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SOLDERING CABLE ENDS (BARREL) ON STAINLESS STEEL CABLE

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itspi...@gmail.com

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Aug 4, 2012, 10:11:09 AM8/4/12
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Hello!

I believe this question has been asked a lot previously, but I've found that all topics are quite old (dating 2005). I haven't done it yet, but I'm prepared to go an extra mile if it is required and purchase all necessary tools and materials. youtube is full of videos, but all of them feature various different techniques to decide on the right solution.

1. I would like to find out which technique is the most correct (soldering or heating with torch) when it comes to attaching a barrel end to the stainless steel cable? The main aim is to make brake cable being fit for its purpose implying that it WOULDN'T fail! It should not affect significantly stainless steel cable properties at the end and wouldn't start rusting. In other words, it would be best if it had failed somewhere in the middle from wearing out rather than at the soldered end (or close to the end).

2.What material are nipples made of (brass, stainless steel) for stainless cables to prevent rust? Is it usually a solid blob of tin/lead or silver/tin solder which is shaped afterwards with an angle grinder?

3. I understand that gluing has certain advantages over soldering/using torch, but then it would have been used by all manufacturers if it was that effective and robust.

4. Maybe someone knows how the ends are attached to stainless steel cables when manufactured? Are they pressed on the cable end as a solid blob (or soldered or heated)? Personally I would like to know it simply to understand the background of the subject.

5. Cleaning: 2% phosphoric acid?

6. Which acid flux to use (if any)?

7. Which solder to use for stainless steel cable?

8. If heating with the torch, what solder to use?

I'm appealing to members with extensive background in this field who use datasheets occasionally. I know that there are many ways to do the job, but only few are technically clean and correct.

-------------------------
Many thanks

Boris

AMuzi

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Aug 4, 2012, 11:43:20 AM8/4/12
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I do not do this so I can't help with procedures but for
protocol the wire rope is cold headed first then the shape
is cast in place. See image:
http://www.yellowjersey.org/photosfromthepast/cablhead.jpg

It's largely a mechanical problem relying less on the solder
bond itself.

Yes, we used to occasionally see brass sleeves slipped up to
the headed area and soldered in place, mostly from the
cheapest vendors and third world suppliers. Haven't seen one
of those in many long years. I suspect that's because the
more usual leaded ends are sufficient and that it has become
an efficient process. A brass sleeve may be a good approach
where you have uncertainty about the lead, especially as
regards stainless wire.

Since a brake wire probably involves at some point a human
life, you should set up some sort of tensile test and break
a few samples. See also:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7ifgUuOukQ

scaled to your application of course.

--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971


Frank Krygowski

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Aug 4, 2012, 2:44:17 PM8/4/12
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The ends of cables are die cast in place. I believe they're made of a
zinc alloy, as usually used for die casting.

A couple of times, for unusual applications, I've made my own cable ends
out of steel and soldered them in place with good results. One example
was to repair a broken clutch cable on an old motorcycle.

But those examples were galvanized cable, not stainless steel. I'm not
nearly as confident about soldering stainless steel.

--
- Frank Krygowski

John B.

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Aug 4, 2012, 11:01:50 PM8/4/12
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I can't comment on the data sheet but back when I was riding a
motorcycle we used to make brake cables. The nipple was a piece of
1/4" brass bar sawn and filed to fit the brake lever with a hole for
the cable drilled through it and counter sunk on one side. The cable
was threaded through the hole from the non countersunk side and then
the strands were spread as wide as the countersink allowed and
soldered with a soldering iron, using "soldering paste".

It wasn't 100% successful but probably better then half of the cables
held.

A friend makes canti brake straddle cables essentially the same way
and silver solders them.

As I got older I found it far more effective to just visit the LBS and
buy what I wanted :-)
Cheers,
John B.

datakoll

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Aug 5, 2012, 4:10:09 AM8/5/12
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On Saturday, August 4, 2012 7:11:09 AM UTC-7, itspi...@gmail.com wrote:

bungwa do veral tokaywa

and the answer is: buy a new cable

the cable is satuyrated with lube down in the wound unseem

splaying the cable may paste out used lube

James

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Aug 5, 2012, 6:38:02 PM8/5/12
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On 05/08/12 01:43, AMuzi wrote:

> Since a brake wire probably involves at some point a human life, you
> should set up some sort of tensile test and break a few samples. See also:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7ifgUuOukQ
>
> scaled to your application of course.
>

The 1812 was a good choice of accompaniment, I thought.

--
JS.
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