Cutting cable

[Greg Arehart]

Not sure where to post this but since its heat-related I'll put it here for now.

I have two of Vans black-knob cables to be used for cabin heat. They are 6 feet long, and I understand that they can be cut down (I only need about 3 feet). What is the best way to cut these things? Obviously it could be done by hacksaw, but is there a better/easier way?

thanks,
greg

[lorne green]

Try a thin disc cutting wheel on your air driven cutter. Carefully cut the casing away without nicking the insert wire.

[JonJay]

You can pull the wire all of the way out of the housing, cut to length with your disc and put the wire back in then cut it to length as needed.

[jsharkey]

I've just done that and used a pair of lineman's electrical pliers.

Pull the inner wire out and clear of the cut, gently use the cutting blades of the pliers to spread open the spiral casing and snip throught the outer hoop wire and the plastic inner sleeve in one cut. Push the inner wire back through casing and cut it to the required length with the pliers.

It was quicker, easier, and cleaner than I expected. Not a bad thing when you are down in the footwell head first. I thought I'd have to clean up the cut but it ended up very neat.

Jim Sharkey
RV6 - Wiring etc

[DarylT]

I have done it both with a hacksaw and a dremel tool. The Vans cable you can pull out and cut no probem. The one I got from Spruce has a push button lock. It had a tag that said not to pull out more than 3 inches or it would not work anymore. Had to go suicide with the cable still in there. The dremel tool working in 15 seconds no problem.

[Greg Arehart]

Thanks very much. Now its just the choice of techniques!

Anybody found a use for the leftovers?

greg