[sdiy] when and why use stranded? (was making PCBs, what's your method?)

[WeAreAs1 at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/19/04 1:56:22 PM, harrybissell at prodigy.net writes:

<< Solid wire is inappropriate for any application subject to flexing or 
vibration, >>

Yes, solid-core wire is the BBD of the wiring world.  Don't ever use 
solid-core wiring!  (unless you're wiring a house..)  I want to add that this warning 
includes pretty much ALL DIY electronics -- not just projects that will see 
road use or lots of travel.  This is because we're constantly moving the wires 
around while we're building and troubleshooting the project.  Just this small 
amount of moving the wires is enough to stress them and either break them, or 
worse yet, weaken them so they break later, long after we think we've finished 
with the troubleshooting and we're onstage with our little toy, just about to 
play our big show-stopping solo.  This can give a different meaning to the 
words "show-stopping"....

The only solid core wiring I will ever use is if I use wire-wrapping wire to 
do some soldered point-to-point wiring on a circuit board, but these would be 
wires that once soldered, basically lay there and act as circuit traces, and 
are never moved.  Even these can be present breakage problems (especially 
during the building/troubleshooting stage), so I'm very careful about when and 
where I'll use them, and I check everything with a magnifying glass.  

I, too, have used those very fine stranded wires that are found in those big 
multi-line telephone system trunk lines (usually about 50 to 100 wires per 
cable).  Get about ten feet of that stuff from a dumpster, and you'll be set for 
years, maybe even for life.  They're also usually nicely color-coded, too.  
Yes, the stripping and tinning the ends can get a bit tiresome.  I use this 
stuff only for point-to-point wiring on circuit boards, though, never for wiring 
subsystems together or for wiring front panel controls.  I take my gear out for 
gigs and tours (and build stuff for others that do), and it's just too thin 
and weak for that kind of duty.

Michael Bacich