Big Heavy "mo-jo" wire ?????

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Skoogdaddy CPF

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Joined
Dec 6, 2000
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Loc
Jonesboro AR USA
Okay, here's a question I should have found the answer to a long time ago. I feel sure this will not be a great topic for heated discussion but I could use a tip if anybody has one. I have looked in the archives but did not find anything.

Where can you order Big Fat 100 lb plus picture wire from ? I usually use super soft strand as my wire of choice (from United). But they don't have anything stronger than a 60lb wire. I usually try and use a wire that is rated at least double the weight of what it is that I am hanging. If a project is just too large I just use mirror hangers (without a wire), but there are some cases when a picture isn't too big or heavy for a wire hanger--if I just had the "BIG Mo-Jo, 90mph-mother of all mothers-Wire" to go to.

Any Suggestions ?? Thanks alot !
 
Try Modern Wire Co.
1-800-451-1852
They are in Pennsylvania.
They have every kind of picture wire you can imagine. What your looking for sounds like their mirror wire.
John
 
You can probably find wire to support 100 lbs. or more. But when you use it, consider using the wire-stringing pattern recommended by Lincoln Engineering. That's the company that makes "Infinity" hanging hardware -- the best available IMHO.

Mr. Lincoln's pattern distributes the damaging stresses evenly among all four rails, lessening the probability of corner failures.

Even with that, you could experience more stretching than normal.

Also, be very careful about the moulding dimensions and profiles you use for very heavy frames. A wide, shallow frame tends to have corner-loosening trouble sooner, and a deep, narrow frame may bow/warp more easily. and above all, avoid the bass wood mouldings that are now popular with the manufacturers -- it's a lot like using balsa wood.
 
Skoog,

You can find the big-bad mamba-jamba mondo mighty mo-jo wire you seek suitable for framing use called "leader line" or "leader wire" at the fishing supply shop. I think you can get up to 600lb. Imagine that frame (or fish).!

With that much weight don't just worry about the wood. You can shear the heads off the screws if you use too few, and they bear too much load.
 
We use aircraft cable found at our local hardware store. Comes in two diameters with metal sleeves appropriate to each. To cut it we use tin-snips. Awesome stuff really.
our cost is about 16 cents per foot.
 
The company that makes Softstrand (Speciality Wire) is also manufactures fishing wire cable. I talked to the owner at a trade show some time ago. The major difference is that picture frame wire is annealled(sp) (softened) while fishing wire is not. A friend of mine is a fisherman with a salmon charter boat on Lake Ontario. The last time I went out with him I brought back 25# of fish filets. His downriggers use approx. 200# wire.

------------------
Jerome Feig CPF ISA
Field Art Studio
Pleasant Ridge, MI
248-399-1320
248-399-7018 fax
 
MerpsMom,

I'm not looking to wire a picture that weighs more than a 100lbs, if I have something that big I use mirror hangers like most rational thinking framers. As a precaution, I like to generaly use a wire that is rated at almost twice the weight of what I'm hanging, If I had a 100lb wire (which I will now thanks to all of these GREAT responses) I could use it on a heavy object that weighs from 50-75lbs and not have to worry about it breaking and thus killin' somebody.

Thanks to everyone who has responded. I am very new to this website but seem to already find myself stopping by here a few times a day, I think I'm becoming a Grumble addict. Does anyone know of a support group for such an addiction ??? :- ) I can see that I'm certainly going to be a regular from here on out.

Take care and keep on framing...just 10 more days to go....
 
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