The largest zip tie is nearly 4 feet long and $75

2"! I found a matching reference to it but this is not where I bought it (and also sold for waaay more than I paid, which was something like $130 IIRC) https://www.ebay.com/itm/136814704435. The pictures and details in all of the listings are often very mismatched (there are several variations of different lengths and sizes) but that's the model number of the one I ordered.

Here's a funny picture comparing it to a 2 liter https://i.imgur.com/UIzpDMO.jpeg. As far as the matching bolt... I never did find one to order in time so I gave that as a challenge to figure out before next year! So far he has been using it as a doorstop, mostly to cause people to do a double take when they walk through.

If anyone knows of a good pair of comically large pliers that actually function well enough please let me know.

Or the utilitarian cost has gone down much faster than cost of decorative. If your bulb cost $10, spending $5 to make beautiful lamp post makes sense. But if bulb cost has fallen to 10 cents now to justify $2 is difficult.

It's down to taste and materials too - in the past 50 years or so the general design trend is more minimalist, wood has become more and more expensive (and good quality harder to come by), etc.

But the main reason is of course cost, the linked device looks like a woodworker would spend a few hours to build it (although they probably had machinery to automate parts of the process already).

There has been an inversion in cost. It used to be that Materials cost a lot, and labor cost very little. There wasn't cheap plastics. particle board or synthetic rubber, it was real rubber, real wood, real metal. So it was worth it to buy the better quality thing made of nicer materials that was more artisinal and decorative. It was also cheaper to employ people just to enhance the look in a time consuming fashion. Plus since there was no miniaturization if parts broke you could replace them instead of buying a new one.

Not OP, but I think they meaning cutting it as flush with the cable tie "head" as possible.

Use a zero clearance cutter which cuts it flat and flush with the lock. The jaws aren’t ’v’ shaped like they are for heavier wires, one side is flat and cuts flush on that side.

Usually these are used for small wires.

Any electrical supply place will have them - search for ‘flush cutter’ and the like.

A razor (surprisingly) also works, but tends to damage other stuff easier if you slip.

You can run your skin over them all day, no issues.

Search for Flush cutters

Step 1: Cut the zip tie tail off using whatever semi-appropriate tool is at hand.

Step 2: Remove nail clippers from your purse.

Step 3: Use them to trim the remaining tail. One single satisfying click is sufficient to leave an end that barely protrudes, is nicely-rounded, and which lacks sharp-and-pointy features.

Alternatively: Use the China-clone of the Xuron flush cutters that your 3D printer came with, or buy some (the real ones are made in Maine). Just cut it as close as you can.

Or for higher volumes and/or better repeatability, Panduit (and others) sell installation tools that tension zip ties and automatically cut them off rather exquisitely once a predetermined tension is reached by just squeezing a handle.

It's not too hard to slip a new wire into a laced bundle. In the places that still use lacing (aerospace), they use tefzel insulated wires that have the benefit of being super slippery against each other. This makes it easy to slip one in but it also helps reduce stiffness in the bundle because the insulation isn't sticking to itself as much as other things like vinyl.

Last cable I made: https://ibb.co/4gw3GQGL

That is why they sell wire spoons.

https://www.steinair.com/product/wire-spoon/

Come on, it's the internet, we can't swear here!

Gonna go out on a limb here and guess "lousy weather".

The convertible is still the car, not a convertible kilt(?!), GP is saying with Scottish as opposed to Californian weather there would be less changing. Say, a single open-top-weather period (two changes) per year. Or none.

(I imagine the Californian poster is changing twice per year too, just using 5-6 ties. With that reading the joke is Hey in Scotland you just keep it closed, never need any more ties.)

California weather vs Scotland weather.

They are opposite, but both are consistent.

In both cases the car's roof position seldom changes.

But, the convertible in California would have a mostly-open roof. Whereas the convertible in Scotland would have a mostly-closed roof.

No, it's always been a source of amusement to me the number of people who have convertibles here...

That one reminds me of the NATO straps popular in combination with Casio watches, I used to have that.

But for a belt, I also have (used to have?) a canvas belt with a buckle that would pinch the belt instead of go through it. Two actually, the one had two D-rings, the other had a more involved system with a bar going through a slotted box of sorts.

Applying too much force cuts off circulation and can lead to severe bad outcomes for the hogtieee.

Best is ‘firm and unyielding’ not ‘I can’t feel my hands anymore’. Easy enough to do in a few seconds with a big zip tie.