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Wire insulation

jimwild777

jimwild777

New Member
I recently rebuilt an old guitar amplifier from the 1950s, and the point to point wiring in there had insulation sleeves “installed” over many of the component leads. It was put on the leads as the amp was assembled; it was not a part of any component. I want to use this insulation in my own wiring, but I can’t locate this insulation sleeving anywhere. I know point to point wiring is a lost art, but somebody must have it somewhere. Larger sizes do show up online, but not, for example, a sleeve for a 20-gauge wire.

I do NOT want heat shrink sleeving. That’s not what I’m looking for.

Can anyone tell me where I can buy this stuff? It would be greatly appreciated.
 
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Why not shrink tubing? I’ve seen it in many colors.
Try Parts Express. They might have what your looking for.
 
Wow... Ok, I guess you have to know exactly what to call it! I didn’t try spaghetti tubing. :)

I’ll give that a shot. Thanks!
 
Look up 3d printer tubing on ebay. I bought small quantities of 1mm and 2mm teflon tubing sold as 3d printer tubing, and it works great. Found a USA seller if I recall.
 
bberkom said:
Look up 3d printer tubing on ebay. I bought small quantities of 1mm and 2mm teflon tubing sold as 3d printer tubing, and it works great. Found a USA seller if I recall.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Another one that I wouldn’t have ever thought of. I’ll look. Thx.
 
arts said:
Your location would help.

Unless you are willing to spring for a 100' spool at Digikey or Mouser, your best bet would be one of the aftermarket music parts suppliers. These guys are good:

https://www.amplifiedparts.com/search/node/sleeving
Click to expand...

Yes! I did order some from Amplified Parts, I think even before you posted this, so I guess great minds....

This was cheap, and the right material, as far as I can tell without holding it in my hands. Some place wanted like $15 per foot for the fiberglass stuff. Jeez. Must have been hand-made by Leo Fender himself...

Everyone here has really come through on this. And I’m going to investigate every suggestion made. Many thanks.
 
avionic said:
Your first post mentions nothing about fiberglass...
Mcmaster has fiberglass as well.

https://www.mcmaster.com/7324T11/

If mcmaster don´t have it..You don´t need it..
Click to expand...

A) I didn’t actually know at the time I posted my request that the material I’d seen in my amp was fiberglass, thus no mention of that...

B) the smallest I.D. that I see on the M.C. website is 1/16”. I’m not sure what gauge that would correspond to, but I believe it’s wider than I’d prefer on a regular basis. However, it might be good to have that size for thicker wires or certain things that need insulation. So thanks for the tip. They deliver within a couple of days, usually, if I decide I need some. Nice app too; clean, logical navigation.
 
arts said:
Your location would help.

Unless you are willing to spring for a 100' spool at Digikey or Mouser, your best bet would be one of the aftermarket music parts suppliers. These guys are good:

https://www.amplifiedparts.com/search/node/sleeving
Click to expand...

Did you ever have the chance to notice that this company goes by three names and at least two different URLs? Look up this sleeving on Tubes and More, also called Antique Electronics Supply:

https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/wire-sleeving-spaghetti-old-style-20-awg

...it’s the same sleeving with the exact same part numbers as Amplified Parts. Just an interesting business model.
 
jimwild777 said:
Did you ever have the chance to notice that this company goes by three names and at least two different URLs? Look up this sleeving on Tubes and More, also called Antique Electronics Supply:

https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/wire-sleeving-spaghetti-old-style-20-awg

...it’s the same sleeving with the exact same part numbers as Amplified Parts. Just an interesting business model.
Click to expand...
This is exactly what I use for exactly the same use. The now have it in black as well as white.
 

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I'm a cheap ass and have been using the Teflon insulation stripped from bad Oxygen sensor wires as spaghetti tubing. You only get white, grey and black colors but it's free and... I guess that's it.
I should just order a few feet of the fiberglass stuff since it looks much more period correct but with all of the film caps under the chassis of an old set, it doesn't really look period correct anyway.
 
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