good source for 1/24 spark plug wire

[fiatboy]

Looking for just regular diam. spark plug wire, but also larger diam.    Thanks.

[porschercr]

https://www.tedsmodelingmarketplace.com/search.php?search_query=spark+plug+wire&x=0&y=0

[peteski]

Detail Master And Pro-tech  are my go-to places for spark-plug wire.  Expensive, but the diameter seems in-scale and since it is a real insulated wire, it nicely retains its shape.

[Pete J.]

I have a whole drawer full of wire in various gauges and colors to suit my modeling needs.  The majority of it is from the jewelry making(AKA beading) aisle at the local crafts store.  You can get yards of the stuff for what you would pay for a few feet prepackaged and labeled from your hobby store.  I use to be a big fan of Radio Shack as well but they are for the most part out of the local store business. If you are not sure what size you need, go out to your car.  Measure the plug wires and divide by the scale you are using.  Then look at a wire gauge chart and got get that diameter. Save yourself some money for more kits! 

[Snake45]

Do you have a Hobby Lobby or other craft store? Go to the "beading" section and look around. Several different appropriately sized wires available there. And WAY cheaper than "model" branded products.

[crazyjim]

I get my ignition wire from Crazy Scale Auto Parts.

 

[426 pack]

Clearly scale (in Canada) has them in 0.25mm. In all sorts of colours. And if your in USA model builders warehouse has them on there website.

https://www.modelbuilderswh.com/collections/all/detail-wire

Edited January 15, 2018 by 426 pack

[Mike999]

Along with all the other good ideas in here:  when an electronic device in your house fails, take it apart.  You'll usually find several different gauges of wire inside and other useful stuff.  My mother's old answering machine recently died and gave up some different sized wires, plus 2 small LED display screens that could be used as large-screen TVs in a 1/25 scale limousine or van.  

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 1/15/2018 at 6:50 AM, Pete J. said:

... from the jewelry making (AKA beading) aisle at the local crafts store.  You can get yards of the stuff for what you would pay for a few feet prepackaged and labeled from your hobby store. If you are not sure what size you need, go out to your car.  Measure the plug wires and divide by the scale you are using... 

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  On 1/15/2018 at 1:37 PM, Snake45 said:

Do you have a Hobby Lobby or other craft store? Go to the "beading" section and look around. Several different appropriately sized wires available there. And WAY cheaper than "model" branded products.

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Exactly.

Most beading wire is marked in inch and metric units, so if you know the diameter of the wire you need, you can avoid the sometimes confusing wire-gauge thing.

For 1/25. about .012" to .013" is about right for older production car wires, and around .016" is close to late-model and race wires.

[fiatboy]

Does beading wire come in different colors or can it be painted?  I'll check it out at Hobby Lobby.  Thanks much.

[crazyjim]

I'll let everyone in on a secret even though it'll kill my business.  Go to ebay and search for 30 ga kynar wire.  I use a guy out of California.  I believe his name is Ping Fong.  He had free shipping on the wire.

[fiatboy]

Thanks all of you guys.  One more question?  How about the diam. of racing spark plug wire on engines like Top Fuel?  Thanks

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 1/15/2018 at 11:22 PM, fiatboy said:

Does beading wire come in different colors or can it be painted?  I'll check it out at Hobby Lobby.  Thanks much.

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Much of it does indeed come in colors, but the white and gray can be easily painted or colored with Sharpie ink.

.015"-.016" is about right for racing engine wire.

[martinfan5]

  On 1/15/2018 at 11:28 PM, crazyjim said:

I'll let everyone in on a secret even though it'll kill my business.  Go to ebay and search for 30 ga kynar wire.  I use a guy out of California.  I believe his name is Ping Fong.  He had free shipping on the wire.

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Ding ding ding, this what I did, got 30ga wire from Ebay I now have a life time supply black for less than $10.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/24ft-8yds-30awg-BLACK-hookup-wire-wrap-wire-cut-to-length-US-Seller/252514455561?hash=item3acb08d009:g:ajAAAOSwIgNXwJiS:sc:USPSFirstClass!85379!US!-1

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-ft-Kynar-wire-wrap-wire-30-awg-4-modding-Modifying-BLACK-color-ships-from-USA/291933910464?hash=item43f89df5c0:g:70QAAOSwA3dYHVuU

Edited January 16, 2018 by martinfan5

[peteski]

  On 1/15/2018 at 11:28 PM, crazyjim said:

I'll let everyone in on a secret even though it'll kill my business.  Go to ebay and search for 30 ga kynar wire.  I use a guy out of California.  I believe his name is Ping Fong.  He had free shipping on the wire.

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That is a standard wire-wrapping wire. I used lots of it when prototyping circuit boards. I have oodles of it around my workshop, but I find it of limited use for 1:25 scale cars.  While the 30AWG wire itself is 0.010" in diameter, the overall diameter (with insulation) is around 0.016" which is too thick for factory-stock ignition wire. It is acceptable for some heavy duty racing wires, but I don't build many of those models.

Also isn't beading wire simply enameled wire?  The enamel is translucent so the wire looks like it has metallic color (not a solid opaque silicone-like color).  No go for me.

insulated wire extracted from old electronic devices is a good idea, but again, too thick for ignition wire. But it makes for good hoses.

Edited January 16, 2018 by peteski

[Erik Smith]

  On 1/15/2018 at 6:14 AM, peteski said:

Detail Master And Pro-tech  are my go-to places for spark-plug wire.  Expensive, but the diameter seems in-scale and since it is a real insulated wire, it nicely retains its shape.

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I like Detail Master too. If you can find the older packages, they used to put in A LOT more wire. I think I got a package of yellow (the new yellow is metallic looking too, so I avoid it) and it has 8 feet - versus the 2 they do now - for the same price - on eBay. 

[Exotics_Builder]

For street vehicles, I aim for 32 or 34 awg insulated wire.  30 awg for racing.  That said, I have a stash of older Detail Master and MCG wire that I bought years back when it was just easy to pick up at the local LHS.  Radio Shack, when it was around, sold wrapping wire that was a good option.  I have also found that headsets for cordless phones, which fail, have thin wire that can be used for many options.   

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 1/16/2018 at 4:26 AM, peteski said:

..Also isn't beading wire simply enameled wire?  The enamel is translucent so the wire looks like it has metallic color (not a solid opaque silicone-like color)...

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In some cases that's all it is, but if it's the right diameter, so what?

I have a 50 foot roll of it I got for about $3.50, and it's a light gray (opaque) coating. It's easily colored with Sharpie or paint (and REAL ignition wire is usually only seen in gray, red and black anyway, plus the yellow Accel stuff).

Let's see...3 feet for $5 or 50 feet for $3.50...but I have to color it. Hmmmmm...I wonder which is the better deal?  

Edited January 16, 2018 by Ace-Garageguy

[martinfan5]

  On 1/16/2018 at 4:26 AM, peteski said:

That is a standard wire-wrapping wire. I used lots of it when prototyping circuit boards. I have oodles of it around my workshop, but I find it of limited use for 1:25 scale cars.  While the 30AWG wire itself is 0.010" in diameter, the overall diameter (with insulation) is around 0.016" which is too thick for factory-stock ignition wire. It is acceptable for some heavy duty racing wires, but I don't build many of those models.

Also isn't beading wire simply enameled wire?  The enamel is translucent so the wire looks like it has metallic color (not a solid opaque silicone-like color).  No go for me.

insulated wire extracted from old electronic devices is a good idea, but again, too thick for ignition wire. But it makes for good hoses.

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Literally splitting hairs over the wire being used

The links I provided were of 30ought  for race car engines that I used it for.

Edited January 16, 2018 by martinfan5

[Ace-Garageguy]

This is the .012" beading wire I favor. For production car wires, it's tough to beat, and looks the part quite well.

This will be blackened to represent the old Packard wire once the lengths and shaping are completed.

It can be bent into sharp curves (which it will hold) but also makes a nice smooth curve if that's the look you want.

[fiatboy]

Thanks again.

[Crankenstien]

a lot of stuff like the aluminum wire you can get at a dollar store stero wire foat sheet to make realistic interiors sound's odd but got the wire in red silver and black by the pack of 6 works for fuel lines and making coil springs

[fiatboy]

Thanks alot everyone.  What I ended up doing:  I bought regular spark plug wire, 0.012", and their racing spark plug wire, which was 0.016".  And I bought it from Detail Master.  

[peteski]

  On 1/16/2018 at 8:05 PM, martinfan5 said:

Literally splitting hairs over the wire being used

The links I provided were of 30ought  for race car engines that I used it for.

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Yes I am, because the Kynar insulated 30AWG wire to me it doesn't look right in a model of a factory-stock car.  Obviously YMMV.

[peteski]

  On 1/16/2018 at 8:26 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

his is the .012" beading wire I favor. For production car wires, it's tough to beat, and looks the part quite well.

This will be blackened to represent the old Packard wire once the lengths and shaping are completed.

It can be bent into sharp curves (which it will hold) but also makes a nice smooth curve if that's the look you want.

 

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Even ignoring the fact that it has metallic color, and even painted with a black Sharpie it will have non-realistic sheen to it, then like your pictures show, the way it curves doesn't look anything like ignition wire harness in a factory-stock car. You said it can be formed, but the Detail-Master wire is much easier to form.  We all have our favorites.  If I was worried about spending too much money on my modeling supplies, I would not be building models.