Cable splicing

[Len Petterson]

Is Spliceing control cables still legal?
It is dieing art even among sailors, they dont even slice rope.
My tiedown ropes and many others I have has splised eyes and ends on them as I enjoy doing what kind off work.(;f
As I think I have to replace my rudder cable shortly I may want to splice them looks very neat if dune well.
Can I use Stainless Steel for the rudder cables!
Len

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Cable splicing

We hand wrapped all cables on the WACO 9 here at 2D1. They can be done on Taylorcraft too! Certain models and dates... TC you know.

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Cable splicing

Been awhile since we spliced any wire here! We use a splice that has no enlarged area. A running splice like they use on cable cars and chair lifts. I can say that I do not miss the excitement of splicing 1" steel cable.
Larry

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Cable splicing

kind of like sticking yourself for blood sugar about 110 times per day.

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Cable splicing

Thats it!

Larry

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Cable splicing

kind of like sticking yourself for blood sugar about 110 times per day.

For me it was like doing it 110 times in ONE SITTING! Then you have to pull it all apart because one of the wraps is wrong.
I worked a full afternoon on ONE STINKING SPLICE till I couldn't hold the wires from the numb finger tips. When I was through there was more blood in the splice than in me. I wasn't happy with the splice and ended up throwing it away, (would have corroded away anyway).
I would really love to learn to do it right from someone who can do it without bleeding to death.
Hank

[lfries]

Re: Cable splicing

Need to find an old Navy Boatsinmate

[VictorBravo]

Re: Cable splicing

Call EAA Technical Services, they have the contact info for one or two old fogeys that are still set up to do the old "five tuck woven splice". It is FAA legal and approved as both OEM equipment on Taylorcrafts, as well as being in the 43.13 book I believe. The ones on my airplane have been pulling the ailerons back and forth safely for 67 years and counting...

[1938BF50]

Re: Cable splicing

I know the original post asked about legality of cable splices. Not sure on that answer, but our very own BALDEAGLE27, Andrew King makes the nicest cable splices you will ever see. Here is his info.

Andrew King
Elkwood, VA
BC-65 NC23876
Bald Eagle Aviation

http://goodolddaysandmore.googlepages.com/home

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Cable splicing

There is a couple guys out there that will splice tuck cables still. Pretty certian Andrew was one of them. Everything he does is phenominal. used to be $25 per end. Probably more now, but I would not bother learning for one airplane.

[baldeagle27]

Re: Cable splicing

I'm afraid the price is up to $35 per end plus mat'ls, and I've got more than I want to do, working on a set of Monocoupe cables today, and some SPAD cables are waiting. In 20 years I've done cables for everything from Jennys to P-40s, and very seldom draw blood--

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Cable splicing

What's needed is a face to face learning session. When you are trying to do it with a book in front of you and maybe a few samples from old cable ends, you are wasting your time (and blood). I know there must be a "proper" way that doesn't make your shop floor look like a butcher shop, but I haven't found it yet.
Well done cable splices and ends look SOOOOOO good!
Hank
NOTHING like my lumpy, blood stained mess.

[3Dreaming]

Re: Cable splicing

When I did mine I got pretty good at the splices by the time I was finished. It would take me 2 or 3 to get back up to speed. I just wish I had a regular splicing vice instead of the homemade one I was using. Tom

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Cable splicing

Make a video of the process. I'll buy two of them!

[VictorBravo]

Re: Cable splicing

Make a video of the process. I'll buy two of them!

I'll buy the third video just to have it available in the distant future if I need it.

All this old school stuff should be getting recorded on video/DVD, not just on T-crafts but on all old airplanes. The really talented old masters are departing West at an unfortunate rate, all too often taking their knowledge with them.

Thanks to a $100 digital video camera and a DVD burner on a computer, we can save this info now very easily.

Someone should make a video recording of the sacred and storied "rope trick" for cleaning out a stuck exhaust valve and dressing the stem without removing the cylinder. I watched an old guy do it on my T-craft once and my jaw hit the floor. That maneuver really needs to be recorded, along with the proper use of all the tools, which reamer, how to work the valve stem around inside the cylinder, etc.