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Homemade braided cloth cord

Started by countryman, January 20, 2022, 01:55:48 PM

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countryman

I wanted a braided cloth cord for a project but had none. They are rarely available as a single item, and then the cost. So I decided to go ahead and make one. It's modern litz wire threaded through 3 mm (~ 1/8") shoelaces, each 1.50 m (~5') long. The ends are whipped with sewing yarn, then braided and whipped again.
It's not the real stuff but I like it. I'll gladly describe the process more detailed if of interest.
The actual costs are marginal, but I took over 2 hours for this piece. A second or  third one might be finished quicker, but I'm not going to take orders  ;D

FABphones

That turned out well. It can be tricky to keep the braid even as the cord gets longer.

In France it is a kids pastime learning different types of braiding; 'scoubidou'.
We also have a lace bonbon called 'scoubidou' (lacets à tresser).
Watching the kids taught me this same method, also the braid which can be used to make Extensicords too.

With a bit of practice you will be braiding a complete cord in minutes, and if you practice on the chewy lace sweets you can eat them afterwards!   ;D
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

kleenax

Nicely done!

I remember when I was researching and teaching myself to braid extensicords. VERY time/labor intensive to do them by hand! Especially if you want them to be "stretchy" like the originals. I had to actually build a special jig to hold everything while I was braiding.
Ray Kotke
Recumbent Casting, LLC

countryman

Wow, that looks very cool.
When googling "braiding elastic cords" et cetera a tool named knitting doll or knitting jenny appears, used to produce decorative items - similar to the toy presented by FABphones. All very interesting but in the long run there's not enough electricity involved in this type of handicraft for my taste  ;D
The professional version is shown in a video by oldphoneworks that I just discovered. But it's for cloth covered cords, not the actually braided style. That would be a second step.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX3xsOtEumQ

kleenax

Quote from: countryman on January 21, 2022, 05:13:44 AM
Wow, that looks very cool.
When googling "braiding elastic cords" et cetera a tool named knitting doll or knitting jenny appears, used to produce decorative items - similar to the toy presented by FABphones. All very interesting but in the long run there's not enough electricity involved in this type of handicraft for my taste  ;D
The professional version is shown in a video by oldphoneworks that I just discovered. But it's for cloth covered cords, not the actually braided style. That would be a second step.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX3xsOtEumQ
I ended up reverse-engineering an original extensicord while looking over the original patent to create my reproduction cordage. They are created exactly like the original AE Extensicords were. I used OldPhoneWorks' (formerly from Odis LeVeir) single-strand cloth-covered wire in snow white so that I could dye them to match colors other than plain ole' Black. These are also the exact same cords that were used on UK-based telephones (early Geco phones? - can't remember).
Ray Kotke
Recumbent Casting, LLC

Budavox

Hello @countryman, I am inspired by your post to make my own phone cord.
My W48 spiral cord is not behaving (stuttered voice), since the modern spiral ones are now flat, I plan to make it straight clothed with shoelace.

Can it be using any copper wire? With size 1.2mm? Instead of Litz wire?
Or do you have any recommendations?

Thank you!

countryman

#6
If the cord is otherwise OK you might try to shorten it a bit. It usually breaks where it leaves the handset. TelePlay has posted a reliable method of splicing wires back together here:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=20752.0.
If you manage to put the splice inside the handset it will be invisible and hold up well.
Single strand copper wire will break very soon and give a stiff and unflexible cord. I have used 0.14 mm² (~25 AWG) vinyl covered litz wire for the braided cord shown above. This wire comes in all colors for model trains and is easily available. It's flexible, but still won't give you the feeling of a "true" telephone cord when you put 4 strands into a sheath (shoelace). It will go long ways in low usage, but is still an inferior replacement. Commercially made handset cords are not only litz wire, but tinsel wire. That are even finer strands of copper wrapped around a nylon or textile core, being even more flexible and longer lasting.
For a handset cord I had a quite acceptable result with silicone covered litz wire. It is normally used in hot appliances or for fire alert lines. The covering material is thicker, but softer than vinyl. Inside a shoelace, it feels more like the old fully cloth isolated cords do. Downside is, it is very hard to thread this stuff into a shoelace as it is somewhat sticky and does not slide well! It is also required that the 4 strands you need are well oriented and do not cross each other inside the sheath. I tried to twist them together but that did not work too well. With the right technique it might be a material of choice though.
The by far easiest way to get an acceptable result is to use an already existing 4-strand flexible cord and slide it into a shoelace of the preferred color. If you have a broken or outdated computer mouse or other USB device, this may be a good donor!
I also have used LIYY cable (European classification for flexible signal cable) in 4x0.14 mm². It's good, but a tad too thick and unflexible for my taste.
Best is to make own experiments and pick your preferred solution!
To prevent the ends from fraying you want to "whip" them like shown here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ib2tF-M0sg
With sewing yarn instead of a rope, of course ;-). I like to use a very small amount of contact glue on the ends to secure them better also.

Edit to add, if you happen to live in America, forget the above and shop around on the oldphoneworks website ;-)

Budavox

Thank you very much for your input @countryman.. I clothed my frayed Ericsson 1951 cord before, I wish I knew the whipping technique before!

QuoteSingle strand copper wire will break very soon and give a stiff and unflexible cord.
Ah yes sorry...  I meant the one with fine strands, not the single one.
I found those cables (the litz and ordinary fine strands) in local marketplace here, but not sure to buy it.. because I heard that cables have their own capacity to flow the electricity so I need to get the correct one. And also the Litz one seems more expensive than the ordinary one.
But then really thanks for your input, I think I can skip that and start to search any broken USB mouse/keyboard in the office tomorrow :D

Quoteforget the above and shop around on the oldphoneworks website ;-)
I saw this web too when looking for phone cords.. I live in Indonesia, the shipping cost could be higher than the wire itself  ;D

Anyway about the shortening, did you mean it to fix the stuttered voice?
Can we detect the location where the defect happened, or just decide it 'by heart' before we cut the wire?
QuoteIt usually breaks where it leaves the handset.
Yes you are right... sometimes I can temporarily 'fix' it by pull/push the cable around the headset and no effect if I pull around the telephone shell, I suspect the problem is around the headset.

countryman

Yes normally it breaks at the handset because that is where it flexes most. Try to cut 2 or 3 cm off if you are up to splice the ends back together again.
I am in Europe - and in the same boat what the shipping cost problem is concerned. It seems oldphoneworks is the only supplier of newly made vintage telephone cords worldwide.

david@london

#9
Another good source for newly made vintage-type cords, based in the UK, is Vintage Telephony who make and supply braided cords.
I have one of their handset cords on a Gpo 312 and it is great quality.

https://www.vintagetelephony.co.uk

edit...they do also supply round, non-braided, woven line cords so perhaps straight cords for handsets might be available to order.

countryman

Wow... great to know! They're 90% nearer to me :-)

david@london

That's good, you are based on the Continent - France, Germany?

Looking at the website, it sounds like you can phone or email to ask about any special requirements. I have phoned them in the past...couldn't be more helpful.

After looking at their site, have just been tempted + ordered a dialling index code card (Swansea 1960) + a matching vintage-style dial label. The Gpo 312 can have a make-over.

Handset cord from V.T. ...


countryman

Yes, I'm in Germany.
With no Brexit it would be cheaper to order things from Britain but well, the Channel did not get any wider and life goes on ;-)
I'll keep that address in mind!