Do you solder your cable ends?
12-19-09, 05:48 PM
#26
Senior Member
I inherited my soldering gun from my grandfather and I don't think it heats up like it did 50 years ago.
Last edited by Grand Bois; 12-19-09 at 05:49 PM. Reason: I just realized how long it's been since he died.
12-19-09, 06:00 PM
#27
12-19-09, 11:18 PM
#29
Senior Member
You can solder stainless steel cables but it's a lot harder, you need a flux specifically designed for stainless steel. I agree with the earlier post, just buy a big bag of caps and be done with it.
12-19-09, 11:30 PM
#30
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I like the old-school soldering, will do it in the future for my 70's and earlier bikes. For my modern bikes I use Gore Ride-on cable. They're expensive, but I've been using them since '96 and my experience has been:
Crimp on that cable-end and you won't be touching that cable for any maintenance for the next decade plus.
Crimp on that cable-end and you won't be touching that cable for any maintenance for the next decade plus.
12-20-09, 06:08 AM
#31
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The guy who mentioned Maintenace is the one who holds the key to the argument for soldering. Getting caps off without buggering the Cable end (And it only takes ONE stray wire and the things a PIA) is a challenge. I'm frugal to the point of stupid and think that chunking a cable and housing that work fine is wasteful. Soldering the tips allows a good lube job and housing flush and reinsertion that's smooth and nearly permanent. A well maintained cable like a chain ought to last forever (Or as long as I'll be around)
Cable stretch is a joke... don't they make adjusters??? They're brake cables. NOT guitar strings.
Cable stretch is a joke... don't they make adjusters??? They're brake cables. NOT guitar strings.
12-20-09, 06:55 AM
#32
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I can agree on the probs with SS cables, I found my success to be hit and miss until I obtained some liquid flux and solder designed specifically for stainless steel. It's a strong acid-base flux powerful enough to etch through the stainless steel and form a good surface for the solder to adhere to. I got mine from an online soldering/electronics store that I can look up if anyone wants to know. It was under $20 for both and will last me the rest of my life just doing cable ends. Also they can mail it to you (I don't know how they get that lethal stuff through the Postal system, but they did).
Robbie; thanks for the props again. Too bad she's in a big bike box in a storage warehouse with the rest of my life right now. BTW, I found out my next assignment is in Luxembourg for 3 years. Cycle touring here I come!
Robbie; thanks for the props again. Too bad she's in a big bike box in a storage warehouse with the rest of my life right now. BTW, I found out my next assignment is in Luxembourg for 3 years. Cycle touring here I come!
12-20-09, 07:54 AM
#33
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never thought I'd say this: "wow, nice cable ends"
guess there's a 1st time for everything
guess there's a 1st time for everything
12-20-09, 08:11 AM
#34
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I decided to define the phrases "tight wad" & "cheap". I re-use tips whenever possible.
I've tried soldering and heat shrink wrap. Soldering takes a long time vs popping on an aluminum tip. Heat shrink also takes some time and costs as much as the tips.
I've tried soldering and heat shrink wrap. Soldering takes a long time vs popping on an aluminum tip. Heat shrink also takes some time and costs as much as the tips.
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12-20-09, 01:55 PM
#35
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The tiniest little burst of an arc from a Tig welder works well for me.(on stainless cables)
But I found out that just a fraction of a second too long results in a
fused cable end with a ball-shaped profile that will not fit back through
cable housings or barrel adjusters.
But I found out that just a fraction of a second too long results in a
fused cable end with a ball-shaped profile that will not fit back through
cable housings or barrel adjusters.
Last edited by mikewille; 12-26-09 at 12:47 PM.
12-20-09, 02:02 PM
#36
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
I solder a lot of cable ends... it is really not that time consuming when you have everything at hand for doing it.
12-20-09, 02:15 PM
#37
Senior Member
The aluminum crimps can easily be removed and reused if you use hot glue. To remove one, just apply heat from a soldering iron, torch or lighter. Heat it up again to reapply it.
12-20-09, 03:18 PM
#38
Senior Member
It's rarely a frayed tip that prevents me from reusing a cable, but instead the crimp/bend left from the anchor bolt. Fwiw, I use aluminum caps, and when I want to remove one, I just give loosen the anchor bolt, grab the housing above the brake or mech, and give the cable a good yank. The caps usually slip right off (but I still have that anchor-bolt bend).
Neal
Neal
12-26-09, 12:29 AM
#42
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How many of the fellows here who haven't stated what type of cable they're soldering are working with galvanized? How many with stainless?
IMO, "experience" in soldering cable ends does not constitute dabbing some 50/50 solder on the end of a galvanized Wally World cable. I wouldn't use anything short of quality stainless cables on anything I'd intend to ride, especially centerpulls. Why have spongy, rust-prone, galvanized cables unless you're working on a flipper?
-Kurt
IMO, "experience" in soldering cable ends does not constitute dabbing some 50/50 solder on the end of a galvanized Wally World cable. I wouldn't use anything short of quality stainless cables on anything I'd intend to ride, especially centerpulls. Why have spongy, rust-prone, galvanized cables unless you're working on a flipper?
-Kurt
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12-26-09, 01:01 AM
#43
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I prefer soldering too. But haven't been able to do it myself yet as I haven't gotten the proper solder / flux and soldering iron combination.
My LBS did it for me, and I think they used acid core lead solder from radio shack or ace...
My LBS did it for me, and I think they used acid core lead solder from radio shack or ace...
12-26-09, 06:31 AM
#44
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You might also want to look at the recent thread in Bicycle Mechanics though this forum seems a bit more relaxed about things 
.
.
12-26-09, 07:04 AM
#45
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How many of the fellows here who haven't stated what type of cable they're soldering are working with galvanized? How many with stainless?
IMO, "experience" in soldering cable ends does not constitute dabbing some 50/50 solder on the end of a galvanized Wally World cable. I wouldn't use anything short of quality stainless cables on anything I'd intend to ride, especially centerpulls. Why have spongy, rust-prone, galvanized cables unless you're working on a flipper?
-Kurt
IMO, "experience" in soldering cable ends does not constitute dabbing some 50/50 solder on the end of a galvanized Wally World cable. I wouldn't use anything short of quality stainless cables on anything I'd intend to ride, especially centerpulls. Why have spongy, rust-prone, galvanized cables unless you're working on a flipper?
-Kurt
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12-26-09, 08:43 AM
#46
Senior Member
Why would galvanized cables be spongy?
12-26-09, 11:34 AM
#47
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Cheap cables = fewer winds = cable stretch. Granted, some galvanized cables were made back in the '70s that performed well, but they aren't the cables you'll see today.
You should have seen a PX-10 I saw recently that had cheap, galvanized cables on it. The Mafacs had been set up properly, yet, the response from the levers were as spongy as the Pillsbury Doughboy. I peered down the headtube to see both brake cable and the cable yoke on the Mafac lever stretching as if it were silly putty.
That's the most recent account I can think of, to-date. The difference is much more noticeable on centerpulls then sidepulls, whether Mafac, Weinmann, Dia-Compe, or any other.
-Kurt
You should have seen a PX-10 I saw recently that had cheap, galvanized cables on it. The Mafacs had been set up properly, yet, the response from the levers were as spongy as the Pillsbury Doughboy. I peered down the headtube to see both brake cable and the cable yoke on the Mafac lever stretching as if it were silly putty.
That's the most recent account I can think of, to-date. The difference is much more noticeable on centerpulls then sidepulls, whether Mafac, Weinmann, Dia-Compe, or any other.
-Kurt
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