This has probably been asked and answered a number of times.... But.... How do you solder the ends of shift/brake cables. I have tried with a couple of different solders and flux to no avail. The solder just keeps dripping off. What is the trick?
"Mike Borean" <mborean@mlode.com> wrote in news:117gjm1g91caa37@corp.supernews.com: > This has probably been asked and answered a number of times.... But.... > How do you solder the ends of shift/brake cables. I have tried with a> couple of different solders and flux to no avail. The solder just keeps> dripping off. What is the trick?
I've never had a problem. Make sure you heat the cable up before applying the solder.
Mike Borean wrote:> This has probably been asked and answered a number of times.... But.... How> do you solder the ends of shift/brake cables. I have tried with a couple of> different solders and flux to no avail. The solder just keeps dripping off.> What is the trick?>
Thanks in advance..> Mike B>
They're probably stainless steel. It's not possible to solder stainless steel easily. Try one of the crimp lug things.
LioNiNoiL_a t_Y a h 0 0_d 0 t_c 0 m 4 May 2005 12:18:14 [ permanent link ]
Mike Borean wrote:
How do you solder the ends of shift/brake cables. I have> tried with a couple of different solders and flux to no avail.> The solder just keeps dripping off. What is the trick?
I've done it [long ago] by first cleaning the cable ends with paint thinner, then applying an acid etchant before soldering with acid-flux solder. Cable tips are a lot quicker and easier.
-- "Bicycling is a healthy and manly pursuit with much to recommend it, and, unlike other foolish crazes, it has not died out." -- The Daily Telegraph (1877)
Mike Borean wrote:> This has probably been asked and answered a number of times.... But.... How> do you solder the ends of shift/brake cables. I have tried with a couple of> different solders and flux to no avail. The solder just keeps dripping off.> What is the trick?>
Thanks in advance..> Mike B>
As someone else has suggested, degrease the cable first. You can use one of the spray brake parts degreasers from a hardware store.
On Tue, 3 May 2005 21:28:08 -0700, "Mike Borean" <mborean@mlode.com> wrote:
This has probably been asked and answered a number of times.... But.... How>do you solder the ends of shift/brake cables. I have tried with a couple of>different solders and flux to no avail. The solder just keeps dripping off.>What is the trick?
Heat with a gas 'torch' cigarette lighter and touch the cable with a stick of hotmelt adhesive.
This has probably been asked and answered a number of> times... But... How do you solder the ends of shift/brake cables.> I have tried with a couple of different solders and flux to no> avail. The solder just keeps dripping off. What is the trick?
This sounds like the "No loose ends" syndrome. I take it you refold a pointed end on the toilet paper after use and have it pay out on the back side. There is no need to do anything to cable ends unless you have poorly designed brakes and derailleurs. In fact, if a soldered cable end is compressed at the end, it will take on a form that will not spring back into the original round cable.
In article <NH5ee.425$T3.2667@typhoon.sonic.net>, jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org wrote:
This sounds like the "No loose ends" syndrome. I take it you refold a> pointed end on the toilet paper after use and have it pay out on the> back side.
whereas jobst simply empties his bowels here in rbt.
On Tue, 3 May 2005 21:28:08 -0700, "Mike Borean" <mborean@mlode.com> wrote:
This has probably been asked and answered a number of times.... But.... How>do you solder the ends of shift/brake cables. I have tried with a couple of>different solders and flux to no avail. The solder just keeps dripping off.>What is the trick?
Slightly OT, but I just put new cables on one of my bikes and decided (after failing with solder the last time I tried it...several years ago) to try shrink-sleeve tubing. Hit the tube with my heat gun, it shrank considerably, and then promptly fell off the cable. So FYI, Gardner Bender HST-187, 20-21 AWG Heat Shrink Tubing doesn't work.
I resorted to the old faithful crimp ends.
BTW, elsewhere in this thread Jobst says cable end treatment is unnecessary. Perhaps, but I like to think it avoids accidently stabbing one's self with the cable end.
<jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org> wrote: This sounds like the "No loose ends" syndrome. clip) There is no need to do anything to cable ends unless you have poorly designed brakes and derailleurs.(clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Jobst, I just came back from the bathroom, where I carefully unfolded and flattened the end of my toilet paper. I don't want to ba accused of having any syndromes.
But, if there is no need to do anything to the ends of cables, how come I see so many frayed cable ends (on other people's bikes)?
On Wed, 04 May 2005 17:06:31 GMT, John Everett <jeverett3@earthlink.DEFEAT.UCE.BOTS.net> wrote:
On Tue, 3 May 2005 21:28:08 -0700, "Mike Borean" <mborean@mlode.com>>wrote:>
This has probably been asked and answered a number of times.... But.... How>>do you solder the ends of shift/brake cables. I have tried with a couple of>>different solders and flux to no avail. The solder just keeps dripping off.>>What is the trick?>
Slightly OT, but I just put new cables on one of my bikes and decided>(after failing with solder the last time I tried it...several years>ago) to try shrink-sleeve tubing. Hit the tube with my heat gun, it>shrank considerably, and then promptly fell off the cable. So FYI,>Gardner Bender HST-187, 20-21 AWG Heat Shrink Tubing doesn't work.>:-(>
I resorted to the old faithful crimp ends.>
BTW, elsewhere in this thread Jobst says cable end treatment is>unnecessary. Perhaps, but I like to think it avoids accidently>stabbing one's self with the cable end.
If you're leaving them sharp enough to stab you, you need a better method of cutting the cable! -- Typoes are a feature, not a bug. Some gardening required to reply via email. Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
Zog The Undeniable 4 May 2005 22:41:13 [ permanent link ]
John Everett wrote:
BTW, elsewhere in this thread Jobst says cable end treatment is> unnecessary. Perhaps, but I like to think it avoids accidently> stabbing one's self with the cable end.
That, and you stand a fighting chance of being able to remove and reinstall the cable later if it's not frayed. Bike shops are *always* closed when you need to do something that involves cable removal.
<jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org> wrote: This sounds like the "No loose > ends" syndrome. clip) There is no need to do anything to cable ends unless > you have poorly designed brakes and derailleurs.(clip)> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^> Jobst, I just came back from the bathroom, where I carefully unfolded and > flattened the end of my toilet paper. I don't want to ba accused of having > any syndromes.>
But, if there is no need to do anything to the ends of cables, how come I > see so many frayed cable ends (on other people's bikes)?
Is treatment necessary? I let the cable tell me. Mine says: "I am afraid not."
<jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org> wrote in message news:NH5ee.425$T3.2667@typhoon.sonic.net...> Mike Borean writes:>
This has probably been asked and answered a number of> > times... But... How do you solder the ends of shift/brake cables.> > I have tried with a couple of different solders and flux to no> > avail. The solder just keeps dripping off. What is the trick?>
This sounds like the "No loose ends" syndrome. I take it you refold a> pointed end on the toilet paper after use and have it pay out on the> back side. There is no need to do anything to cable ends unless you> have poorly designed brakes and derailleurs. In fact, if a soldered> cable end is compressed at the end, it will take on a form that will> not spring back into the original round cable.>
sounds like the "No loose ends" syndrome. clip) There is no need to>> do anything to cable ends unless you have poorly designed brakes>> and derailleurs.
Jobst, I just came back from the bathroom, where I carefully> unfolded and flattened the end of my toilet paper. I don't want to> be accused of having any syndromes.
But, if there is no need to do anything to the ends of cables, how> come I see so many frayed cable ends (on other people's bikes)?
You tell me. I've trimmed many cables to length adjusted brakes and derailleurs without any special cutters or soldering the ends. They work fine. There were once brakes and derailleurs that kinked and flattened cables and required cutting the cable off to remove it from the clamp. It is these to which I refer with "poorly designed...". I've been using Campagnolo brakes and various derailleurs with no such problems for years and my equipment is far older than the stuff people are mentioning.
BTW, elsewhere in this thread Jobst says cable end treatment is>> unnecessary. Perhaps, but I like to think it avoids accidently>> stabbing one's self with the cable end.
That, and you stand a fighting chance of being able to remove and> reinstall the cable later if it's not frayed. Bike shops are> *always* closed when you need to do something that involves cable> removal.
Please explain what "frays" the cable on your equipment.
That, and you stand a fighting chance of being able to remove and>>reinstall the cable later if it's not frayed. Bike shops are>>*always* closed when you need to do something that involves cable>>removal.>
Please explain what "frays" the cable on your equipment.
Anything that touches the free cable end.
In fact, the anchoring bolt for the cable squashes it so that the tendency to fray is increased; if the cable protrudes from the anchoring point by a very short length, the fraying is almost guaranteed, whereas if there is an inch or so of protrusion, the cable end regularly brushing against anything frays it.
That, and you stand a fighting chance of being able to remove and>>> reinstall the cable later if it's not frayed. Bike shops are>>> *always* closed when you need to do something that involves cable>>> removal.
Please explain what "frays" the cable on your equipment.
Anything that touches the free cable end.
I can't imagine what frail cables you have that are so sensitive. As I said, I've not had this problem since the days of Universal brakes.
In fact, the anchoring bolt for the cable squashes it so that the> tendency to fray is increased; if the cable protrudes from the> anchoring point by a very short length, the fraying is almost> guaranteed, whereas if there is an inch or so of protrusion, the> cable end regularly brushing against anything frays it.
I think you must have some crummy equipment. You can't see where my Campagnolo brakes clamped the cable. The same goes for my SunTour derailleur.
jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org wrote:> Jose Rizal writes:
In fact, the anchoring bolt for the cable squashes it so that the>>tendency to fray is increased; if the cable protrudes from the>>anchoring point by a very short length, the fraying is almost>>guaranteed, whereas if there is an inch or so of protrusion, the>>cable end regularly brushing against anything frays it.>
I think you must have some crummy equipment. You can't see where my> Campagnolo brakes clamped the cable. The same goes for my SunTour> derailleur.
The brand doesn't matter, but rather the method for gripping the cable end. All my stuff is Shimano, which seems to have a standard method for clamping cables: the cable is sandwiched between a flat surface (plate or washer) pressed on by a bolt, and a (usually) grooved surface on the pivoting arm (either brake or derailleur). This arrangement squashes the cable as the clamping bolt is tightened, and if the cable end is close enough to the flattened section, the free ends conform to the flattened shape and frays. If the cable is long enough and the end is far enough from the clamped section, the cable shape resumes its circular cross-section further from the clamp but the free ends can still be frayed by contact with objects.
