Ok I Give Up! Does Anyone Know Where I Can Buy Some Strong, Thin Cord

[Mobi]

I have these bamboo blinds on my terrace which are lowered in the afternoons to keep the terrace in shade.

The cord on them lasts about 6 months and then needs replacing. The shop that installed them charges a small fortune every time I call them out. I don't blame them, as it is quite a bit of bother, but I am sure I could 're-cord' them myself if I could find the material.

I have tried a few of the home/harware shops, and even places that sell blinds, but can't find any source for the cord. Eventually it frays through the narrow metal pulleys, so it must be quite smooth and strong.

Thanks for any help

[monty]

Not sure how strong /thin the cord has to be!

You might try try boat/yacht hardware shops, they tend to have a selection of high quality rope etc...

You have one on the corner of Sukhumvit road/ road into Naklua (expensive) and another one, more geared towards the fishermen (cheaper) is located on Naklua road, when coming from Pattaya, just past the Naklua traffic lights on the left side. Looks like a regular hardware store but is heavily geared towards fishing boat equipment...

Another possibility might be replacing them with the thinnest metal stranded cable you can find, the one used for bycicle brakes etc.

[sinom]

thin nylon rope from most Thai hardware stores ? - maybe too thick ??

nylon kite string ? not sure where to get it ? same palce - Thai hardware store.

The above suggestion of the Naklua boat shop is good but maybe not thin enough string

cheers

[Mobi]

Not sure how strong /thin the cord has to be!

You might try try boat/yacht hardware shops, they tend to have a selection of high quality rope etc...

You have one on the corner of Sukhumvit road/ road into Naklua (expensive) and another one, more geared towards the fishermen (cheaper) is located on Naklua road, when coming from Pattaya, just past the Naklua traffic lights on the left side. Looks like a regular hardware store but is heavily geared towards fishing boat equipment...

Another possibility might be replacing them with the thinnest metal stranded cable you can find, the one used for bycicle brakes etc.

Hi Monty. thanks for the advice. Do you mean Soi Pottisarn from Sukhumvit to Naklua, or the road further down towards the market? (going North?)

The wire won't work as I have to pull the blinds up and down, and I think it would cut my hands.

[doctormann]

Mobi

I don't know if this will be any use but Tesco Sukhumvit stock the type of Nylon sheathed cord that is used for opening / closing curtains. Seems to be OK and I am gradually replacing all of my curtain cords as the originals fail.

DM

[Humphrey Bear]

The bicycle brake wire doesn't work - I had venetian blinds on my double doors in Jeddah a few years ago - tried all sorts of cord. The problem is partly the locking device on the blinds that bites into the cord. Also the cord sold for the blinds is a cheap type with a woven cover over a bunch of straight-run threads. The whole cord is not a unit, but separate compnents.

I just used a plain ball of string in the end - didn't last any longer, but was very cheap to replace.

And the less you raise / lower / lock these blinds, the longer the cord survives.

[Mobi]

thin nylon rope from most Thai hardware stores ? - maybe too thick ??

nylon kite string ? not sure where to get it ? same palce - Thai hardware store.

The above suggestion of the Naklua boat shop is good but maybe not thin enough string

cheers

Kite string might work - anyone know of a kite shop?

the cord is about 2mm thick , so I doubt any nylon string would be that thin. It might also casue problems with 'hand burn' but worth looking into.

Thanks.

[Mobi]

The bicycle brake wire doesn't work - I had venetian blinds on my double doors in Jeddah a few years ago - tried all sorts of cord. The problem is partly the locking device on the blinds that bites into the cord. Also the cord sold for the blinds is a cheap type with a woven cover over a bunch of straight-run threads. The whole cord is not a unit, but separate compnents.

I just used a plain ball of string in the end - didn't last any longer, but was very cheap to replace.

And the less you raise / lower / lock these blinds, the longer the cord survives.

Stupid question I know - but where do you get your balls of string? I can't find any.

Also, nothing to do with my blinds - but I have the same problem trying to track down elastic bands. Can't find them anywhere - I've tried stationery shops and super markets - or maybe I'm just blind

Ooh.. sorry ... just realised you are in Jeddah_ - I'm not going there to get my string

Edited May 23, 2007 by Mobi D'Ark

[rak sa_ngop]

What about Dental floss? Useful for stitching shoes amongst other things.

[Humphrey Bear]

Stupid question I know - but where do you get your balls of string? I can't find any.

Pattaya Tai - South side - a few shops East of Hollywood - there was a shop selling stationery. I've bought string in there before, when I was moving house.

Also, nothing to do with my blinds - but I have the same problem trying to track down elastic bands. Can't find them anywhere - I've tried stationery shops and super markets - or maybe I'm just blind

The bloody things perish in no time - probably why there is no stock. I steal them from the office

Ooh.. sorry ... just realised you are in Jeddah_ - I'm not going there to get my string

Not in Jeddah any more - that was eight years ago. Built Suvarnabhumi since then, and renovated Clarke Quay in Singapore. Now I'm back in Sandland - a couple of hundred kilometres away from Jeddah, surrounded by sand.

[Rimmer]

They sell packs of the stuff in the curtain dept at HomePro maybe also HomeWorks as well. Only problem is that it is white but it is the correct stuff.

Nylon will not work as it degrades in the sunshine quite quickly.

Edited May 23, 2007 by Rimmer

[Mobi]

They sell packs of the stuff in the curtain dept at HomePro maybe also HomeWorks as well. Only problem is that it is white but it is the correct stuff.

Nylon will not work as it degrades in the sunshine quite quickly.

Thanks Rimmer. I searched in the curtain dept of Homepro a few months back and couldn't find anything.

As I said I must be blind. I will take another look - and a sample - with me. The ones I've got are white so no problem.

[NanLaew]

The bicycle brake wire doesn't work - I had venetian blinds on my double doors in Jeddah a few years ago - tried all sorts of cord. The problem is partly the locking device on the blinds that bites into the cord. Also the cord sold for the blinds is a cheap type with a woven cover over a bunch of straight-run threads. The whole cord is not a unit, but separate compnents.

I just used a plain ball of string in the end - didn't last any longer, but was very cheap to replace.

And the less you raise / lower / lock these blinds, the longer the cord survives.

Also, nothing to do with my blinds - but I have the same problem trying to track down elastic bands. Can't find them anywhere - I've tried stationery shops and super markets - or maybe I'm just blind

i picked up a bag of rubber bands in the stationary/school supplies at Friendship, south rd a few months ago. but you know the Thai idea of stock taking and probably all gone by now.

also, nothing to do with cords for blinds or rubber bands but there was loads of Branston Pickle on the shelf at Best past the dolphin jingarings a couple of weeks back. the price was >400 baht for a small jar tho' so i declined

[Mobi]

The bicycle brake wire doesn't work - I had venetian blinds on my double doors in Jeddah a few years ago - tried all sorts of cord. The problem is partly the locking device on the blinds that bites into the cord. Also the cord sold for the blinds is a cheap type with a woven cover over a bunch of straight-run threads. The whole cord is not a unit, but separate compnents.

I just used a plain ball of string in the end - didn't last any longer, but was very cheap to replace.

And the less you raise / lower / lock these blinds, the longer the cord survives.

Also, nothing to do with my blinds - but I have the same problem trying to track down elastic bands. Can't find them anywhere - I've tried stationery shops and super markets - or maybe I'm just blind

i picked up a bag of rubber bands in the stationary/school supplies at Friendship, south rd a few months ago. but you know the Thai idea of stock taking and probably all gone by now.

also, nothing to do with cords for blinds or rubber bands but there was loads of Branston Pickle on the shelf at Best past the dolphin jingarings a couple of weeks back. the price was >400 baht for a small jar tho' so i declined

Thanks for the tip on rubber bands.

The last time I bought Branston in Frienship, I'm sure it wasn't anything close to that price. Sounds like profiteering is rearing its ugly head.

BTW everyone - I found the blind cord at Homeworks.

Rimmer, Home Pro said : "Mai mee lou Kap"

That seems to go for most things I want to buy there

[NanLaew]

The bicycle brake wire doesn't work - I had venetian blinds on my double doors in Jeddah a few years ago - tried all sorts of cord. The problem is partly the locking device on the blinds that bites into the cord. Also the cord sold for the blinds is a cheap type with a woven cover over a bunch of straight-run threads. The whole cord is not a unit, but separate compnents.

I just used a plain ball of string in the end - didn't last any longer, but was very cheap to replace.

And the less you raise / lower / lock these blinds, the longer the cord survives.

Also, nothing to do with my blinds - but I have the same problem trying to track down elastic bands. Can't find them anywhere - I've tried stationery shops and super markets - or maybe I'm just blind

i picked up a bag of rubber bands in the stationary/school supplies at Friendship, south rd a few months ago. but you know the Thai idea of stock taking and probably all gone by now.

also, nothing to do with cords for blinds or rubber bands but there was loads of Branston Pickle on the shelf at Best past the dolphin jingarings a couple of weeks back. the price was >400 baht for a small jar tho' so i declined

Thanks for the tip on rubber bands.

The last time I bought Branston in Frienship, I'm sure it wasn't anything close to that price. Sounds like profiteering is rearing its ugly head.

BTW everyone - I found the blind cord at Homeworks.

Rimmer, Home Pro said : "Mai mee lou Kap"

That seems to go for most things I want to buy there

That's another thing I note about these flash stores. They can sell whole sets of blinds, ceiling fans, faucets and the like but the things like replacement cords, speed switches and aerators aren't available. They think we are going to buy everything new just because a widget needs replacing?

I am doing a US fly-by next month and I will be hitting Home Depot and Lowe's and stocking up on all these little things that keep the housebound handyman busy and off the bottle! Let me know if there's anything you are desperate for.

[Weho]

There's a hardware store on Pattaya Klang (central road), on the opposite side of the Carrefour, about 50 or 100 meters down, going toward the beach... it's an open air store, no air conditioning, but they seem to sell EVERYTHING in there... best to walk there, as it's hard to see the entrance, cause it's very crowded with stuff for sale. They were friendly in there too. I found a hard to find electrical cord there, of a certain size.

[bazmlb]

Seaduction dive shop has a small range of ropes that may do (some yachting ropes they have), see Andy or Danny there down at Laem Bali hi next to 7/11

[bazmlb]

The stuff to get would be say a 5mm spectra, it has a nylon outer casing, strip the casing off so its just the spectra core, Spectra is about 3 times stronger than mild steel, its looks real flimsy but let me tell you, on yachts were they let it run round the aluminium drums on winches a bit fast it melts the winch drums, decks blocks and cuts off fingers with ease.

5mm spectra is good for about at least 1000kg, without the casing shown in the pic is probably about 3.5mm

sometimes called dyneema

dont use kevlar it doesnt go around pulleys as good

[Old Croc]

Who would have thought an inoculous thread about blind cords would draw so many replies?

I, for one, have learnt some valuable new ideas here.

What about Dental floss? Useful for stitching shoes amongst other things.

I have never thought of using dental floss for this task before. I will certainly give it a go when next I stitch my shoes.

[Mobi]

Who would have thought an inoculous thread about blind cords would draw so many replies?

I, for one, have learnt some valuable new ideas here.

Me too. Sometimes these "where can I find something threads" are great.

You get all kinds of ideas and places to go.

My 'Branston' thread a few months ago went on forever.

Baz, thanks for the tip - I'll try it out next time the string fails.

[cheshiremusicman]

I have these bamboo blinds on my terrace which are lowered in the afternoons to keep the terrace in shade.

The cord on them lasts about 6 months and then needs replacing. The shop that installed them charges a small fortune every time I call them out. I don't blame them, as it is quite a bit of bother, but I am sure I could 're-cord' them myself if I could find the material.

I have tried a few of the home/harware shops, and even places that sell blinds, but can't find any source for the cord. Eventually it frays through the narrow metal pulleys, so it must be quite smooth and strong.

Thanks for any help

You might try using the nylon string that they sell for garden strimmers which is available from lots of places including Homepro. Fishing line is very strong and thin and comes in various thickness according to what breaking strain you are looking for and should be readily availalble almost anywhere.