• If You Are Having Trouble Logging In with Your Old Username and Password, Please use this Forgot Your Password link to get re-established.
  • Hey! Be sure to login or register!

Nicopress

Here is a great article where they did test some different brands and the effects of using different brand hardware with different crimpers. Their Chinese set didnt work so well without some modification though. I’ve been shopping for a swage tool, 70$ is hard to pass up with a good review…

https://www.kitplanes.com/the-big-squeeze/



Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org
 
My set up is similar.............I put one arm of my crimper in a vise.
 
This tool has worked out well, does a nice job on cable up to 1/8". Surprisingly good quality tool. Nice clean triple crimp.

.Screenshot_20240115_085304_Chrome.jpg

20240106_180249.jpg
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20240115_085304_Chrome.jpg
    Screenshot_20240115_085304_Chrome.jpg
    103.4 KB · Views: 66
  • 20240106_180249.jpg
    20240106_180249.jpg
    115.4 KB · Views: 40
Just make sure you check them. I had a buddy who bought a restored Pa12 and went up to pick it up 300 miles away. He learned in a Cub when he was young but hadn't flown TW in 30 years. Corporate jet pilot. Halfway home he stopped for gas and while fighting a crosswind the cable between the front rudder pedal and rear pedal let go. Somehow it didn't get any damage while ground looping off the runway. A nico that was crimped had let go. He figured he hadn't wrecked it so got in the backseat and flew it the rest of the way home.


Screenshot_20240115-102733.png

Glenn
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20240115-102733.png
    Screenshot_20240115-102733.png
    126.5 KB · Views: 57
What are you guys using to cut the 1/8" galvanized cable? I have to make my cables for my wings this week. The kitplanes article was great by the way.
Thanks,
Marty57
 
I bought a cable cutter from the lumber yard when I installed my deck and used 1/8" cables. It's the size of a side cutter and works much better than my "good" large cutter.
 
Wrap the cut area with masking tape, mark the exact location for the cut on the tape, then use a Dremel tool with a metal cutting disc installed. Go slow. Let it cut, dont push it. You should have very few is any stray wires in a 7x19 cable. EAA hints for homebuilders shows them using a sharp cold chisel....he whacks it hard once and gets a clean cut with it wrapped up like I said.
 
Believe it or not, a cold chisel, hammer, and a steel surface cut cable beautifully, with no deformation. I have had a Felco cutter for decades, the chisel method I learned from someone who didn't. I also had a bench mounted swedger, rigging over 60 UL's and a couple dozen hang gliders (LOTS of cable), buying cable by the 1000' reel, so the bench mount unit earned it's keep.

cubdriver2: the nico WASN"T crimped that let go, at least not properly, I've never seen one fail. Except for cases where people who didn't know better bought 1/8" nicos and used them to crimp 3/32" coated cable!
 
courierguy said:
Believe it or not, a cold chisel, hammer, and a steel surface cut cable beautifully, with no deformation. I have had a Felco cutter for decades, the chisel method I learned from someone who didn't. I also had a bench mounted swedger, rigging over 60 UL's and a couple dozen hang gliders (LOTS of cable), buying cable by the 1000' reel, so the bench mount unit earned it's keep.

cubdriver2: the nico WASN"T crimped that let go, at least not properly, I've never seen one fail. Except for cases where people who didn't know better bought 1/8" nicos and used them to crimp 3/32" coated cable!
Click to expand...

You have developed a skill with the chisel. With the Felco a noob can make clean cuts. And do it in tight places

Agree the nico wasn't properly crimped, that's why you need to check with the correct slot on the gauge

Glenn
 
To expand the crimp discussion, I was looking at buying or making some dies to put in my press to crimp battery terminals onto the battery cables. I see some cheap sets here and there, but thought I would ask if anyone has a suggestion?
 
A while back, as a test, and because I have a boom truck with a digital load cell, I used a single swedge to splice 2 lengths of 3/32" cable together, each cable extending past the swedge a bit. Then I rigged it to my load hook and started winching up, when the cable broke, at around 1800 pounds of pull, the single swedge never budged. It re-affirmed my faith in the material I had been trusting my life to for decades.

Back when I was doing solar work, I stumbled upon the fact that 10 gauge stranded copper wire (the size wire used on solar panels as) is the same dia as 3/32" cable, having some copper nicos that size, and needing to make long term and permanent connections, I started using them for that work, not UL approved I guess, and the electrical inspector never noticed so no official approval, but it worked great, replacing the split bolt method I had been using. Split bolts by the way are the only way to work with cable, even moderate torque on the nut will hold tension on a cable to a surprising amount, without deforming the cable at all. So, if you have the nicos ahead of the split bolt, you can fine tune your length, test whatever it is you're working on, as the cable won't slip, make the swedge, then remove the split bolt. Way back when, like 50+ years ago, I actually made some short and low hops with split bolt rigged cable on a hang glider, as I figured out the best rigging for the control bar. More recently, using the split bolt technique when rigging my Datum ski cables made that tricky job real easy. Whenever I see someone working with cable without knowing about split bolts and their use, I let them know about them. https://www.elecdirect.com/split-bolts-grounding-products/split-bolt-connectors
 
cubdriver2 said:
This is the cleanest cable cutter I ever used. Borrowed one once and wasn't happy till I bought my own. No tape, no mess no frayed ends. It compresses the cable inwards as it cuts.
/QUOTE]

I think I'll order a Felco; good tip. You mentioned cutting in tight quarters; that will be my issue when I do the final rigging.
Thanks. Marty57
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

islandmonkey
Tool Definitions!
Replies
11
Views
6K
BES
BES
H
3200+RPM!
Replies
15
Views
5K
stevensonjr
S
RVBottomly
Commonwealth SkyRanger 185
Replies
4
Views
2K
BC12D-4-85
BC12D-4-85
Crash
PA-18-180 Performance
2 3
Replies
69
Views
31K
jay
J
Steve Pierce
An Interesting Pilot; John Lear
Replies
4
Views
3K
Cub junkie
Cub junkie
Back
Top