Cutting nylon braided sleeve - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: temperance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2024, 04:21:09 pm
content: What should I use to cut this nylon braided sleeve?What I tried so far:1. Weller hot knife. (A fancy name for flat chisel soldering iron)If you put the sleeve flat on a workbench and cut it with this hot knife, then as expected the end is not open because braids of antipodal sides melted together. You must sort of keep the braid open and make sure you don't melt antipodal braids together which is next to impossible when holding the braid in one hand and the soldering iron in the other hand.2. Insert a rod into the sleeve and use the hot knife to sort of cut around the rod. It sort of works but it is not very practical for sleeves about 1.2 m long and the end has now the diameter of the rod.Do I use the hot knife in the wrong way? Because it's being sold for this purpose.3. A piece of wood with two screws and a piece of resistance wire connected to power supply. This works because now I have both hands free to expand the braiding while cutting.I have to cut 300 pieces, diameter 3 mm.

author: mendip_discovery
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2024, 04:47:53 pm
content: I used some insulting tape, then cut half on the width of the tape. I used scissors. Then heat shrunk the ends once done with my looms.

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2024, 05:19:36 pm
content: Quote from: mendip_discovery on May 18, 2024, 04:47:53 pmBut that is humiliating!

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2024, 05:24:25 pm
content: scissors, then a quick brush with a flame, or press aganst a hot surface to seal

author: temperance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2024, 06:01:11 pm
content: QuoteYou have to be extremely fast because this stuff opens like spring.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2024, 06:36:54 pm
content: Quotewot he said.

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2024, 06:49:18 pm
content: A wooden dowel of the correct diameter

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2024, 06:58:04 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on May 18, 2024, 05:24:25 pmThat is what I do.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2024, 07:22:59 pm
content: Cut it longer and cut to length using side cutters after inserting the cable /wires. Then use heatshrink lined with glue to seal the deal.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2024, 07:30:50 pm
content: Masking tape either side of the line to cut (easier to remove with less residue than insulating tape), leaving enough between the tapes for two heat-sealed ends, cut with scissors then heat-seal the end. Inserting a smooth round object of an appropriate diameter before taping, then pushing it out of the way to cut, helps keep the heat-sealed ends open enough to get it over the loom you are building.

author: temperance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2024, 11:32:23 pm
content: That's all a lot of work to cut 300 pieces. I think I'll stick with something like this:That's similar to the hot wire I tried.Meanwhile I made some improvements on how to cut with the hot wire. The trick seems to bend it while cutting such that the cut parts move away from the hot wire. The result looks good enough. No or not much fraying and the ends are open and expandable.Now some smoke evacuation apparatus because even with all windows open (front and back) and with today's draft it stinks.Thank you for the ideas.

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2024, 03:10:38 am
content: A popsicle stick or tongue depressor will let you cut one side and then the other with your hot knife. Should be lots easier than a dowel.

author: mendip_discovery
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2024, 05:59:41 am
content: Quote from: soldar on May 18, 2024, 05:19:36 pmIf you ever spot tape on a loom you know its becuase of some bodge and you dread taking it off for the fear of what you will need to fix. Very rearly is it ever use to insulate the loom, it's there to insult the loom.

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2024, 07:01:45 am
content: Quote from: mendip_discovery on May 19, 2024, 05:59:41 amOne on't cross beams gone owt askew on treadle?

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2024, 07:31:04 pm
content: Quote from: temperance on May 18, 2024, 06:01:11 pmSo slip the heat shrink over it beforehand.Tim

author: temperance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2024, 08:38:52 pm
content: QuoteOf course, but adding extra heat shrink tubing is not what I want. Too much work for something simple.After some experiments it works reasonably well with a hot knife. The ends are clean and still flexible.The next problem is nylon sticking to the hot knife after a while... Smoke all over the place.