Ron Gray Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 As per the title! I’ve built quite a few models with ‘pull pull’ wires for rudder and elevator surfaces and have always used a pair of long nose pliers or wire cutters (used lightly) to crimp the ferrules to grip the (looped) control wires. I use ‘proper’ crimp tools for servo leads and the like and just wonder if there is a similar, open ended, tool for these ferrules? I know that for cable termination ferrules the ring type crimp tools are excellent but not sure if an open ended equivalent is available? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 I use a small pair of wide, flat nose pliers to crimp closed loop ferrules. The ferrule crimps flat, obviously, but I've never had a crimp failure or felt in anyway that the finished job was poor. Important to thread the wire through the ferrule correctly beforehand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 I do same as you Ron. Pliers first, then 2 or 3 nips with wire cutters to grip the wire. Always works but I always feel that there must be a better way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad_flyer Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 I am watching with interest here, I have closed loop on a model that came to me built. I ought to re-do it, but I am shying away from it because of the crimping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 (edited) 28 minutes ago, Dad_flyer said: I am watching with interest here, I have closed loop on a model that came to me built. I ought to re-do it, but I am shying away from it because of the crimping. Don't worry. I've never had a failure in any closed loop crimp, but do thread the cable correctly through the ferrule as shown in the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afut-_hztQ8 Fast forward to 10 minutes to see the crimp technique. I've never bothered with the shrink covering, but it's an option. Just wide plain nosed pliers, not keen on the use of wire cutters for an 'extra' crimp - IMHO it's not necessary if the cable is double looped through the ferrule. Whatever one is happy with. Edited May 29, 2022 by Cuban8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Hilton Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 I use a pair of blunt side cutters 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted May 29, 2022 Author Share Posted May 29, 2022 (edited) The video is, more or less, the way that I carry out my installations but it’s the crimping of the ferrules that I would like to improve, as I’m not a fan of just flattening the ferrules. I like to have ‘cross tube’ crimps to give more security, hence why I use the cutters to create a couple of ‘cross tube’ indents but it doesn’t look very neat and you have to be careful with the amount of force exerted otherwise it’s easy to cut through the whole lot! As I said above, circular crimp tools for cable termination ferrules are great but rely on threading the ferrules into the circular jaws and are generally a little on the large size for in model installations. I was hoping to find a pair, similar to servo cable crimps, that have open jaws but will still execute multiple crimp points. Maybe I’m being too finicky? Edited May 29, 2022 by Ron Gray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted May 29, 2022 Author Share Posted May 29, 2022 2 minutes ago, Alan Hilton said: I use a pair of blunt side cutters That maybe the solution, find an old pair and make sure they are blunt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Bennett Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 (edited) Rather than flat long-nose pliers, I use round-nose ones. They apply more of a point load, something similar to blunt side cutters I suppose. I then dribble a bit of thin epoxy into the connection. Edited May 29, 2022 by Allan Bennett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 I use a basic car electrics multi type crimping tool, one section on the plier is for doing non insulated terminals which is much the same as doing the pull pull ferrules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Sweeting 1 Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 You can also add a drop of soft solder if it's all metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted May 29, 2022 Author Share Posted May 29, 2022 So @Alan Hintongave me the idea, so I went out to the workshop and found an old pair of blunt side cutters. 5 minutes later with the cutting edges filed to form blunt edges, probably not that clear in the photo. But using them on my smallest pull pull wire and ferrule Well that was a success, thanks Alan. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 Side cutters or the ones on pliers for stainless steel cables, round circlip pliers on the plastic covered cables, two crimps and a drop of cyano,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Cooper Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 I thread the wire back through the ferrule and then crimp it with a vice. After that, the wires get a dot of cyano to make sure they cannot creep. Leave enough room for adjustment. . . The wires stretch after a while so they will require being tightened up after they have settled down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Dilly 1 Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 On similar free-flight applications like the bunt line on F1A gliders I use a small pair of round-nosed pliers and make two crimps at 90 degrees to each other. That would be with ali. tubing of about 18 or 20swg about 5mm long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 4 hours ago, Brian Cooper said: Leave enough room for adjustment. . . The wires stretch after a while so they will require being tightened up after they have settled down. I put springs on one end of my wires, problem solved especially with the heat differences here,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 Threading the wire through three times as in the above photo is the correct way to do it but no need for crimps, just try pulling it out again and you will have no luck. Twice through the ferrule is asking for a failure, crimps, ca or whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 I’d guess you’re looking for something along these lines Ron. I can’t help you find them but they were used on telephone exchange equipment. This is the result of using them on closed loop crimps: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted May 29, 2022 Author Share Posted May 29, 2022 @Martin Harris - Moderatordoes that flatten and crimp the sides? (difficult to see from the close up). If it does then that is the bog's dollocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted May 29, 2022 Author Share Posted May 29, 2022 @Martin McIntoshWithout crimping the loop can still get smaller until the ferrule goes against the connecting rod / control arm which will result in the line becoming slack. The looping back through the ferrule stops the cable end from pulling through the ferrule but even that can slip unless crimped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 It compresses it on 4 sides to turn it into a square section. Hopefully a bit easier to see… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel R Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 @Dad_flyer Closed loop controls are the best. Crimping is easy to get the hang of. @Martin Harris - Moderator That looks like a proper job. Myself, I use side cutters, careful not to go right through everything. I do three crimps, thread the thing back around - as per Ron's picture. Then finish with some CA in the ferrule and heatshrink outside for a neat job (if I have any handy). 18 hours ago, Ron Gray said: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piers Bowlan Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 A bit off topic (sorry) but what wire and ferrules do you use? I have never used closed loop controls (about time I did). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Gates Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 I use the same set of crimp pliers that I use for servo lead connectors. I have taken to looping both sets of wires through the crimp to stop the ferrule sliding down the cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted May 30, 2022 Author Share Posted May 30, 2022 @Piers BowlanI’ve used both the SLEC or similar or fishing trace wire which comes with ferrules. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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