Suggested uses for those plastic zip ties?

G

Geoff in Philly

Joined
Mar 7, 2000
Messages
458
You know, those 8" plastic strips that have a ratchet closure sold in hardware stores to bundle electrical wiring..I saw on another thread that many use these instead of 550 cord. I wonder if you have used them for other than their intended purpose. How do they hold up in rugged use?
 
They are actually available in many more lengths than 8". They are also available in a variey of "gauges". I used relatively short, very thin ones to guide or bundle brake and derailleur cables when I was a bike mechanic. Where I work now, we use long heavy-duty zip ties to hang polycarbonate windshields on the forklifts. These are used to feed solid ingots into our melt furnaces. They withstand radiant heat pretty effectively, but do not fare so well when splashed by molten aluminum. Civilian and military police use plain or specially modified zip-ties as expedient restraints in situations where there are likely to be many arrests.

These are just a few "snapshots" of uses. I think zip-ties can be counted on to reliably perform many other tasks. That said, I'm not ready to ditch my 550 cord to make room for them. Paracord is just too versatile to be replaced. It can do nearly everything that zip-ties can, plus it can be cut to length, braided for strength, peeled for thinner line and is much easier to reuse.
 
One's been holding the driver's side of my radiator shroud on for about seven thousand miles. Holding up fine, even under the hood where it gets pretty hot in summer and cold in winter when I'm not driving.
 
i use them to "lock" luggage, when flying, keeps the zippers closed and i just cut them off when i get there, put new ones on when i return.
 
Zip ties have dozens of uses. I use the 4" minis to secure the actuator on BIC lighters in my minikits. I've used 6-8" versions in the construction of shelters and in securing tents or tarps. Longer ones are kept on hand for emergency flexcuffs or a myriad of other uses. Imagination is your only limit.

Mike
 
Don't forget, you can daisy chain them together for longer and longer overall lengths. I will not give up on 550, but wire ties are handy to have around.
 
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