Pack of biccies might be appreciated
Hi guys,
I've got a length of 1mm wire which is made of 7 twisted strands of stainless steel. I need to cut it as cleanly as possible.
Could anyone tell me what sort of tool I need to get? I'm guessing some sort of wire cutters, but I'm struggling to find anything suitable -
most of the stuff I find in searches tends to be for electrical wire, which is obviously much easier to cut.
Would I find something suitable in Wickes or Homebase? That would be ideal because I've got both just down the road, and I need the tool fairly
soon! I also can't go too far because my car is effectively undriveable until I cut this wire!
Thanks,
Pete
Work out the length you need and drop some solder around the area you want to cut - then use Pliers.
Steve
tin snips maybe?
Tried tinsnips? Have to have plenty of tension in the bolt, no play on the blades or it'll just bend around them. That's what I use for
steel fishing trace which sounds similar.
Caveat: could be utter bunk.
Ive got a pair like this and they will do the job you want
link
I have found that gently using a mini cutting wheel in a Dremel or a 1mm slitting disc in the angle grinder makes a very clean cut without splaying or
fraying the strands.
Cutters like the ones big_wasa shows above that work like scissors (a shearing action rather than a squeezing action like side cutters) do the job
nicely too if you don't mind buying a new tool or have to do lots of cutting.
[Edited on 3/3/09 by matt_claydon]
I'm intrigued to know what this wire is!! I'm voting for the solder and cut method. Like I used to do with bike brake cables!!
B&Q sell little bolt crops. About 8" long. We use em at work to cut stainless steel mesh. (Other diy superstores are available)
Wrap some masking tape around the end to stop it "fraying" then use a cut-off blade in a dremel. Job done.....
Solder if you want to get fancy but try not to get it too hot otherwise you might change it from being flexible to brittle....
quote:
Originally posted by BenB
Wrap some masking tape around the end to stop it "fraying" then use a cut-off blade in a dremel. Job done.....
Sharp cold chisel for me, some big hammers, one to act as an anvil.
bolt croppers, pliers etc make the strands splay partly because you cannot avoid levering things, the chisel is very quick chop which will give a
surprising clean cut if carried out with one cut.
Regards Mark
pop into your local bike shop (or Halfords) and ask them to cut the cable with their proper set of cable cutters - which they'll have for cutting
stainless steel stranded bike gear and brake cables.
Pack of biccies might be appreciated
Locost method (assuming the cable is detached at both ends).
Go into Homebase/Wickes/B&Q and go to the area where they have the chain and rope stock for sale... use the cutters they have there for the
chain.
Cheers,
James
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
......... proper set of cable cutters....... for cutting stainless steel stranded bike gear and brake cables.
Funnily enough I've just come out of the garage where I was fitting a throttle cable. I just clamped the cable in some mole grips and cut it with a pair of heavy duty electrical wire cutters. No problem at all and no fraying.
Clamp it between 2 bits of wood in the vice and hacksaw through the lot.
Neil
As above - Solder about 5-10mm and then cut with a good (sharp) pair of Dia-Cutter Pliers like this :
linky
overall diameter that sounds even thinner than bike brake cable, maybe as tin as bike gear cable but with fewer strands.
I have used normal wire cutters but if you are worried about splaying the end, then tape wrapped tightly round the cable and a dremel cut off disc -
take it slow as the heat may melt the tape.
there are special bike cable cutters but that may not be worth your while; I have over the years replace many a cable and don;t feel the need to fork
out on special cuttrers for something I may do a couple times a year whcih I can do by another means.
I use heatshrink stuff over the end to stop the end fraying.
quote:
Originally posted by trikerneil
Clamp it between 2 bits of wood in the vice and hacksaw through the lot.
Neil
1mm slotting disc in an angle grinder (or dremel thing if you have one).
Support the cable between two bits of wood, and cut the lot.
basically you are trying to prevent bruising to the cable lay. ie to keep it round after you have cut it.
On a similar line to Mark Chandlers suggestion I have used a sharp axe and a lump
hammer anvil. Also works well.
The wife found some mini bolt croppers in the city center 2 weeks ago (probably pushbike liberators for a guess) I slipped some heat shrink on the
cable then cut it. Then had to rework it 3 or 4 times through a kinked casing and it still came out of the other end perfect.
Next time though I will put my hand in my pocket for an outer.
Thermite
Hi
Correct tool for the job is as Wasa recommends, I use the Snap On version but probably less locost than £18.
Failing that I'd go for soldering then grinding with a Dremel.
Regards Mick
My vote goes with the sharp chisel and anvil/hammer. If you have any spare cable give it a try , you'll be suprised how quick and clean the cut is. I worked in a motor cycle workshop for a while and no one there used cable cutters when fitting/making cables , they all used a chisel
quote:
Originally posted by RoadkillUK
Thermite
quote:
Originally posted by mark chandler
Sharp cold chisel for me, some big hammers, one to act as an anvil.
bolt croppers, pliers etc make the strands splay partly because you cannot avoid levering things, the chisel is very quick chop which will give a surprising clean cut if carried out with one cut.
Regards Mark
You cut it with a cold chisel