i am wondering how you all soften the bite of aircraft cable (3/16 wire cable) so that the ends won’t stick little kids and others.
the application is for a wire railing, and I have some overlap (1/4″ or so) past the ferrules. i’ve considered grinding it off, but that seems too risky…might nick the load strand. i suppose it could be done, very carefully but the time cost is not something i’m looking forward to.
would heating the ends with a soldering iron soften up things? would wrapping the ends with some sort of wax or tape help?
appreciate any suggestions.
Replies
if you're going to think of heating you can go ahead and tin the ends with solder. Flux them first them heat and solder. You'd be able to shape excess solder with with a file. maybe clean with a acetone or MEK to remove some of the manufacturing oils 1st.
Grinding them still leaves the strands sharp, just shorter.
Heat shrink is one option but may not have the aesthetics you're looking for and they sleeves can slip off.
7g
strung lots of AC cable for flight controls
You know how to solder stainless steel???
It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way. --Rollo May
we did it all the time when changing cables in the aircraft. I can't remember the type of the solder but it was standard stuff IIRC and it stuck well.
but now I'm thinking about it, I'm wondering if it was the old hi-carbon cables but still pretty sure it worked on the grade of stainless that was used in the aircraft.
I use certanium solder on stainless. Works OK.
overlap (1/4" or so) past the ferrules
U be usin' da wrong ferrules!
Even for a DIY hog pen, I'd not leave open strands sticking out.
Only safe way I've ever found to terminate wire rope other than inside a swaged or zinc filled ferrule is to put a gob of braze over it with acetylene torch, forget trying anything with a soldering iron.
whip the ends to contain all those little ends....
and there are heat shrinkable caps made to go over the shebang...
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