Finishing brake cable housing ends?
09-16-10, 03:00 PM
#26
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Or, instead of buying a dremel, a cheaper solution (especially if you can't use ferrules) is to just buy braided brake cable housing. It's nice and stiff--not as stiff as articulated, but a hell of a lot cheaper--and easier to work with. No need to finish the ends once you cut it.
09-16-10, 06:53 PM
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Similar to JT's method, I bend the housing to seperate the coils enough to fit a razor blade between them. I can then use either diagonal cutters or housing cutters to finish it off. The last pic is the finished product, no touch-up. I used to use grinders or dremel tools, but the heat build-up would melt the inner and outer plastic, making it either shrink away from the end, or stretch out and get deformed, making it impossible to get a ferrule on.
09-16-10, 07:13 PM
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I've heard using a bit of unwanted cable in the end of the housing makes it deform less, no?
09-16-10, 07:49 PM
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Wow--lots of good info!
Immediate solution:
I am amazed to report that if I cut the cable housing with ordinary wire cutters, instead of the Park cable cutters, I get a nice clean usable end with no further work required. Tried to post image, but site is F'd up and won't allow (tried different images multiple times). I'm talking about the wire cutters that are shaped like pliers but have opposing nippers instead of clenchers.
Of course the Park cable cutters are needed for the interior cable.
Meanwhile, I can learn more about Dremels at my leisure, maybe buy in future. But not rush in half-baked just to get these half-assembled bikes out of my kitchen!
Many thanks to all!!
Immediate solution:
I am amazed to report that if I cut the cable housing with ordinary wire cutters, instead of the Park cable cutters, I get a nice clean usable end with no further work required. Tried to post image, but site is F'd up and won't allow (tried different images multiple times). I'm talking about the wire cutters that are shaped like pliers but have opposing nippers instead of clenchers.
Of course the Park cable cutters are needed for the interior cable.
Meanwhile, I can learn more about Dremels at my leisure, maybe buy in future. But not rush in half-baked just to get these half-assembled bikes out of my kitchen!
Many thanks to all!!
You figured it out before I could help.
Don't use cable cutters to cut cable housing... use dikes (or the cutters that look like pliers that you're talking about.
09-16-10, 08:03 PM
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Similar to JT's method, I bend the housing to seperate the coils enough to fit a razor blade between them. I can then use either diagonal cutters or housing cutters to finish it off. The last pic is the finished product, no touch-up. I used to use grinders or dremel tools, but the heat build-up would melt the inner and outer plastic, making it either shrink away from the end, or stretch out and get deformed, making it impossible to get a ferrule on.
09-16-10, 09:07 PM
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One more tip, dike blades usually have one flat side and another side that's curved or angled inwards. Make sure the flat side is facing the housing section you'll be using. If you do it with the angled side of the blades facing your housing section, they can act like a wedge and pull the coil upwards as you cut.
When you bend the coil, only bend it just enough to get the razor blade between coils, and only bend it enough to insert the blades of the dikes.
When you bend the coil, only bend it just enough to get the razor blade between coils, and only bend it enough to insert the blades of the dikes.
Last edited by vredstein; 09-17-10 at 10:36 AM.
09-16-10, 09:23 PM
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I use my dremel for all sorts of things. Cut off wheel, small buffing wheels, different sorts of grinding attachements, detail sanding with sanding drums, I have rotary bits for it and have used it to make various freeform cuts in wood. It is indeed excellent for cutting cable housing with a cut off wheel. I have fabricated parts out of plastic with it, one such thing was taking on old clamp on bar mount and modifying it to hold my P7 flashlight. Once you have the dremel, you will find uses for it galore. I even have engraving tips for it that I can use to etch my name or my kids names into metal and plastic toys, etc., like flashlights for example when the boys go to camp. Name cannot get washed off.
Also recently used the dremel and a cut off wheel to modify the silverware holder for my wife to make it better fit the drawer she wanted it in.
Also recently used the dremel and a cut off wheel to modify the silverware holder for my wife to make it better fit the drawer she wanted it in.
09-16-10, 09:24 PM
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Why? I've never had trouble and it never takes any time at all to get a flat square face on the housing. If the cut on the file is too rough it won't work. If you let your files clank around in a toolbox and on concrete or whatever they'll dull quickly and it won't work.
09-17-10, 06:04 AM
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First of all, +(whatever number we're up to) on the Dremel--it's more fun than any tool in my shop--another hobby in and of itself. Secondly, vredstein's method may be one of the most useful tips I've ever picked up on this site--I'll be using it today. Thirdly, I'm old enough that I still low temp silver solder my cables before cutting--it works and it looks pro. Lastly, I'm astounded that such a simple subject has now reached 36 posts!
CC
CC
09-17-10, 10:47 AM
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I haven't had such good luck with my Dremel. I've gone through two of the plastic tubing drive connectors and now the variable speed switch has gone bad. I have to pull the plug out of the wall to stop it. I'd like to replace it with something of higher quality, but I'm not ready to spend hundreds on a Foredom.
09-17-10, 11:09 AM
#39
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Why? I've never had trouble and it never takes any time at all to get a flat square face on the housing. If the cut on the file is too rough it won't work. If you let your files clank around in a toolbox and on concrete or whatever they'll dull quickly and it won't work.
09-17-10, 01:09 PM
#41
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I have a rotary tool that lives above my repair stand and quite often I use it for facing off cable ends which saves me from having to fire up the grinding wheel on my bench.
Rarely have any issue with the housing or liner heating up as you only have to give it a quick touch and then make sure things are clear with a pokey spoke which may be the most shop tool I have...
When I am out doing mobile repairs at events or making house calls I use the deck on my extra bike to sand down cable ends...
Rarely have any issue with the housing or liner heating up as you only have to give it a quick touch and then make sure things are clear with a pokey spoke which may be the most shop tool I have...
When I am out doing mobile repairs at events or making house calls I use the deck on my extra bike to sand down cable ends...
09-17-10, 03:36 PM
#42
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Yeah, I sound like my old shop teacher. 
It was dealing with the poor tools in HS shop and my very own father's "drawer o' files" that spent their whole life being rifled through and ruining each other that led to a great distaste for hand tools of any sort. It was only many years later when I took up wood working and found that hand tools were effective when cared for and properley sharpened that I became such a zealot about their use and treatment.
Sorry if my mini rant brought back too many haunting memories....
09-18-10, 06:40 AM
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I use a good pair of dikes to cut housing and cable most of the time rather then my cable cutters( which ever is closer when needed ) and I rarely have a problem but if I need to grind down the housing I use a 7.2 volt Makita grinder with a cut off wheel which hangs above my bench. My Dremel tool is 40+ years old and belonged to to my grandfather and it doesn't get as much use as it used to but it still works flawlessly. I have used it on everything from model building to porting and polishing the cylinder heads on my motorcycles and I will agree that you will find uses for it once you have one I know I did.
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09-18-10, 08:58 AM
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Just got my park cn-10's in the mail today. they're in a bag with a lot of light oil (cutting oil?) in the corners and the metal surface (and the handle) are all fairly oily. Is that normal?
09-18-10, 11:28 AM
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09-18-10, 04:06 PM
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Yeah, I sound like my old shop teacher. It was dealing with the poor tools in HS shop and my very own father's "drawer o' files" that spent their whole life being rifled through and ruining each other that led to a great distaste for hand tools of any sort. It was only many years later when I took up wood working and found that hand tools were effective when cared for and properley sharpened that I became such a zealot about their use and treatment.
Sorry if my mini rant brought back too many haunting memories....
I don't agree with you about the Dremel tool. Take one apart and you'll see that it's built more like a toy than a quality power tool. I've had nothing but problems with mine and it hasn't been used heavily. I've just spent an hour researching rotary tools online and I'm going to order a German made Proxxon for not much more $ than a Dremel.
https://www.amazon.com/Proxxon-38472-...=cm_cr_pr_pb_t
09-21-10, 05:01 AM
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That's okay. I believe in buying good tools and taking care of them. I'm still using some of my grandfather's hand tools. I'm 62, so you know they've got to be very old.
I don't agree with you about the Dremel tool. Take one apart and you'll see that it's built more like a toy than a quality power tool. I've had nothing but problems with mine and it hasn't been used heavily. I've just spent an hour researching rotary tools online and I'm going to order a German made Proxxon for not much more $ than a Dremel.
https://www.amazon.com/Proxxon-38472-...=cm_cr_pr_pb_t
I don't agree with you about the Dremel tool. Take one apart and you'll see that it's built more like a toy than a quality power tool. I've had nothing but problems with mine and it hasn't been used heavily. I've just spent an hour researching rotary tools online and I'm going to order a German made Proxxon for not much more $ than a Dremel.
https://www.amazon.com/Proxxon-38472-...=cm_cr_pr_pb_t
I think all of the power tools I use the most are from the 70's with a few older ones and when you compare them to the new stuff, the new stuff feels like a toy so it is across the board when comparing new vs old I guess. I do how ever like my newer Milwaukee sawz Zall compared to my 1979 Black & Decker one, it weighs less and cuts 10 times faster but only time will tell if it will last 30+ years like the B&D has.
09-21-10, 06:21 AM
#48
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After you cut and file the cable end ..... I use a steel pick to insert into the end and gently wedge it in there to make sure the cable end is fully opened. Cheap, easy, no power required. I've found this way the end doesn't even need to perfectly perpendicular.
09-21-10, 07:34 AM
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I use side cutters (what you guys call dike cutters) to cut both housing and cable. Been using a $5 pair for years, it works great.
As JiveTurkey says, you can just rotate the housing as you squeeze the cutters to ensure it goes between the coils instead of crushing one; no need to faff about with razors. Also, as vredstein says, the flat side of the cutters should point to the housing you want to keep.
If you use ferrules, job done. But if you don't use a ferrule and you haven't ground the end flat, braking will be mushy or indexing will be sketchy, and there might be enough of an angle formed at the end of the housing to create extra friction.
I'd grind the ends if I was using plastic ferrules.
As JiveTurkey says, you can just rotate the housing as you squeeze the cutters to ensure it goes between the coils instead of crushing one; no need to faff about with razors. Also, as vredstein says, the flat side of the cutters should point to the housing you want to keep.
If you use ferrules, job done. But if you don't use a ferrule and you haven't ground the end flat, braking will be mushy or indexing will be sketchy, and there might be enough of an angle formed at the end of the housing to create extra friction.
I'd grind the ends if I was using plastic ferrules.
