54 replies to this topic

[Jairus]

I have been to the hobby shop 3 times in the last 2 months.  The rack is empty!
The story is that K&S is not filling orders, for some reason.  Anyone have any ideas?

Ran about 20 miles in the wagon hitting various spots including Hobby Lobby which has pulled their display.
Finally found gold at the South Salem True Value hardware store.  Rack was getting sparse, but I scored what is probably the last .062 brass tubing in the whole town!
Also picked up a few other things that were not available anywhere else, but it was mostly the tubing.

Not building too many more scratch built cars if this continues.

[Eddie Fleming]

So far I have not had a problem getting what I need, but that is disturbing news. 

[Tex]

K&S is located near Mike Swiss.... maybe he can snoop around a bit & find out wht's going on(?)....

[MSwiss]

K & S, the factory, seems fine.

 

I've been there 2-3 times, in the last few months, picking up the size brass strip I use for the weighted guides, because none of my distributors stock enough (and I didn't request they order larger quantities, for myself).

 

That said, on one of the trips, I also got a bunch of brass strips, for a prolific Retro chassis builder, who doesn't use kits, because he said his local raceway was having a hard time, getting product.

 

This guy ordered a bunch of different sizes and thicknesses, and K & S filled everything, for me.

[Pablo]

I have no inside knowledge for you, Jairus, other than K & S wire has been of poor quality lately.

I emailed the company a while back to inquire why the wire was so bent, and the answer was complete denial.

 

If you need something specific for a project, I will sent what I have to you, no charge, until my stash runs out.

Your friend, until the end,

Pablo

[JerseyJohn]

Hobby Linc always seem to be stocked

[Bill from NH]

Jairus, if you have any Ace Hardware stores in your area, give them a look too. Here in NH, some of the Ace stores stock K&S. Several former NH True Value stores are now Ace, but True Value still maintains a huge distribution warehouse in Manchester..

[JimF]

I have also contacted K&S about the crooked piano wire which I know they have been notified about by others. Their response was that they had not heard of a problem at all and that they had not changed their source. Fact is, the wire is sometimes unusable or poor quality at best.

 

I have heard that Malin wire was perhaps better but IME, is much worse. The Malin was so bad that I threw away a 100 pc. tube ea. of .039 and .047. That stuff was worthless.

 

I have ordered brass strip from McMaster Carr and never missed a piece that I ordered.

[Ecurie Martini]

McMaster is my "go-to" source for wire - both music wire and my preferred chassis building wire, spring tempered stainless steel.  I have also used their drill blanks for axles with good results.  Brass strip that I have ordered from them comes, as I recall, in K&S packaging.

 

EM

[Phil Hackett]

McMaster will special order from K&S if they (McMaster) don't have it in the catalog. I know from experience...

[John Streisguth]

Keep in mind this wire is produced in huge rolls and then run through a "straightener", which is a series of opposing rollers. So the wire is probably within their spec, but the straightness for our purposes will vary from time to time.  You'll just need to bend it by hand to achieve the flatness you want.

[Bill from NH]

I'm using a tube of .063 piano wire from Sullivan. This was obtained at Modelville Hobby years ago from REHCO, but I question if it's still available.

[tonyp]

That’s what I used years ago. Local hobby shop carried that brand of wire and it was always good.

[Pablo]

Keep in mind this wire is produced in huge rolls and then run through a "straightener", which is a series of opposing rollers. So the wire is probably within their spec, but the straightness for our purposes will vary from time to time.  You'll just need to bend it by hand to achieve the flatness you want.

 

John, the batches I threw away were so bad it was unuseable. Each 12" length was bent every 3" or so.

[John Streisguth]

So bends occurring at regular intervals?  Sounds like an equipment problem.  Hmmm...maybe try this?  https://www.basspro....wE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Pablo]

You don't really think that would straighten .063" OD wire, do you?

[John Streisguth]

Nah, it won't. Was a tongue in cheek thing.  LOL.

[Danny Zona]

I bought straightened wire from Componet Supply Company.

The wire is straight.

It's one less thing for me to do prep wise because I'm lazy. LOL.

[MSwiss]

I looked and they don't appear to to have music wire.

Also, the prices are astronomical.

[Pablo]

Next time I need wire I'm getting mine from Chicagoland.

[Danny Zona]

Oh, damn. It's been a while since I've ordered it.

It was expensive though.

[Danny Zona]

Next time I need wire I'm getting mine from Chicagoland

 

I will as well.

[Half Fast]

Music wire from Component Supply:
 
Music Wire, Spring Steel
 
Cheers,

[MSwiss]

Thanks, Bill.

I didn't go into that menu. I just scrolled down.

While not as crazy high as the stainless wire, it's still very, very expensive ($2+ per foot, of .062")

As far as my take on K&S, I think they appear to be supplying fine. Some vendors are just more inspired to order product than others.

To repeat another thread on the subject, I told my contact at K & S, about the issue.

He seemed concerned, and said he would have his guys rake a look at the wire straightening machine, but he added, when I was there to pick up brass, at the price they are charging, don't expect perfection.

He brought me out from the warehouse a few samples of current wire, but it was all either .039" or 032" and smaller, so it didn't tell me much.

As far as my plated wire, my .062" is real good. My .047" and .055" is pretty bad.

The only good news is that I've been selling it at my cost, (the plating costs more than the wire), and the pile is getting low enough, I'll probably do another run, trying to tie them down, to showing me the current quality I'll be getting.

[Bill from NH]

Bill,

 

Have you ordered any of their music wire? If so, how was its quality?