clutch cable question

[themoudie]

Aye Jordan and 'Ventodue',

I will take images and post on here with dimensions my tool made from scrap.

Good health, Bill

[themoudie]

Aye Jordan and Ventodue,

Images of the tools, with dimensions in mm.

The cable clamp is made from a piece of scrap 50mm x 50mm x 5mm right-angle mild steel.
The hole, in which the tinned cable is clamped, is created by clamping the two pieces of angle in a pillar drill vice and then drilling VERY GENTLY with a SHARP 1.5mm drill between the two pieces of angle. Then using a 5.5mm drill, drill a hole 4mm deep, using the 1.5mm hole to centre it.
Depending upon the length of your 1.5mm drill you may have to shorten the side of the angle plate to allow the cable to pass through the clamp hole, as I did.

The punch is made from a piece of 5mm mild steel rod approximately 100m long.
After centre doting the end of the rod, create a concave depression in the end of the rod using a 4mm drill, this depression forms the bird nest on the end of the cable.
After drilling the depression, heat the rod to a cherry red and plunge it into a tin of water and allow to cool, this should harden it sufficiently to take the hits from a half-pound ball pein hammer.

Method is to dip the cable in phophoric acid solution to clean, for at least 1-2 minutes. Tin the cable in the solder pot and then clamp the cable with the end flush with the top of the hole. Lightly clamp (DO NOT CRUSH THE CABLE BETWEEN THE CLAMPS!) and then with a sharp tap form the nest with the hollow nose of the punch.

Make sure that you have all the cable components in place before doing this on the second end of the cable, because you will not push them over the top of the nest!

Good health, Bill

[blaat!]

Thanks everyone for all the info. I bought the Venhill cable and installed it, and wow that is smooth! So much easier! I tossed the other new one in the trash. I'm a Venhill guy now

I'll be making your bird cage tool Bill. Thanks for the clear instructions! I'd buy the Venhill tool as I'm sure it is nice quality, but it is a little spendy for the few cables I do.

I made a little impromptu tinning cup from an old 1/2" socket extension to keep the cable end from fraying:

IMG_2524.jpg

The clutch pull is reasonable now, but there is way more travel on the clutch than necessary. I'll probably look for a hand lever with better leverage and slightly less travel just to make it even easier.

Thanks again!

[Ventodue]

The cable clamp is made from a piece of scrap 50mm x 50mm x 5mm right-angle mild steel. <snip>

Thanks for the post, Bill.

Craig

[Jordan]

Images of the tools, with dimensions in mm.

Good health, Bill

Thanks Bill.