Cutting aircraft cable?

"John Kunkel" writes:


How do I cut 3/16" stainless steel aircraft cable?

You need a dedicated cable/wire rope cutter.

http://www2.northerntool.com/product-1/200308983.htm


Dremal cutoff wheel, maybe???


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"RST Engineering" wrote in message
...
Orval --

A quick question from somebody who farms that part of the job out when it
has to be done...since the end doesn't take any of the tension of the
cable,
what would be wrong with torching it and then nicropressing it outside of
the torched area?

Stainless steel does not burn in oxygen like carbon steel does. You can CUT
stainless steel with a plasma torch or with an abrasive disk cutoff saw.
With an oxy-acetylene torch you could MELT the stainless cable (and blow the
melted metal away as opposed to burning away like carbon steel) and you may
be able to fuse the ends of the cable as is often done with regular wire
rope. Since stainless is normally welded inside an inert atmosphere (argon
or helium), you should expect less than perfect results if fusing the end of
the cable in an oxygen atmosphere. Some people use solder or silver
solder(brazing) to seal the cable ends and contain the jagged ends.
Stainless does not conduct heat as well as regular steel so it will stay hot
longer but will not conduct the heat as far down the cable as regular wire
rope. You could stop the heat traveling very far by quenching in water or
oil.

YMMV and I doubt that it is approved as per EA-AC 43.13-1A&2A An abrasive
disk cutoff saw and a blob of 5 min. epoxy would be the easiest and would
solve worries about the heat affected zone, or just put an extra nico over
the jagged ends.

Blue skies to all.

RST Engineering wrote:

Orval --

A quick question from somebody who farms that part of the job out when it
has to be done...since the end doesn't take any of the tension of the cable,
what would be wrong with torching it and then nicropressing it outside of
the torched area?

Note: I'm not doing this for use in an aircraft! It is simply to extend
a clothes line. It's probably best to not fray the end too much.

Do repair shops at FBOs typically have something to cut cable with? I
can just drive it over to the one I used to fly out of.

Out of interest, what is a "nico press"? I don't have one in my garage
but buying new toys is always fun. I'll try a MAP torch and chisel.

On Sat, 18 Jun 2005 09:46:46 -0400, Stubby
wrote:

Out of interest, what is a "nico press"? I don't have one in my garage
but buying new toys is always fun. I'll try a MAP torch and chisel.

Nicopress was developed as a low-cost way to install terminations on cable for
the telephone industry. It compresses a copper sleeve over the cable so that
the copper flows into the weave of the cable. The swage (compression tool),
sleeves and other components used on the system can be bought at most hardware
stores. Here's what the swage looks like:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...wagingtool.php

See page 7-32 of AC43-13b:

http://www.faa.gov/certification/air...3/Ch_07-08.doc

Ron Wanttaja

On Sat, 18 Jun 2005 09:46:46 -0400, Stubby
wrote:

RST Engineering wrote:

Orval --

A quick question from somebody who farms that part of the job out when it
has to be done...since the end doesn't take any of the tension of the cable,
what would be wrong with torching it and then nicropressing it outside of
the torched area?

Note: I'm not doing this for use in an aircraft! It is simply to extend
a clothes line. It's probably best to not fray the end too much.

Do repair shops at FBOs typically have something to cut cable with? I
can just drive it over to the one I used to fly out of.

Out of interest, what is a "nico press"? I don't have one in my garage
but buying new toys is always fun. I'll try a MAP torch and chisel.

The biggest cable/bolt cutter you are likely to see is the 24 inch
Chinese model that usually costs about $25.

A smaller version of this bolt cutter at $15 or less, can have its
cutter jaws ground to a circular profile. This makes a handy dandy
nicopress for aluminum or copper sleeves which are clenched together
on a wire loop to make high strength end fittings.

If poeple want to use a sledge and cold-chisel, that's fine with me.

People who want to use the "two bars squeezed with bolts" style of
nicopress are welcome to it.
Yacht chandlers will use a hydraulic press for swageing end fittings.
Nice work, if you can get it!

Word to the wise: always proof test cable terminal fittings to at
least 90% of the design load - you'll never regret it.

Brian Whatcott

Ron Wanttaja wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jun 2005 09:46:46 -0400, Stubby
wrote:


Out of interest, what is a "nico press"? I don't have one in my garage
but buying new toys is always fun. I'll try a MAP torch and chisel.


Nicopress was developed as a low-cost way to install terminations on cable for
the telephone industry. It compresses a copper sleeve over the cable so that
the copper flows into the weave of the cable. The swage (compression tool),
sleeves and other components used on the system can be bought at most hardware
stores. Here's what the swage looks like:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...wagingtool.php

See page 7-32 of AC43-13b:

http://www.faa.gov/certification/air...3/Ch_07-08.doc

Ron Wanttaja

Those are excellent references. Thanks, Ron.

Stubby wrote:
How do I cut 3/16" stainless steel aircraft cable? I've tried
wirecutters, tin snips, airplane sheers, and a branch lopper. Tough stuff!

Use a hammer and a chisel!