A use for strimmer line

[Alec Turnbull]

Not so much as a money saver as a time saver.

Recently after a heavy ish (clumsy!) landing the tail on my Rex glider came adrift and snapped the inner part of the control snake, which was a SLEC lightweight, the one with a yellow outer and a white inner. I didn't have a spare long enough so as it was a straight run I just substituted a length of thin piano wire a bit stiff but as it was straight no problem.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and this morning I was replacing the strimmer line on my electric strimmer, when finished I replaced it in the garage where it lives near my models and spied the old bit of snake lying on a work table and I suddenly wondered if the strimmer line would fit and work on the SLEC outer......well it does.

 

This is what I used 1.6mm, bought on E Bay as i was too lazy to go to the garden centre

 

 

Fits in the yellow outer and slides with no resistance

 

 

A bit curley but when warm does tease straight, it needs to be cut with a sharp blade rather than side cutters.

 

These snakes are quite expensive someone on e bay wanted £10 ish posted for a SLEC, now there are no model shops left I cant pop down the road and pick one up.

[Futura57]

Now we just need a cheap alternative to the yellow outer tube 😀

[PDB]

22 minutes ago, Futura57 said:

Now we just need a cheap alternative to the yellow outer tube 😀

Would 3d printer bowden tube with an internal diameter of 2mm work?

 

https://thepihut.com/products/ptfe-bowden-tube-for-1-75mm-filament

Edited May 16 by PDB

[Nigel R]

For commercial alternatives, Dubro Lazer Rods are still "reasonably priced", and are as good as the Sullivan fluted snakes (which are now silly money).

 

The SLEC fluted blue/yellow ones are nearly as good but seem to have a slightly 'looser' fit by comparison, but still perfectly good for straight control runs.

 

No connection beyond happy customer, etc.