MYO utility line stringing tool

[gary60s]

I’ve strung utility lines with great success using Ezline. I used 2 helping hands to hold the line while fastening to the utility poles. The spool that Ezline comes on is 2 ¾” in diameter, which makes it difficult to work with in N scale. The “helping hands” and clamping type tweezers make it even harder. It can be done, and it worked for me, but it was tedious.

Enter another modeler with a suggestion to use a small bobbin, and make a “line stringing tool”. That got the ball rolling, and the pictures show the results. It is made from a triangular piece of plastic with adjustable tripod type legs (for uneven terrain). The bobbin is also plastic from a sewing store (29 cents). The legs, eyelets, and bobbin support were bent from #14 house wire. The alligator clip was from Radio Shack (32 cents) and was soldered on the 2nd eyelet leg. I put a metal nut on the base for added weight, but found that it wasn’t necessary. You can make your own for less than a buck!

Here are pics, sketches, and a template for making your own utility line stringing tool. PDF template included.

Materials:
1 foot of #14 solid copper house wire (building supply)
.011 thick clear acrylic plastic scrap to make a 1 1/2" triangle (hardware store)
1 #66 plastic bobbin (sewing store)
3/8" long piece of Plastruct #90202 3/16" square tube (lhs)
1 alligator clip (Radio shack)

The first sketch is not a template, it just shows the dimensions for cutting and bending of the #14 wire. Eyelets and bends can be done with needle nosed pliers. The second sketch is a template for the base.

Once you have the triangle cut, holes drilled, and wires cut to length, follow the directions below, referring to pics listed.

Pic a shows all materials ready for assembly.

Before inserting wire legs into holes, one end of the legs should be filed or sanded round, and the other end crimped. This allows the legs to fit into the leg holes, but are stopped by the crimped end. Pic b shows one leg inserted and pulled down to the crimped end. Repeat for other 2 legs.

Pic c shows 3 legs inserted into holes and bent 90 degrees.