Coiling & Storage

Part of Wire Drawing

Properly coiling and storing wire to prevent kinks, tangles, and corrosion.

Why This Matters

Drawing wire is one of the most labor-intensive processes in a rebuilding civilization. Hours of work at the draw bench produce coils that represent enormous invested effort. Poor storage can destroy that investment in days — iron wire left unprotected rusts into uselessness within a single wet season, and improperly coiled copper develops kinks that weaken it and make it unsuitable for precision winding work.

In an industrial world, wire arrives on precision-wound spools with protective packaging. You will have neither. Your wire comes off the draw bench in irregular lengths that must be hand-coiled, labeled, and stored in whatever dry space you can secure. The techniques in this article are the difference between a wire stockpile that serves your community for years and a tangled, corroded mess that forces you to re-draw everything.

Good coiling technique also matters at the point of use. Wire that uncoils smoothly and lies flat saves time during fence building, electrical winding, and construction. Wire that springs into tangles wastes time, creates weak spots from re-bending, and tests the patience of everyone involved.

Coiling Technique

The Figure-Eight Coil

The most important coiling technique for wire storage is the figure-eight coil. Unlike a simple circular coil, a figure-eight introduces a half-twist on every pass, which means the wire has zero net twist when uncoiled. This prevents the “memory” problem where wire springs off in unpredictable directions.

Steps:

1. Hold the wire end in your non-dominant hand at waist height
2. With your dominant hand, sweep the wire away from you and up in a clockwise loop, bringing it back to your holding hand — this is the top of the “8”
3. Without pausing, sweep the wire away again but this time in a counter-clockwise loop — this is the bottom of the “8”
4. Repeat, alternating directions, keeping each loop the same diameter
5. When finished, bind the coil at three points equally spaced around its circumference

Coil Diameter Rule

The coil diameter should be at least 20 times the wire diameter for soft wire, and at least 40 times for hard-drawn wire. For 2 mm hard-drawn iron wire, that means coils at least 80 mm (about 8 cm) across. Smaller coils introduce permanent bends.

Simple Circular Coiling

For wire that will be used quickly (within days) or for very fine wire under 0.5 mm, a simple circular coil is acceptable. Wind the wire around a form — a section of log, a bucket, or a purpose-made mandrel. Maintain consistent tension as you wind. Tie off in at least two places before removing from the form.

Coiling Around a Spool

For long production runs, build simple spools from wood. A spool consists of a central axle with a disc (flange) at each end. The axle diameter should follow the minimum bend radius rule (20-40x wire diameter). Flanges prevent the coil from walking sideways.

Simple spool construction:

1. Cut a round wood dowel or turn a cylinder on a pole lathe — 50-150 mm diameter depending on wire gauge
2. Cut two circular discs from flat board, diameter 200-400 mm
3. Drill center holes and attach discs to each end of the cylinder
4. Drill a small hole through one flange near the axle to anchor the wire end

Wind wire onto the spool under moderate, consistent tension. Avoid crossing layers — each wrap should sit neatly beside the previous one. When a layer is complete, begin the next layer on top, winding in the opposite direction.

Binding and Securing

An unbound coil is a hazard. The stored spring energy in hard-drawn wire can cause a coil to explode open violently, potentially injuring anyone nearby and hopelessly tangling the wire.

Binding Methods

Three-point tie: The minimum for any coil. Use short lengths of soft wire or cord to tie the coil at three equally-spaced points around its circumference. Wrap twice and twist tight.

Continuous spiral wrap: For long-term storage, wrap soft binding wire in a spiral around the outside of the coil, spacing wraps about 50 mm apart. This prevents individual strands from working loose.

Tag end securing: Always secure both free ends of the wire. Tuck them under adjacent wraps and bend sharply to lock them in place. A loose end that catches on something can unravel an entire coil.

Label Everything

Attach a tag to every coil identifying: metal type, diameter, temper (soft/half-hard/hard), date drawn, and approximate length. In a few months you will not remember which coil is which, and testing by bending or measuring wastes time and material.

Corrosion Prevention

Iron and Steel Wire

Iron wire is the most vulnerable to corrosion. Unprotected iron begins rusting within hours in humid conditions. Protection options, from simplest to most effective:

1. Oil or grease coating: Rub the coil with any available oil — linseed, rendered animal fat, or mineral oil. Reapply every 3-6 months. Effective for indoor storage in moderate climates.

2. Wax dipping: Melt beeswax or tallow and dip the entire coil. Creates a more durable coating than oil. Wax must be removed before use in electrical applications.

3. Pine tar coating: Heat pine tar until fluid, dip or brush onto the coil. Excellent long-term protection for fencing and structural wire. Very difficult to remove — only use for wire destined for outdoor mechanical use.

4. Wrapping in oiled cloth: Coat a rag or strip of fabric with oil, wrap around the coil, and tie. Provides both a physical barrier and chemical protection.

5. Galvanizing: Dip in molten zinc (420 C). The best protection but requires zinc supply and a heated pot. Do this before coiling if possible.

Copper Wire

Copper does not rust but develops a green patina (verdigris) that increases electrical resistance. For electrical-grade copper wire:

1. Store in the driest space available
2. Wrap in clean, dry cloth — avoid oily rags as some oils accelerate copper oxidation
3. If long-term storage is needed, coat lightly with beeswax
4. Before use, clean contact surfaces with fine sand or a vinegar-soaked cloth

Brass and Bronze Wire

These alloys have good natural corrosion resistance. Light oiling is sufficient for most storage conditions. Avoid contact with ammonia or urine, which can cause stress-corrosion cracking in brass.

Storage Environment

Ideal Conditions

The best wire storage environment is:

• Dry: Below 50% relative humidity. The single most important factor.
• Temperature-stable: Avoid locations that cycle between hot and cold, which causes condensation.
• Off the ground: At least 150 mm above floor level to avoid ground moisture.
• Away from acids: Do not store near vinegar, fermenting foods, or battery acid — the fumes accelerate corrosion of all metals.
• Dark: Not critical, but UV does degrade some protective coatings.

Practical Storage Solutions

Hanging storage: Drive wooden pegs into a wall and hang coils from them. This keeps wire off the ground, allows air circulation on all sides, and makes inventory visible at a glance. Space pegs at least 100 mm apart so coils do not touch.

Shelf storage: Build simple wooden shelves in a dry building. Store coils standing on edge (not stacked flat) so moisture cannot pool. Place a layer of dry straw or sawdust on the shelf as a moisture buffer.

Chest storage: For the most valuable wire (fine copper for electrical work), store in a lidded wooden chest with a layer of charcoal or quicklime in the bottom as a desiccant. Wrap each coil individually in dry cloth. This provides protection even in humid climates.

Underground storage: Avoid if possible. Cellars and root cellars have high humidity that destroys iron wire rapidly. If underground storage is unavoidable, use heavy wax or tar coatings and check monthly.

Organizing Your Stock

Arrange wire storage by metal type first, then by gauge, then by temper. A practical organization:

Section	Contents
Left wall	Iron wire — heavy gauge (3 mm+)
Left wall, lower	Iron wire — medium gauge (1-3 mm)
Center shelf	Iron wire — fine gauge (under 1 mm)
Right wall	Copper wire — all gauges
Right wall, lower	Brass/bronze wire
Chest	Fine copper for electrical work

Uncoiling and Dispensing

Preventing Kinks During Uncoiling

Kinks are permanent damage points that weaken wire by 50% or more. Prevention is critical:

1. Never pull wire from the inside of a coil. Always uncoil from the outside.
2. Mount the coil on a rotating support — a peg, a nail, or a lazy-susan arrangement — so it can spin freely as wire pays out.
3. Maintain slight back-tension as you uncoil. Let the wire feed through a loose fist to keep it under control.
4. Straighten as you go. For critical applications, pull wire through a simple wooden straightening jig — two rows of offset pegs that flex the wire back and forth, removing coil memory.

Straightening Jig

Build a simple wire straightener from a block of hardwood:

1. Cut a board 300 mm long, 50 mm wide, 30 mm thick
2. Drill two rows of holes, offset from each other, 30 mm spacing
3. Insert hardwood pegs or smooth iron pins in each hole, protruding 20 mm above the surface
4. Thread wire through the pegs in a serpentine path
5. Pull wire through steadily — it emerges straight

For different wire gauges, make jigs with different peg spacings. Fine wire needs closer pegs; heavy wire needs wider spacing and sturdier pegs.

Recoiling Unused Wire

If you uncoil more wire than needed, do not simply wind it back loosely. Take the time to recoil it properly using the figure-eight method and bind it. Loose, unbound wire in your stockpile is a guaranteed future tangle.

Inventory Management

In a rebuilding community, wire is a strategic material. Track your inventory:

• Count coils weekly or after any significant draw bench session
• Estimate remaining length by weighing coils (weigh a known 1-meter sample first, then divide total coil weight by sample weight)
• Track consumption by project — knowing that a fence requires X meters per section helps plan future draw bench sessions
• Maintain a minimum reserve of at least 50 meters of electrical-grade copper wire and 100 meters of general-purpose iron wire. When stocks hit this floor, prioritize drawing more before starting new projects.