Piano wire gripper design

[Humph7ey]

I am making a machine for making piano bass strings. What I need is some ideas of how to make a chuck for gripping the centre core of piano wire to hold it under tension. A drill chuck would not be suitable.

 

[Chiptosser]

have you looked at the grip jaws in a pop rivit gun?
There are two jaw and three jaw designs.

 

[Humph7ey]

Thank you for your interest. I think that it is a good idea, but it might be that the piano wire is too hard for the teeth to grip. I am thinking of 3 rollers that deform the wire and clamp it with some kind of spring loaded outer sleeve that can be retracted to allow release. I have looked all over the net with no luck. I have seen string making machines that have this but hope to make my own. I already use a simple clamp but would like to find something better.

 

[Humph7ey]

I think this is what I had in mind.

 

[Humph7ey]

I had a better idea using flat plate for the gripper teeth and I came up with this

 

[goldstar31]

I have my late wife's orthodontic box of specialist wire bending kit which includes surgeons locking pliers.
However if you are into musical things- as she was, why not Google Ferees Tools inc who have a myriad of useful tooling?

I recall making an English Mirror sailing dinghy and twisting wire with her orthodontic pliers pulling the plywood sheets together with wire before taping the seems with glass fibre tape and resin.

None of this follows your ideas but the above may help

Norman

 

[WSMkid]

Is there a reason a collet like device wouldn’t work?
GJ

 

[David Shealey]

How about just using an ER16 collet?

 

[MachineTom]

There are tools called bar puller, all sizes. Used in screw machines, cnc ECT.

 

[Paswest]

Check "wedge grips" in Google.
That what they used in a Wire-Mill.

 

[Humph7ey]

Thanks for your replies, sorry that I did not visit for a while. The wedge grips look interesting. How to accommodate it in a spinning chuck though.