Cable Sleeve Swage Tool

[Mark Julicher]

I was purchasing wire rope in my local Home Despot store (pun intended) and just happened to notice they were selling an "Oval Sleeve Swage Tool". (Can you say Nicopress?) The tool I saw could swage four sizes. Price was an incredible $29.

And no, the cable I bought was for a guy wire not for a plane.

[flylo]

Re: Cable Sleeve Swage Tool

Is it the one that looks like bolt cutter with handles about 24"? If so that's a great deal! I paid $50 plus shipping on Ebay. They're about $150 in the catalog.

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Cable Sleeve Swage Tool

That's the one. I grabbed what I thought was a bolt cutter and I was surprised to see a swage head on it. I paid a lot more than that for my swage tool also.

[Guest]

Re: Cable Sleeve Swage Tool

Be sure to measure the after swage dimension of the sleeve to verify that it is in spec.

I have seen tools fail to adequately compress.

Some are adjustable and sometimes even though they have adjustmenst they will not be able to be the a/c spec.

Just be safe.

[high time cub]

Re: Cable Sleeve Swage Tool

e.g.

http://www8.landings.com/cgi-bin/get_file?pass=12345&ADS/1976/76-16-08.html

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Cable Sleeve Swage Tool

OK now a dumb question, where does one find a go-no go guage? I have one of those swedgeing tools. Paid $29 buck on ebay two years ago. Have been using it on my ultralight stuff, but will need to make new controls for my BC-12 at some point in the future. Larry

[Guest]

Re: Cable Sleeve Swage Tool

The AD refers to a guage # 64-CGMP. Look for it at a aircraft tool supply house or Aircraft Spruce & Specialty.

Look in ac43.13-1B for specs.

Contact nicopress directly.

and so on

Also ac43.13-1b recommends testing the cable.

[astjp2]

Re: Cable Sleeve Swage Tool

I have one and the jaws make a very poor swage, (crooked, not the same width between the upper and lower jaws) Its all right for your tractor but I wont fly behind them......Tim

[FredK]

Re: Cable Sleeve Swage Tool

Google ac43.13-1B, on the web at www.airweb.faa.gov, FK

[NY86]

Re: Cable Sleeve Swage Tool

Actually, they're for high tensil fencing, not tractors. And I'd be cautious about using them for aircraft purposes. The jaws are cheap and some leave tooling marks that look like stress risers in the making. I spent at least an hour "improving" the one I use for fencing...

[OldBits2]

Re: Cable Sleeve Swage Tool

Hi guys,

I have Been building FAA PMA cables for about 15 years now. Where a cable is built for use on certified aircraft, the standards call for a 60% proof test of ultimate load prior to installation. This means that any 1/8" cable should be pull tested to at least 1200# in a proper fixture. Any slippage must be noted and disqualifies the cable for use.

Having watched a number of these tests on MS swaged ends (not nicopress), and having also witnessed a few tests of the Nicopress cable fittings, I can tell you that the nicopress failure rate is about 1000% higher. They tend to pull free if not done exactly right.

The nicopress was developed by/for the telephone company and the standard is not for aviation, though sometimes used there. for my money I would be most reluctant to use nicopress at all, and I would certainly NEVER use an inferior repair system on critical cables in my airplane, especially if it had been certified by a fine outfit like Home Despot.....

[Robert Lees]

Re: Cable Sleeve Swage Tool

Some sad but technically relevant accidents recently in the UK refer to cable swaging standards and the types of cable:

Here (1mb pdf) and here (550kb pdf).

And yes, I know Mark wasn't using his swaging tool for aircraft

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Cable Sleeve Swage Tool

WE have the original factory tool from AT&T that was used for testing by Taylorcraft, they did all the approvals for use in the aviation industry, then the other manufacturers picked up on the process. IT is approved, but you must use proper tools. I saw a beautiful homebuilt ahve the cables slip in the alnding gear and ruin the ship. The worst swaging is done with the little tool that gets pulled together with two bolts, that one never develops strength.
SS cable seems to slip very easily. USE the Part 43 and Mechanics handbook. check guages are all over the place and they need to be checked once in a while with a micrometer. Be careful out there!!

[tabranch]

Re: Cable Sleeve Swage Tool

"The worst swaging is done with the little tool that gets pulled together with two bolts, that one never develops strength."

That statement is just not true!

[Guest]

Re: Cable Sleeve Swage Tool

I have used the bolt together tool too.

I ended up replacing the bolts and threads and having to sequence the bolts properly.

I did get pass-able swages.

Later I replaced it with one of those $200 tools.

Dave