I frequently see tips calling for the use of piano wire. Short of knowing someone who works on pianos, how does one go about finding piano wire?
Can someone clue me in on this? Are there vendors of the stuff in small quantities?
Most hobby shops that deal with flying model aircraft will have an assortment of it. It’s used for control wires inside the model. I think K&S is the name of one manufacturer. Don’t try to cut it with regular wire cutters because it’s very hard and will damage the cutter’s edge. Micro-Mark and other suppliers have special cutters designed for cutting it, or you can use a cut off wheel in a Dremel Tool.
Hope this helps,
Tom Watkins
Thanks Tom,
I’ve got some K&S brass tubing around, so I’m familiar with the brand. I didn’t know they made piano wire though. I’ll take a look at the hobby shop.
Greetings!
Quick question: What is the piano wire used for? 
Thanks!
-Dale
Pianos. Rods to control manual switches from the side of layouts. FRED
Piano wire is steel wire in a variety of sizes. That available in hobby shops is straightened and cut in lengths about 30-36" long and come is a variety of sizes from a couple of thousandths of an inch to about 1/16" in diameter. It is far stronger than brass for the same size. It has also been used for making catenary for electric engines. I used it to create the inductive radio receiver on PRR engines as it is almost indestructable. It is a material much more widely used in radio controlled planes, cars and boats to act as a linkage between the servo motor and the appropriate device being moved.
Pianos? Really??? 
I thought I read somewhere that you can use it as some sort of a spring to hold switch points tight to one side or the other? Anyone else hear of this or am I using my paint in too small of an area again? hehe
Thanks!
-Dale
Yes, you can use it as a “spring” to hold switch points. You use a small piece to go up into the bar from the bottom and attach it to your rod or cable or switch machine. Look at old model mags from the 60’s and 70’s for such uses. You can also put a stick on the ends and “saw” out windshields. A piece of piano wire and two handles use to be a mafia execution tool before they started using 22s. We use to use a 1/8 piece to launch rockets back when premade launchers from Estes seemed expensive. FRED
Notice how all the ads by google on the right of this page are for pianos? FRED
Hmm, creative programming in advertising eh? I bet if we talked about Pamela Anderson or Brittney Spears other things may happen??!!?? haha
-Dale
Piano wire is also listed in the Walthers catalog if you have a copy.
Fred,
Sounds like I could use this technique on my tunneled under table returns to help in reducing the possibility of derailment at a point where I can not see the train. What diameter wire would you recommend?
On these 2 turnouts I am using Atlas #6 code 83 and Altas remote switch machines.
The atlas machine will not work in this situation. It doesn’t have a positive enough lock to keep the wire spring in tension. I use choke cables and/or rods and use a aprox .040 piano wire as the spring. You can also use “motor” type machines like tortiose, but not coil types. FRED
MR had an article a couple of months ago on manual turnout control which mentioned the piano wire toggle springs for turnouts. They were also discussed and illustrated several years ago in the Alkali Central project railroad. they’re very easy to make and install, and hold the points against the stock rail with sufficient pressure to ensure good conductivity. When the are painted to match the ties they are almost invisible. I use them for all my manually operated turnouts and think they’re great.
Tom Watkins