I'm about to take on a project where it looks like the best solution will involve using some steel cable.

I seem to remember that you need some specialty clippers to work with cable, but when the time comes to make little loops in the end .... how do you do that?

Is there a web page or book I cn refer to?

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), December 03, 2001

Answers

a good pair of bolt cutter can work fine. To make the loops,, either use 2 "U" bolts,, 90 degrees apart to hold the loop,, or oone of the specialty tools that crimps some lead around the end to hold it. DOnt forget to wear GOOD leather gloves at all times.. and watch out for the ends,, frags of metal CAN and WILL fly,, and the ends can cut you deep,,still have some scars from that.

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), December 03, 2001.

Stan is right, the 'U' bolt type clips are the easiest, if not the prettiest way to put an eye on the end of steel cable. It CAN be spliced like softer cordage but that is a real art. There are crimp on metal sleeves that do a neat job but impossible to fit without the correct tool which must exert TONs or pressure to do a good job. The best kind of 'U' type clipe is known (at least in this part of the world) as 'Bulldog clips', these consist of the 'U' bolt and a specially shaped piece that securely grips the strands of the cable.

If you are making an eye through which you will be putting a bolt or hook etc you should use a 'thimble' which is a shaped piece of steel that lines the eye.

Bind the cable each side of where you will make the cut so that the strands can not get tangled. Several turns or light wire or perhaps an automotive type hose clip, which I have never tried.

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), December 03, 2001.

http://www.feeneywire.com/aircraftcable/

rule of thumb: "never saddle dead horse" the loose end of the cable is the "live" end. when using crosbies (called clips on this web page)there is a u-bolt half & a saddle half. when assembling the two the "live" end goes in the saddle & the "dead" end goes in the ubolt part. increases the safety of the loop they say.

-- B. Lackie (cwrench@hotmail.com), December 03, 2001.

I use electrical or duct tape to bind smaller diameter cable before cutting. can cut right tru the tape resulting in both ends being wrapped to the cut.

-- B. Lackie (cwrench@hotmail.com), December 03, 2001.

A good way to cut cable is with a cutting torch. You get rid of the sharp ends. They are all melted together and stay neater.

-- Mel Kelly (melkelly@webtv.net), December 03, 2001.