Bubbleboy Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Hi all...hoping to tap in to some of the great knowledge on here. I am building a Pietenpol Air Camper and am looking into the feasibility of making my own cables. I know...just pay someone to do it but that is not teaching me is it! I have been looking at the Nicopress 64-CGMP and brand new they are around the $260 plus freight or I could buy one secondhand for around $160 plus freight. Do these tools wear out as such or can they be adjusted over time? I attended the cables forum at NATFLY 3 years ago put on by the mueseum engineers and it inspired me to do it myself! I plan on other projects too so it wouldnt be a one off use tool. First of all, am I looking at the right tool for the job? Can the aircraft mechanics out there help me with this one please? Regards Scotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thruster87 Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I bought one of these from Aircraft Spruce SWAGE-IT RIGGING KIT 12-12200 $49.50 to make my cables .This Swage-It rigging kit contains everything you will need for rigging and emergency repairs of Nicopress sleeves on cables. Includes the #2 Swage-It tool for 1/16", 3/32" & 1/8" sleeves, 1/2" extension wrench for use on the #2 tool and a #316 cable cutter. Size: 4-1/2" x 9". Packaged in a clear plastic tube with vinyl caps to better protect tools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbleboy Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 Thats an even better price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_richo Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Hi Scotty, I made all my cables on my old 95:10 machine using a Nicopress 64-CGMP. The jaws can wear but mine are still good as new. They are checked with a gauge with the jaws closed... but for the life of me I can't remember where I put the instructions.. not with the tool dammit! There is also a Go-Nogo gauge for the actual swages available as well. This also tells you if the jaws are worn, or if your swage hasn't squeezed properly. There is some adjustment for the jaws but if they fail the Go-Nogo checks then a new set is required. Cheers Richo (Level 2) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbleboy Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 Richo...thank you! You have answered my queries! I would imagine you would need to swage a lot of cables for the jaws to wear! Scotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyfox1 Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Hi here is a link l puchased the same as these a coulpe of years ago l make all my cables for the Drifter they work good . l made a couple dumby cables with this swag tool took them to morrabin airport they have a testing machine there and all mine passed its only a cheap unit but works great..http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270975020847&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maj Millard Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 The 64-CGMP is a proven tool, and as prev mentioned comes with check-it guage and ajustment instructions should the tool go out of tolerance. Wear on the steel jaws is minimal as you are basically only crimping zinc coated brass and the steel will win every time. Great tool, but don't make the mistake of lending it or you won't get it back !!..................................Maj... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbleboy Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 Maj...thank you for your advice. While I have you here, the swages are available in either plain or coated. What are the pros and cons of each? Scotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maj Millard Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Basic copper is fine. The zinc coated one's do offer an extra level of protection, but it is still basic copper underneath so the strength potential is the same. Zinc coated ones are popular in the marine envioriment...I used that tool on all my biplane wires and never had a drama if you follow instructions and check the finished swage with the go-no go tool occasionally.............................................................Maj... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbleboy Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 Thank you Maj....appreciate you knowledge! Scotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man emu Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Scotty, Load your GAHCo CD that I gave you and look for Oval Splices, MS51844. There is a table there that shows you what the part numbers are for the various cable sizes and plating types. If it says no plating, then these are copper coloured splices. As Maj says, you can have then copper with zinc plating, or copper with tin plating. I've got the unplated ones. OME Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbleboy Posted May 26, 2012 Author Share Posted May 26, 2012 Thanks Mark....what can you do that Nicopress tool for? Scotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man emu Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 Scotty, Considering that you will not be doing swaging on a commercial scale, you don't want to spend a couple of hundred bucks on a tool. How about this tool? To do the swage, you put the wire through the oval sleeve, then put the wired oval into the tool and then make the swage by tightening the bolts. You could get all technical and use a torque wrench to get equal force on both bolts. Either way, you'll need a Go-No Go guage, to check if the swages are good. I can do both items as a package for about $45 +GST and postage. The usual 14 day lead time would apply. OME Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbleboy Posted May 26, 2012 Author Share Posted May 26, 2012 I dont mind spending a few hundred on a tool. I plan on building others and keeping it for life. I watched the museum guys do it in Temora and it looked nice and easy with the 64-CGMP tool. This one looks a little fiddly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerin Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 It's funny, when Scotty first said he was making his own cables this is what I thought he meant 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man emu Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 I spoke to the Boss this morning. He does not recommend the bolt type swager. He says that you will get the best job from the one you are asking about. OME Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbleboy Posted May 28, 2012 Author Share Posted May 28, 2012 I spoke to the Boss this morning. He does not recommend the bolt type swager. He says that you will get the best job from the one you are asking about.OME Thanks Mark...I had that feeling but thank you to you guys for confirming it. Scotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thruster87 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 I spoke to the Boss this morning. He does not recommend the bolt type swagger. He says that you will get the best job from the one you are asking about.OEM In my experience both do an acceptable crimp but the bolt type has the advantage in tight places and the SWAGE-IT RIGGING KIT 12-12200 $49.50kit also includes the wire cutting pliers and a few nicopress.Its' not as if you are going to do hundreds of crimps on your own build project. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man emu Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 When Scotty is doing the cables for his Pietenpol, he will be doing some in situ and a small tool would be OK. However, the advantage of the Nicopress tool is that the jaws go over centre and put more pressure on the oval sleeve, thereby making a better crimp. I'd advise a search on E-bay for a second hand one, and make sure that it is not of Chinese manufacture. OME Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueadventures Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Hi all...hoping to tap in to some of the great knowledge on here. I am building a Pietenpol Air Camper and am looking into the feasibility of making my own cables. I know...just pay someone to do it but that is not teaching me is it!I have been looking at the Nicopress 64-CGMP and brand new they are around the $260 plus freight or I could buy one secondhand for around $160 plus freight. Do these tools wear out as such or can they be adjusted over time? I attended the cables forum at NATFLY 3 years ago put on by the mueseum engineers and it inspired me to do it myself! I plan on other projects too so it wouldnt be a one off use tool. First of all, am I looking at the right tool for the job? Can the aircraft mechanics out there help me with this one please? Regards Scotty Hi Scotty Check out the Lake Keepit glider guys and the maintenance guys may do the job for you as they often need to swage and have a nicopress tool around the place. I would help you out but i'm in Mackay. Cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thruster87 Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 When Scotty is doing the cables for his Pietenpol, he will be doing some in situ and a small tool would be OK. However, the advantage of the Nicopress tool is that the jaws go over centre and put more pressure on the oval sleeve, thereby making a better crimp.I'd advise a search on E-bay for a second hand one, and make sure that it is not of Chinese manufacture. OME The extra crimp pressure does not come into play as such, as you can only go as far as the size of the die.On both types the dies have to touch so as to crimp to the correct size.Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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