Organizer for small wires?

[gavino200]

I'm looking for something to route small wires under the table. 20-30 WG. For larger wires I use those little U-shaped things that you nail into the board. Or you can get ones that stick by adhesive and can open/close. I guess I'm looking for tiny ones of those. The stores around here don't have anything small enough. And it looks like Radioshack have closed their stores here. 

 

Something with adhesive would be best. Or with a screw. I hate how hammering under the board causes a mini earthquake up above.

 

Thanks. 

[kvp]

Imho just look for self adhesive wire clamps. They come in many types, but once closed, they hold the wires no matter how small they are.

[inobu]

Gavino,

 

 

I use screws the type as I can move them. Get a box of short screws.half the thickness of you base.  

 

Try Arrow Electronics. They are like Digi Key and have a lot. The best thing is free next day shipping on $20+ orders.

 

Get a raspberry Pi 3 which is $30 the clips are like $.05 or something. Because the next day shipping is free it factors the Pi to be $17. What you can do with it 

is worth it.

Inobu

 

 

[gavino200]

Thanks guys. I'll check out Arrow.

 

Rasberry Pi looks good, but I've got a long way to go before I outgrow Arduino.

[cteno4]

Ebay also has a couple of small stickon wire clips that are convenient and cheap. I like this kind as you can keep clipping and unclipping wires w.o having to unscrew the d clip (done that too many times in my life)

 

small ones great for small wires

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/50x-Car-Wire-Cord-Cable-Holder-Tie-Clips-Fixer-Organizer-Drop-Adhesive-Clamp/152765029374?epid=2019320711&hash=item2391815bfe:g:JC8AAOSw9r1V787B

 

larger one

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10PCS-Creative-Self-Adhesive-Wire-Cable-Ties-Mounts-Clamp-Clip-Organizer-Holder/112294321798?hash=item1a25435e86:g:KP8AAOSwNnRYmBwA

 

I second arrow, good prices and selection. I'm shocked they still have the free shipping deal! It's been up for a long time now.

 

There is the eternal holy grail in wire management! I've done so many a/v installs and worked with many different installers and none have the perfect answer!

 

jeff

[gavino200]

Yes, those look nice. Shipping from HK will take too long. I'm hoping to use them next weekend. 

 

I'm going to use a combination of adhesive clips and nail-in clips with the nail swapped out with screws. I like these for routing wires. They make a nice pivot point. the adhesive clips are great for holding wires travelling along a straight path.

 

Not to try to work out what screw will fit a 6mm nail-in clip.

Edited November 6, 2017 by gavino200

[cteno4]

the marklin K track screws are perfect to replace small finishing nails like this. unfortunately they are harder to find now that trainaidsa is no longer in biz. there is a hobby shop in the us selling some, but ill have to see if i can find it. there are some new options from china on ebay and i just got some but have not yet had a chance to see how well they work. they are not as sharped tipped though so i fear they will require a tiny starter hole and not just be able to push them in hard then start turning to self tap.

 

some options, but again from china... M1.4x10 or M1.7x12

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1000Pcs-M1-4-M2-3-Countersunk-Head-Phillips-Self-tapping-Screw-Electronic-Screws/322149253641?hash=item4b01978209:m:miUomHZ3PF3oJEj713qhcag

[gavino200]

Those look perfect. It's no big deal if I need to make a pilot hole though. I ordered some of the nail-ins. I guess I'll take one to ace hardware when they arrive, and look through the drawers of screws till I find something that fits. I was hoping to do this in advance. I'm always amazed how much time these train projects take. 

[cteno4]

yeah they may have some small screws. sadly these tiny screws are very hard to find. the m1.4 x 12mm are no longer sold on ebay or other places. trainaidsa had a nice selection of these tiny screws he had made especially for the hobby, they were great. ill look to see if i can find the hobby shop that was selling a similar screw.

 

if you want i know i have at least 50 if not 100 or more here of the small clip style self stick i could send you and just order a new supply, i wont need them for another month on the club layout.

 

jeff

[cteno4]

i found the other potential source for small track screws, it was 

 

http://www.masterpiecemodules.com/T-trak_N_Scale.php

 

you need to contact them about buying screws, they will sell them, but dont have them listed on the site (they include track screws with their cnc ttrak modules).

 

also if found the other small screws that are on ebay i had lost track of.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1000-pcs-1-4mm-x-12mm-miniature-Self-Tapping-Track-Screws-Mini-Tiny-Black-Screws-/400487502256?hash=item5d3eea51b0:g:gm8AAMXQVs1RkK2D

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1000-pcs-ultra-slim-Mini-Tiny-Black-Self-Tapping-Track-Screws-1-2mm-x-12mm-/400459779546?hash=item5d3d434dda:g:gtEAAMXQ2q9RZOU4

 

jeff

[gavino200]

Yeah. I'd like to get the website if you think of it. If not, no big deal. 

 

Thanks for the offer. I already ordered some adhesive clips. Not quite as nifty as the ones you linked, but they'll work fine. 

 

On a related issue. You don't happen to have a source for some screws that fit the corner holes of those cheap little circuit boards. I found a perfect fit locally, but the store only had 11 of them. I need a few dozen. 

 

[gavino200]

7 minutes ago, cteno4 said:

i found the other potential source for small track screws, it was 

 

http://www.masterpiecemodules.com/T-trak_N_Scale.php

 

you need to contact them about buying screws, they will sell them, but dont have them listed on the site (they include track screws with their cnc ttrak modules).

 

also if found the other small screws that are on ebay i had lost track of.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1000-pcs-1-4mm-x-12mm-miniature-Self-Tapping-Track-Screws-Mini-Tiny-Black-Screws-/400487502256?hash=item5d3eea51b0:g:gm8AAMXQVs1RkK2D

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1000-pcs-ultra-slim-Mini-Tiny-Black-Self-Tapping-Track-Screws-1-2mm-x-12mm-/400459779546?hash=item5d3d434dda:g:gtEAAMXQ2q9RZOU4

 

jeff

 

Those are perfect. Thanks. I'll try to find a more local supplier.

[gavino200]

Nevermind the circuit board screw question. It seems, what I'm looking for are "M3" screws.

[cteno4]

The m is just the mm diameter of the screws. Machine screws work the best for the circuit boards.

 

also standoffs help with the pc boards. You can use these type of standoffs and use a m4 standoff with a m3 machine screw thru it. Cut off chunks of styrene tube can also do the trick.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nylon-Female-Column-HEX-Standoffs-Spacer-Double-Pass-Bracket-M2-M2-5-M3-M4/332044452856?hash=item4d4f6443f8:m:mOaq773qhLS8Jie6fyCZ5Og

 

jeff

[gavino200]

3 minutes ago, cteno4 said:

The m is just the mm diameter of the screws. Machine screws work the best for the circuit boards.

 

also standoffs help with the pc boards. You can use these type of standoffs and use a m4 standoff with a m3 machine screw thru it. Cut off chunks of styrene tube can also do the trick.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nylon-Female-Column-HEX-Standoffs-Spacer-Double-Pass-Bracket-M2-M2-5-M3-M4/332044452856?hash=item4d4f6443f8:m:mOaq773qhLS8Jie6fyCZ5Og

 

jeff

3 minutes ago, cteno4 said:

The m is just the mm diameter of the screws. Machine screws work the best for the circuit boards.

 

also standoffs help with the pc boards. You can use these type of standoffs and use a m4 standoff with a m3 machine screw thru it. Cut off chunks of styrene tube can also do the trick.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nylon-Female-Column-HEX-Standoffs-Spacer-Double-Pass-Bracket-M2-M2-5-M3-M4/332044452856?hash=item4d4f6443f8:m:mOaq773qhLS8Jie6fyCZ5Og

 

jeff

 

Thanks. Yes, I worked that out. I've been reading about screws. I bought a bunch of M3 x 16 mm, self tappers. I'm planning on attaching the boards to the underside of the layout. 

 

I have some simple plastic spacers that I'm going to use as standoffs. They don't look as good but they'll be behind the boards so it won't matter.

 

 

2 hours ago, cteno4 said:

i found the other potential source for small track screws, it was 

 

http://www.masterpiecemodules.com/T-trak_N_Scale.php

 

you need to contact them about buying screws, they will sell them, but dont have them listed on the site (they include track screws with their cnc ttrak modules).

 

also if found the other small screws that are on ebay i had lost track of.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1000-pcs-1-4mm-x-12mm-miniature-Self-Tapping-Track-Screws-Mini-Tiny-Black-Screws-/400487502256?hash=item5d3eea51b0:g:gm8AAMXQVs1RkK2D

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1000-pcs-ultra-slim-Mini-Tiny-Black-Self-Tapping-Track-Screws-1-2mm-x-12mm-/400459779546?hash=item5d3d434dda:g:gtEAAMXQ2q9RZOU4

 

jeff

 

Those are perfect. Thanks. I'll try to find a more local supplier.

[cteno4]

gavin,

 

found the hobby shop that sells the marklin K screws that are great for holding track and other small things. basically m1.4 x 10mm flat head screws.

 

http://www.firsthobby.com/store1/Product.asp?ProductID=MRK7599&SN=2012071223421188

 

jeff