High Temperature Wire For OHP Lamp?

[Gadgethead]

Hello folks!
I've been test runnning my projector with nice results even though it's light engine is only a 410 watt OHP lamp with custom holder I made myself (do plan on upgrading to halide later). The wires that I use to hook it up are high temperature wiring from the hardware store (braided wired, silicone insulator, fiberglass sleeve).
My wife has been having the problem of weh everytime I fire up the PJ for a while her nose begins to burn to what she describes as a chemical type fume. I cannot smell a certain fume but even my nose does hurt a little after running the machine as well.
This morning I decided to investigate a few hunches and leanred that the type of wire that I'm using is rated to only about 250 degreen Celcius. I know that anything made of wood or paper near the lamp will catch on fire so I can guess that the temperature of the bulb is getting around 600 degreen farenheit!
I do have a cooling fan blowing on the bulb and it works well, the bulb never breaks and the holder I made is actually cool enough to touch, it's just the wires in the back get so blasted hot that I think that the silicon insulator is fuming and causing my wife her nasal discomfort.

Are any of you familiar with Mica/glass wire? or know as furnace wire? It's rated to about 850 farenheit and that may be what I have to look for now. If that doesn't work I may even try to cast my own wire insulators with Water Putty (plaster).

Thanx in advance!
Chris B. in Iowa