I've just re-discovered about forty feet of old cable in the back of my old French barn, and suddenly realised that it looks just like WM20 wiring - but it isn't!

It is exactly 5mm in diameter, matt black (not the bluish shade in my photo) and looks very much like rubber, but it's definately a type of plastic. It's very flexible, but stays where you put it, and, as the picture shows, it is seven strand, single core.

Although this is probably not automotive cable, is there any technical reason why I can't use it to make my loom.
Scorp.

email (option): wm20@scorpionvideo.net

For what I can see the cable looks man enough to carry the current without to much voltage drop, the problem will be its lack of flexibility, it will be ok on nice fixed positions but no use where it travels from the frame to the fork area, the movement from side to side of the forks will soon fracture the thick strands, this area must have multi cored wire.

You can use modern thick-coated PVC multi-strand cable dulled down with a scotch-pad (thanks Rik !) which looks about right........

There's also a UK seller on Ebay now selling modern rubber-coated cable.....and very reasonable too........

email (option): sjmwdbikemad@aol.co.uk

On the same theme, does anyone know of a supplier of cloth braid for making looms? Everything i can find is polyester etc...im sure it used to be available from a classic car electrics company but i cant find it nowadays.

As for the cable above it looks more like household cable and isnt designed to flex at all.
Chris

email (option): chris@mgowner.co.uk

Chris, I've bought cotton braided copper cored flex & cotton wiring harness sleeving from these people in the past.
http://www.completeautomobilist.com/
Also I've found a nice selection of braided cable on a US site that posts to UK who do the asphalt/cotton loom covering & some nice cotton braided copper flex wire in two sizes & 10 colours.
http://www.lowbrowcustoms.com/search-list/?q=wire

Chris, I've bought cotton braided copper cored flex & cotton wiring harness sleeving from these people in the past.
http://www.completeautomobilist.com/
Also I've found a nice selection of braided cable on a US site that posts to UK who do the asphalt/cotton loom covering & some nice cotton braided copper flex wire in two sizes & 10 colours.
http://www.lowbrowcustoms.com/search-list/?q=wire