Hi Andrew & Amsat's
about a year ago, I had the same question with you.
I had aluminium-wire 8mm and I was looking to form it as a loop for VHF.
After several experiments, I found the best method.
Firstly, I use 2 "special tools"!
a) a "hot-air gun" 2 KW , very powerful tool. (I bought it from a big General store for ...7 Euros!) b) barbecue gloves (these with high enough isolation from high temperatures)
Now, by using a metallic barrel as tube (forma) with the appropriated diameter for my loop, I screw on it the beginning of wire.
Then I Fire-up the "Hot-air gun" and I try to make hotter the wire, slowly and carefully close to the screw. When the aluminium is hot-enough is much easier to bend it around of barrel, by handling that with barbecue's glovers. Slowly & carefully, from the beginning to the 1/4, then to 1/2, then to 3/4 till to the end of loop, you can form it easily, always by using the hot-air gun.
You need enough time in order to make the loop, but I made 3 perfect loops (like commercials !) by following this method.
Good luck
73, Mak SV1BSX
----- Original Message ----- From: "Andrew Rich" vk4tec@people.net.au To: "Amsat-Bb@Amsat. Org" amsat-bb@amsat.org Cc: "Aprssig" aprssig@lists.tapr.org Sent: Saturday, December 08, 2007 00:22 Subject: [amsat-bb] Forming wire loops
I am looking for ideas to help form wire loops from wire that is already of larger diamater.
I was thinking of making up a base board with some pulley wheels and feed the wire in.
As it goes over the pulleys, a gentle pressure is applied and helps bend the wire into a smaller coil.
I tried a bucket and failed misserably.
Ideas ?
Andrew Rich VK4TEC vk4tec@people.net.au http://www.tech-software.net
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