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Vintage Radio (domestic) Domestic vintage radio (wireless) receivers only. |
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12th Jun 2021, 8:08 pm | #1 |
Heptode
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK.
Posts: 595
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Strength of Solder for Soldering Bowden Cable Wire Nipples?
Just a quickie.
Can I use the same type solder we use for soldering wire for soldering nipples to Bowden cable wire? Brian |
12th Jun 2021, 8:15 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 14,007
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Re: Strength of Solder for Soldering Bowden Cable Wire Nipples?
What's the wire made of?
If it's steel or - even worse - stainless-steel - you will have problems getting ordinary solder to adhere to it. [When I re-strung the dial drive on my Eddystone 840A rather than using any kind of solder I dismantled a bunch of 5-amp 'choc-block' connectors and sawed each of the barrels in half to produce a single-screw version; these worked just fine and have the advantage that you can release-and-retighten them if you need to take up a bit of slack] |
12th Jun 2021, 8:23 pm | #3 |
Heptode
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK.
Posts: 595
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Re: Strength of Solder for Soldering Bowden Cable Wire Nipples?
Just ordinary steel I think; definitely not stainless.
What a good idea, I like the idea of being able to release and re-tighten. Thank you. Brian |
12th Jun 2021, 10:37 pm | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Lynton, N. Devon, UK.
Posts: 7,088
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Re: Strength of Solder for Soldering Bowden Cable Wire Nipples?
I've used standard electronics grade 60/40 solder for bike brake cables. Obviously, the cable must be clean, and spread out inside the nipple. I've never had one pull off.
But - I don't know how well lead-free electronic solder would work. It's not clear from your original post what you mean by "the same type solder we use for soldering wire," hopefully then this answer covers both eventualities! |
12th Jun 2021, 10:38 pm | #5 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,554
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Re: Strength of Solder for Soldering Bowden Cable Wire Nipples?
Last time I did one I used a crimp solder tag.
The ring part could be cut down if it makes threading easier. |
13th Jun 2021, 4:46 am | #6 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK.
Posts: 5,219
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Re: Strength of Solder for Soldering Bowden Cable Wire Nipples?
When I needed a cable for the cover latch on my R80 disk drive I did what G6tanuki suggests and used cut-down 'chocolate block' innards. Seems to work fine.
The nipples I bought were designed for use on a bicycle and seem to be aluminium. No solder would stick to them anyway. So I didn't bother to check if the solder would stick to the cable or not. |
13th Jun 2021, 6:41 am | #7 |
Triode
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Brixham, Devon, UK.
Posts: 35
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Re: Strength of Solder for Soldering Bowden Cable Wire Nipples?
"" the cable must be clean, and spread out inside the nipple"".
If the solder flows and the strands spread then it will not fail. The adjustable clamp (however made) is a much better idea. |
13th Jun 2021, 7:37 am | #8 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Surbiton, SW London, UK.
Posts: 2,801
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Re: Strength of Solder for Soldering Bowden Cable Wire Nipples?
Trouble with 60/40 is it is ductile. A higher melting point 40/60 type is less so, a good
temperature controlled iron (or gas type) may be needed. |
13th Jun 2021, 9:05 am | #9 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,901
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Re: Strength of Solder for Soldering Bowden Cable Wire Nipples?
If you're going to gas heat, then silver solder might as well be used. It's a lot less ductile and shouldn't have a creep failure mode like soft solders.
Parts fail when under most stress, so nipples pull off when they're being used. For a bike brake this can be very dangerous. Soft solder would be worrying in some applications. David
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Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done |
13th Jun 2021, 11:11 am | #10 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 13,454
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Re: Strength of Solder for Soldering Bowden Cable Wire Nipples?
Inserted into a coupling then filled with a Tin alloy (white metal) very very strong, no pullie out.
Lawrence. |
13th Jun 2021, 7:10 pm | #11 |
Nonode
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Kirk Michael, Isle of Man
Posts: 2,350
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Re: Strength of Solder for Soldering Bowden Cable Wire Nipples?
I have been soldering motorcycle cables for the last 60 years, most of the time using normal electronics multicore. With some older stuff, with a hint of rust around, you will need some Bakers fluid to be sure of a good joint. As mentioned above, the creation of a "ball" in the Bowden cable is the guarantor of long lasting success. I have seen stainless steel, but never on a motorcycle, but possibly an acid fluxed wire would be OK provided wire "balled" properly. I have made all my own cables for most of this time and still do.
Les. |