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OT - (I guess) Origin of Zip Ties?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by DuckusCrapus, Sep 26, 2006.

  1. DuckusCrapus
    Joined: Jun 24, 2004
    Posts: 491

    DuckusCrapus
    Member

    ** I searched to see if this was posted in the past but didn't find anything. So forgive me if this is an old topicor it is unfit for posting. **

    So traditional is where we are, but I know we are all guilty of using the plastic saviors called Zip (zippy) ties at point or time.

    So does anyone know when these were invented? Can we get lucky and say NASA had developed these in 1952?

    Everytime I see those things on my car I wonder where or when they came from. Anyone know?



    DuckusCrapus
     
  2. Muttley
    Joined: Nov 30, 2003
    Posts: 18,500

    Muttley
    Member

    I have no idea who invented them/where they came from but I do know this................Zip Ties rule!!! I used to have a S-10 pickup that was mainly held together with them. When I moved my daughters crib from one house to another and my idiot ex lost most of the hardware I reassembled it with zip ties. As long as you have Zip Ties, duct tape and a set of sockets you can do pretty much anything.
     
  3. They were invented in 1958 by a company called Thomas & Betts. Go go to sleep, you rest easy now...
     
  4. DuckusCrapus
    Joined: Jun 24, 2004
    Posts: 491

    DuckusCrapus
    Member



    Ahhh....thank you very much. Here is a link to the companies site if anyone else is interested.


    http://www.tnb.com/ps/pubint/index.cgi?a=heritage



    DuckusCrapus
     

  5. BigChief
    Joined: Jan 14, 2003
    Posts: 2,084

    BigChief
    Member

    Try Google, ten minutes worth of digging next time.

    Patented in September 1971 by Eberhardt...in the form we recognize today.

    Ford used them to bundle groups of vacuum hoses on early SMOG systems in the late sixties but were made out of brass then.

    -Bigchief.
     
  6. scootermcrad
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 12,382

    scootermcrad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    An old-timer here at work used "wire wraps". We still have some here at work. He said everything was tied together with the string like material instead of "zipped" together with plastic stips. He didn't say what year that was, but based ont the fact he worked the Nevada Test Site in it's hayday, the implication was that it was in the early 50's he was doing that. So, if you're looking to get traditional with "wire wrapping" then prepare for finger exercises and practicing your knots.
     
  7. Invented by Bill Griffith.

    [​IMG]
     
  8. How did you get my Senior picture?
     
  9. Thomass & Betts still make the best crimpers for wire ends. (Sta-kons)
    And I have always called the "zip ties" Ty-wraps.
    During the sixties, all elevator controller wiring was tied with string. And very neat, too.
     
  10. scootermcrad
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 12,382

    scootermcrad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    If anyone has some pictures of this, I would really like to see this. Was thinking of doing my wiring like this. Sorta' hardcore, but looks cool when it's done!
     
  11. Chebby belair
    Joined: Apr 17, 2006
    Posts: 849

    Chebby belair
    Member
    from Australia

    I trained on wax string looms way back when I was in avionics (fairly common on lears etc) - BIG emphasis on neatness and a lotta work to get it right. Cable ties are a whole lot easier but dont look anywhere near as cool. Maybe one of the sky guys can help.
     
  12. hey we did a post a while back asking the "traditional" method for the alternative to zip ties the best answer we got was wax string so thats what we did on my modified. Zip ties only where people wont ever see them.

     
  13. Prop Strike
    Joined: Feb 18, 2006
    Posts: 651

    Prop Strike
    Member

    The wax string is the way to go. The standard knot is a clove hitch topped off with a square knot. Still, ty-raps are great. Like saltflataddict said, I try and keep em to a minimum and out of sight as much as possible.
     
  14. Power companies used waxed string to tie together wire harnesses in the relay room . . . and there were a helluva lot of wires.

    When Zip Ties came in, waxed string fell out of favor with most.

    The first ones I came by were white nylon.
    Some had a small spring steel tab and later ones were all nylon.

    Note the white Zips tying the wire harness to the firewall ledge in the pic of the Rocket motor in my 50 ford coupe.

    Pic taken circa 1962.

    It'll really help if you get one of the Zip tools that stretch the tie before it's cut.

    If you just cut em with a pair of side cutters - dikes - you'll leave a sharp edge.
    It'll cut you to pieces if you're working on the car and rest your forearm on a Zip Tied wire harness.
     

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  15. Prop Strike
    Joined: Feb 18, 2006
    Posts: 651

    Prop Strike
    Member

    My pet peeve, ty-raps that aren't cut with flush cut dikes. Just as bad as safety wire.
     
  16. zibo
    Joined: Mar 17, 2002
    Posts: 2,361

    zibo
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    from dago ca

    so what about electrical tape? TP
     
  17. Big Pete
    Joined: Aug 7, 2005
    Posts: 364

    Big Pete
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    After you stretch them tight nick the corner edge of the "tongue sticking out" and give it a wiggle it will break off clean and leave nothing sharp out.
     
  18. HemiDave
    Joined: Aug 7, 2006
    Posts: 471

    HemiDave
    Member
    from Austin, TX

    At work I use some from Japan that have little tabs on them that let you release and reuse them.

    Dave
     
  19. I never even thought about how appropriate a zip-tie would look in a period ride until now. The tying technique sounds pretty neat and thanks to my many years in the Boy Scouts I can do that too.
     
  20. Bugman
    Joined: Nov 17, 2001
    Posts: 3,483

    Bugman
    Member

    I've never seen waxxed string tied wires. Anyone care to post a good closeup pic?
     
  21. terrarodder
    Joined: Sep 9, 2005
    Posts: 1,101

    terrarodder
    Member
    from EASTERN PA

    I live near the plant that makes Mack trucks, the workers there call them chicken bands and so does everyone else that works on cars.
     
  22. Slide
    Joined: May 11, 2004
    Posts: 3,021

    Slide
    Member

    Of course that the correct way to do it, but I've had marginal success at touching the dyke-cut sharp edges with a soldering iron to melt them down flush with the "knot". This makes them only 64.3% as sharp as the freshly cut ones.:eek:
     
  23. zibo
    Joined: Mar 17, 2002
    Posts: 2,361

    zibo
    Member
    from dago ca

    if you use a razorblade you can slice them flush with the base. TP
     
  24. xlr8
    Joined: Jun 26, 2006
    Posts: 700

    xlr8
    Member
    from Idaho

    Zip ties, velcro, mylar, and several other whiz bang inventions we take for granted nowadays were all reverse engineered from the UFO that crashed in Roswell in 1947. ;)
     

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