet wire in various gauges.
Other than that, your best bet is the wire manufacturer, Essex,
SouthWire, etc. They'll have a distributor in your area and you just
order up your 50 pound spool or whatever.
If you have a metal recycling place around, you might be able to get
wire there (i.e. pay them somewhat more than they paid for the copper).
There's also the usual mail-order places, but watch out for shipping.
1000 ft of AWG 16 is about 8 pounds.
1000 ft of AWG 22 is about 2 pounds.
Now is a pretty good time to be buying copper wire, because the spot
price is down around a buck and a half, compared to $4/lb last year.
(BTW.. that's how you can tell if you're getting a good deal.. you
shouldn't be paying a whole lot more than the current spot price, or, at
least the price in the last month. Someone who bought the wire last
year is going to try and get what they paid for it back, and that just
isn't going to happen...)
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