Making a body cord

[Windsor]

This is a spin off of the other thread, I was wondering what you guys use to make a body cord?

1. The wire I was thinking about 16-18 gauge wire, like speaker cable, is 18 too thin?

2. The alligator clips aren't too pricey or hard to find, I guess my club has a bunch of the regulation ones on hand.

3. The prongs, anyone find prongs that fit from like Radio Shack or something like that for a good price?

4. The plastic thingies that hold the prongs together, how would one go about making one? Or do you just have to buy them?

5. Anything else I'm missing? Thanks!

[neevel]

18 g speaker wire is what I use for making most body cords (for
Leon Paul plugs, 22 g is what fits best). You're best off just
buying the plugs-- they're fencing-specific, and it'll be more trouble than it's worth to make them yourself (unless you really like to feel self-sufficient about such things). The fat (3 mm) pins are the same diameter as standard bananna-jack plugs, but you're not going to find the 2-mm pin at Radio Shack (not to mention any of the bayonet type plugs).

Even buying the plugs, you'll still save money over buying complete cords. Remember that the crocodile clip needs to be soldered to the wire, not just screwed down, to comply with the rules. Also, for German-style plugs it's a good idea to use a length of heat-shrink or flexible PVC tubing around the wire right where it emerges from the plug for stress relief.

-Dave

[fred]

18 ga. speaker wire works well for me also. (Get some oxygen-free Monster cable for that nanosecond edge in your touch getting to the box. )

If you have access to some ABS plastic bar stock, a drill, a milling machine, and lots of time on your hands, I suppose you could make the plugs as well. For French plugs you could dispense with the milling machine if you have the right size stock and don't mind them being square, or even more time on your hands and a file.

I suppose you could make them out of hardwood, too...actually that might look kind of retro cool, I'll have to think about that....

I don't think it's worth the like $5 for the plug and pins, since the pins are $5 by themselves bought separately, unless you go the wood route and use a nice rosewood or ironwood, and it impresses babes

[Dee EffEll]

Anybody have a source for purchasing that 3 connector zip cord like is used by Uhlmann, BG and Prieur? I have looked high and lo to find some to make epee cords, but have yet to find someone that has it in a spool for a reasoanble price.