Jack Richeson 3/8", 10' Aluminum Armature Wire

this stuff is perfect for what I do, it hasn't broke in me yet.

I have never tried armature this heavy so wasn't sure what to expect. It is quite sturdy and right at the limit of what I can bend by hand without putting my weight into it. Great for long support runs.

Exactly what I needed. It IS quite thick and sturdy but can be easily cut with a rotary pipe cutting tool and bent with a pair or pliers and elbow grease . Will definitely buy again .

great armature wire. It is weldable which is what I was looking for- soft annealed and pliable but be advised 3/8" wire is very difficult to bend with hands unless over 6" long for leverage.

We use it to make frames for balloon sculptures. works perfectly.

I've found it difficult in the past to find aluminum armature wire this thick. And, believe me, this stuff IS quite thick -- about as big around as my little finger.In the past, I've generally used 1/4" aluminum armature because it bends fairly easily by hand while still being sufficiently supportive. Plus it isn't usually difficult to find. So, while I do have a specific use for this thicker-diameter wire, I'll probably stick with the 1/4" and 1/8" options for most things that I do.As far as "bendability," there's a significant difference to be had between the 1/4" and the 3/8." That extra 1/8 of an inch makes the wire *considerably* more difficult to bend by hand. In fact, while I can bend gentle curves by hand using every bit of arm strength that I can muster, it requires tools or clamps for me to create a sharper bend.But using tools is where the trouble lies. Because aluminum armature wire is so soft, it's easily marred, gouged, or flattened using tools with any degree of pinching pressure. What works for me is to slide the armature wire into a short (1-2") section of copper or steel tubing. I keep odds and ends of more rigid metal tubing and I choose a short section that slides over the armature wire. If it's important that the wire not be marred in any way, you can even wrap a small bit of felt, latex, or fabric over it and then slide into a metal tubing sleeve. Using the short metal sleeve helps me by protecting the aluminum wire and puts most of the tool clamping pressure on the tubing sleeve instead.I've used the Richeson aluminum wires before in smaller sizes. I prefer those that come in cellophane packaging because they arrive in better shape. This version in 3/8" arrived in the coil as shown in the product page pic, but doesn't come inside the normal cellophane bag that smaller sizes do. As a result, it has some marring here and there on the wire, whereas the cellophane-packaged  Richeson 1/4 Inch Armature Wire  that I ordered at the same time had no marring. While little scratches aren't necessarily a problem (other than cosmetically), any gouges can affect the ongoing strength of aluminum armature. It isn't likely to be an issue with this ultra-thick wire, because it's unlikely that anyone would be using it for a purpose that requires lots of repeated bending back and forth (mainly because of how difficult it is to bend). However, any gouges on 1/16," 1/8" or 1/4" aluminum wire can be a big problem for uses where there will be repeated bending at the same point (like for stop-frame animation). Repeated bending right at a gouge or area of imperfection can result in the wire breaking at that spot.I looked at the coil when it arrived and doubted that it held 10 feet of wire. However, after measuring, I was pleased to find 10 feet -- plus several extra inches.

I combed through product reviews and asked questions before purchasing. Unfortunately, the wire is too stiff for my use. It was a waste of $30 and now I'm starting my search all over again!

True to what other reviews have stated, that it definitely takes some elbow grease to move it. I used it as a skeleton to my grapple dummy, and it worked out ok. Only thing I didn't like is the amount of chemical residue on the rod itself.