Securing control wire ends

[john.r.davies]

Throttle cables, choke cables, they all tend to fray at the end, to become unlaid, so that threading them through guides or fastening a cable stop is difficult.

The obvious answer is to 'glue' up the strands with solder, to make the tip a solid rod. Excess would easily be removed with a file to keep it the same diameter and make it easy to thread the cable.

BUT, I cannot get solder to stick to the strands! No amount of cleaning and fluxing prevents the solder beading like water on a duck's back and dropping off!

 

A quick weld might do it, but then cleaning up the cable to make it threadable witll be more difficult..

Can braze do this?

 

I resort to heat-shrink tubing, which secures the cable strands, but may need to be removed to thread or unthread a cable. rather spoiling the point.

What do others do?

 

John

[RogerH]

Hi John,

most cable these days are stainless steel. They can be soldered but need the correct flux. Much the same for brazing.

The fluxes can be quite aggressive and may stay within the wire bundle and cause future corrosion.

 

How about Araldite

 

The shrink sleeve idea is also worth a try as it will keep the strands neat and tidy during normal use.

 

Roger

[stillp]

I solder them John. As long as the wire is clean, fluxed with "Baker's Blue", and hot enough, it will work. Remember that it's the wire that must melt the solder, not the heat source you're using.

 

Pete

[Rob Salisbury]

I find the soldering works best if you solder a section of the wire nearly the correct length and then cut after the soldering.

Cheers,

Rob

[john.r.davies]

Roger,

ARALDITE! Doh! That'll fix it for now. And a length of heatshrink to confine the glue and keep it from spreading while it sets! Can be removed after!

 

And, Pete, for purists, I can find Bakers Soldering Flux No.3, is that the same?

 

Rob, Excellent advice, I'm sure, IF I can get the solder to stick!

 

Thanks all!

John

[stillp]

 

And, Pete, for purists, I can find Bakers Soldering Flux No.3, is that the same?

 

 

I think that's the liquid, which is good, but more corrosive. Baker's Blue is a paste, but I can't find any online - maybe it's fallen foul of REACH and other chemical legislation. If you have any Jenolite liquid, that will also work as a flux, even on stainless.

 

Pete

[RobH]

Weak Phosphoric acid is a good flux which is why Jenolite works. Needs to be washed off well afterwards though.

[RogerH]

Weak Phosphoric acid is a good flux which is why Jenolite works. Needs to be washed off well afterwards though.

I would have thought it was not good on wire strands. You can't wash it off and it will continue to corrode.

 

Roger

[RobH]

True Roger. I wasn't recommending use in this instance though - just commenting on why Jenolite works. Perhaps acid flux residue could be neutralised with an alkaline solution after use - Rennies anyone?

[RogerH]

Hi Rob,

indeed, plenty of ways to neutralise but difficult for this case.

 

That's why I suggested Araldite.

 

Many bicycle cables are welded on the end face. No contaminates or mechanical cleaning/deburring etc

 

Roger

[Ian Vincent]

I weld them. Just a quick dab with the MIG and they are fixed.

 

Rgds Ian

[stillp]

Why would phosphoric acid be difficult to wash off? It's the ferric phosphate that's insoluble, but that's not corrosive.

 

Pete

[RogerH]

Why would phosphoric acid be difficult to wash off? It's the ferric phosphate that's insoluble, but that's not corrosive.

 

Pete

Hi Pete,

loose wire bundle (before soldering) becomes a tight wire bundle (after the soldering). The Phosy gets trapped. How would you remove it.

 

Roger

[stillp]

Ah, OK, I thought you were saying that phosphoric acid would be difficult to remove, but what you said would apply to any corrosive substance. Or even to anything used to neutralise it - maybe Araldite is a good idea after all! Cyanoacrylate might work as well.

 

Pete

[DaveN]

Cyanoacrylate might work as well.

 

Pete

You do need the correct type though IIRC Permabond 910 bonds metal.

[Rodbr]

Baking Soda and Superglue!

Dip wire end into glue and sit end into Baking soda. Sets like steel , can be filed.

Commercial product is Q BOND.

 

Check videos on Utube.

 

So many possible uses for this. Fill in pits on pot metal, build up corroded alloy and flie, etc etc.

 

Try it for yourself

[john.r.davies]

Rodbr,

Fascinating! What's happening chemically? Superglue sets because of water, or water vapour. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3.

 

AH! NaHCO₃ + H₂O ->-> Na⁺ + H₂CO₃ + HO^- Its the last, the hydroxyl ion, HO^- , that is the agent that polymerises the cyanoacrylate, and it can come from water, or bicarb. A thick layer of superglue, or some that is deep inside the strands of a cable, has impeded access to atmospheric water vapour, thanks to the initial layer of outer polymer, but add bicarbonate and there will be many more ions available.

 

All, time for some experiments, I think, trying out all the fascinating ideas you have given me.

Even if Baker's Blue is no longer available, I have phosphoric acid, and all the other alternatives.

 

Thank you!

 

John

Edited May 14, 2018 by john.r.davies

[Rodbr]

Hi John,

I don't have time for the science but for sure it works. If you use the QBond kit the colour powders they match well with greys and blacks and silvers.

 

I would need to look at the COSH data sheet but the constituents they must be similar. Would be interested in a trial between the two processes looking at filing strengths.

 

DO NOT PUT IT ON before setting pieces in place with a clamp.( Check : REIC the car guy getting it wrong before mending Elvis!!!!)

"Grip clips" are useful for this and also holding trim on dash under tension while glue goes off.

 

Very good for repairing black bakelite on switches, cracks on steering wheels. After rubbing down use black shoe polish as a tint.

 

Another interesting product is "Captain Tolleys Creeping Crack Cure Sealant."

 

BR

Rod

Edited May 14, 2018 by Rodbr

[Don H.]

I’ll often solder cable ends on my many bicycles, but another common solution for bikes are the aluminum sleeves that are gently crimped onto the cable end to protect it. Easily removed if the cable needs to come out. Any good bike store or online vendor will have them by the small bagful.

[dwaters]

Like the suggestion from Don, I use fishing line crimps to tidy up braided wire. Similar to these currently available Ebay items "262834293036" although I haven't used these actual crimps, they look similar to those I bought in the local angling shop with a good selection of ID and length.

 

Tight lines, as I think they say :-)

 

David

[Don H.]

One can get a lifetime supply of cable ends for notalot.

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-parts/bike-brakes/halfords-gear-brake-cable-end-covers

[stillp]

Just checked my tub of Baker's Blue, and it came from a plumbing supplier.

 

Pete

[RogerH]

Bakers No.3 comes up when asking for Bakers Blue.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bakers+blue+flux&oq=bakers+blue+flux&aqs=chrome..69i57.5296j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

Roger

[stillp]

Yes, it does. TRy a plumbers' merchant.

 

Pete

[MikeF]

I would have thought it was not good on wire strands. You can't wash it off and it will continue to corrode.

 

Roger

Correct. The various fluxes for stainless are as said based on mineral acids like phosphoric or hydrochloric (HCl), Bakers is "killed spirits" - hydrochloric with zinc chloride. They can be washed off with warm water and some suppliers suggest a conditioning rinse of citric acid, RTI. WHen used on multi-stranded wire they tend to wick/capillary up between the strands and become difficult to rinse out. Any residues, especially with HCL then make a self perpetuating corrosion cell fueled by damp and carbon dioxide in the air of which there is an in-exhaustable supply. THis will neck in the strands till they break. On stainless this will be a slow process..