Hello,

I am in need of 2 springs for a shock absorbing light landing gear. I have tried beinding 1/16" music wire, but it is far too stiff. Dimensions of spring would be about 3/16" diameter, with a 1/2" straight section on each end of spring. Any help? Thank You in advance.

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bert

Try your local old fashioned Auto parts store. They normally have a good selection of springs in the, "Doorman", bins. That is the name of the company that sells the specialty springs and fastners to the automative trades. I have, for years used these as a source of much needed, and hard to find screws, clips and springs. I said old fashioned auto parts store, as opposed to the new blister pack stores. These new stores normally do have the part that you need, they just don't have the employees that care enough to help you.

Bill, AMA 4720

My local Ace Hardware store has several boxes of springs. When you find the correct tension the ends can be straightened to accommodate your needs.

Finding a real Hardware store is a challenge but a few still exist.

Bill

If all else fails, take apart a couple of ball point pens (cheapies ) and use the springs from them.

I think music wire can be softened and re-hardened again. Somewhere there is a thread on that and I have no clue what keyword to use - but its here at RCU - that is your answer to a custom spring.

More coils or thinner wire equals softer spring.

Sorry this is all I have in my head for springs, but good luck.

You might want to look at RC Car springs at the hobby shop. Usually there are many many different shock spring sizes and weight. Maybe you can straighten the sections that you need from one of those possibly.

If 1/16" music wire is too stiff then why not keep going down in size until you get the spring you want? Springs are easy to make by wrapping music wire around another piece of music wire. But then nothing is easier than just having the right spring in the first place which is why any time I'm about to toss out something with gizmos in it I take it apart first and salvage anything that could be useful.

I have used springs from ACE Hardware to modify and adjust robart struts. Ace has about 100 small springs to choose from for about a dime a piece.