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Hints, Tips and Solutions (Do NOT post requests for help here) If you have any useful general hints and tips for vintage technology repair and restoration, please share them here. PLEASE DO NOT POST REQUESTS FOR HELP HERE!

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Old 22nd Apr 2017, 3:57 am   #1
FrankB
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Default Other uses for heat shrink tubing

I am sure you all can add to this list:

1. Use it to color code wires for reassembly into Cannon Military plugs.I actually bought all 10 EIA colors for marking purposes.

2. Put on the handles of pliers or cutters to insulate them. White gets dirty
quickly, but they are EZ to see on the floor or in grass.

3.Color code your spark plug wires on your vehicle. (Or house , Cat 5, etc wiring.)

4. Extend the plastic tube on your spray can of chemicals. (I once made a 2' extension to get into tuners easy this way. ).

5. Slide over crumbling natural rubber insulated wires rather than R&R them in old radios.

Feel free to add your thoughts here.
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Old 22nd Apr 2017, 9:12 am   #2
vinrads
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Default Re: Other uses for heat shrink tubing

When I need to totally strip an amplifier chassis for a friend who restores Juke boxes I use a small piece of heat shrink to identify wires and there is a lot of them, sometimes I need two colours good thing about heatshrink it stays on the wire, so no mistakes when re assembling , Mick.
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Old 22nd Apr 2017, 9:53 am   #3
G6Tanuki
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Default Re: Other uses for heat shrink tubing

When making up coaxial patch-leads I always put a short length of coloured-different-to-the-coax-jacket heatshrink a few inches back from each end on just the 75-Ohm leads, so I can quickly differentiate between the 50- and 75-Ohm ones without having to look at what's written on the cable-jacket/BNC shells.

I've also used adhesive-lined heatshrink as a quick replacement for cotton thread 'whipping' to hold the rings on a fishing-rod.
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Old 22nd Apr 2017, 10:05 am   #4
kellys_eye
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Default Re: Other uses for heat shrink tubing

That 50/75 ohm coax idea is a good one - thanks!
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Old 22nd Apr 2017, 11:30 am   #5
emeritus
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Default Re: Other uses for heat shrink tubing

When drilling holes for wall plugs in masonry, I use an approx. 18" length of 6mm with about 3" shrunk at one end to blow dust out of the hole. Makes inserting the plug easier and reduces any tendency for it to rotate when fitting the screw.
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Old 23rd Apr 2017, 12:02 am   #6
Skywave
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Default Re: Other uses for heat shrink tubing

Along with a number of other urgent house maintenance tasks, right now I am in the process of replacing a very old wooden and crumbling garden gate. It was necessary to fix two replacement wooden posts to the concrete pillars, one each side of the gate aperture. To do that, I used anchor bolts. But I didn't have the necessary 14 mm. diameter drill: the one I had was a little too large, thus producing a hole that was too large. However, fitting pieces of heat-shrink to each anchor bolt and heating them so that they made a tight fit to that bolt produced a tight fit when that bolt was subsequently tightened in the over-size hole.

The tip above from emeritus is one I will bear in mind for next time: there is yet another gate which needs replacement!

Al.
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Old 23rd Apr 2017, 7:42 pm   #7
m0cemdave
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Default Re: Other uses for heat shrink tubing

Several layers shrunk over each other (to provide enough stiffness) make a good reducing nozzle for the end of a vacuum cleaner hose, when you need to get a lot of suction in a small space.

When I used to re-cone loudspeakers at work, I made one of these up for cleaning out the magnet gaps (before following up with the classic sticky tape) and it served me well for some years.
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