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Where to buy - Ball end control cable crimp?

Jeff D.

Aluminum
Joined
Jul 11, 2007
Location
Spanish Fort, AL
A friend is looking for the apparatus that is used to crimp a small spherical ball fitting on the end of small (1/16" to 3/32") twisted wire control cables. These stainless balls are about 3/16" to 1/4" in diameter, and allow the control cable a wide range of movement in the end fixture.

Presumably it would be some sort of hand or electrically actuated hydraulic crimping device? I'm very curious myself. These balls seem to be as strong as the cable, even though there can't possibly be more than 1.5-2 times the cable diameter inside the crimp. Any help on how it's done, and where he could find such a crimper would be very helpful.

Thanks,

Jeff
 
The fitting is about $2.

The tool is about $2,500.

The crimped assembly can have up to 95% the strength of the cable.

Check out USATCO or any other aviation tool outfit for the proper swaging tool. Be sitting down when you call. :)
 
I think that most of the ball or barrel ends for bicycle shift and brake cables are cast-on pot metal. These are put on using a set-screw (aka "grub-screw" in the land of gin and bulldogs).

Jim
 
The ones on the McMaster page have a little bit of a shank. What my friend is looking for is only the sphere, with no additional shank. I'll see if I can get him to send me a picture.

I don't think pot metal will work. These are used as the connection for a special break away tip on a spearfishing spear. Like a miniature harpoon. These guys may be shooting tuna and other large, strong fish. So the crimp needs to be small, and nearly as strong as the cable.
 
You are looking for a Kearney swager. I've bought and sold a few.
Aircraft spruce is getting $6400 Ouch! The last one I had I sold
to a guy in Oregon for cable railing for $2500.
 
Thanks for all the feedback. There are a couple places out there where he could get these made for reasonable prices, but you know how it is. When you spend money on a disposable item, eventually you have to wonder if it would be smarter to make it yourself. In this case, I think probably not.
 
I've seen the kearny swager, as well as the dmc unit.

I would like to make or buy some dies that I could
mount in a simple hydraulic press.

Anyone have the dimensions/details ?
 
The aircraft swedgers, are, as mentioned, are very expensive, and desirable on the used market. They have to produce a crimp to a mil spec, and be re- certified on a yearly basis, which you may or may not be looking for. They also generally come with a big bunch of dies for things you may not need, turnbuckle fittings & so forth. I would be interested in your progress if you make your own die. Keep us posted.
 
Fence,


I said "I've seen the kearny swager, as well as the dmc unit."

You said
"The aircraft swedgers, are, as mentioned, are very expensive, and desirable on the used market. They have to produce a crimp to a mil spec, and be re- certified on a yearly basis, which you may or may not be looking for. "

I know what I want, I know what I want it for. I know where to have them certified
if I want to.

I can easily build a small dedicated hyraulic press for the job, if I can find dies
that are used in a press, unlike the kearny which ROLLS them. The DMC unit
is different, and I have never seen one being used. In reading the manual for
it, I think it hammers them.

The large lifting cable guys use a press to swage. No, I'm not talking about
a nicropress sleeve either.
 
The aircraft swages are expensive and calibrated because this is not something to experiment with. If the swage is not right, the cable fails.... period. Have them made or buy the proper tool. This is not a place to experiment or cut corners.
 
Mike
You may have skimmed a bit thin on this one
They're spearing fish, not flying at 40,000 feet

How about drilling a hole through a ball and using low-melt silver solder to sweat it on?

I'd be interested in the answer to the lifting cable guys use by way of press tools, too. I've just signed off drawings for a winch drum where I've designed a ball pocket into one of the end flanges, but I'm not sure I can find someone tooled up to swage a 20mm (max) ball onto 8mm cable in this neck of the woods
 
So a spear fishing band is not a hazard in case of a cable failure? I'll have to make a note of that. I guess having your regulator ripped out of your mouth and slung into oblivion, or having a big gash in your forehead is not an issue.
 
a hose crimp machine would do it. You might have to make your own die. You can pick up used Weatherhead, Gates or Parker machines used. For a nice adjustable Custom Crimp deal it will cost ya.

How many of these need crimped?
 
..... These are used as the connection for a special break away tip on a spearfishing spear. Like a miniature harpoon. These guys may be shooting tuna and other large, strong fish. So the crimp needs to be small, and nearly as strong as the cable.

Mike

I don't think the band is involved.
 
The aircraft swages are expensive and calibrated because this is not something to experiment with. If the swage is not right, the cable fails.... period. Have them made or buy the proper tool. This is not a place to experiment or cut corners.


Really ?

Wow, does supermen make them ?.....I'll bet real ordinary people in real ordinary
shops make them. Yes 100% inspection is the word here, traceability, and calibration
are the watchwords as well, but come on.

Who said anything about anybody cutting corners ?

Your latest post has added nothing to the the question asked.
 
A few pics probably would have been a good idea. The little tip in question goes on the "business end" of the spear. When the spear goes through the fish, the tip falls off and turns sideways, which prevents the fish from getting off the spear. Guys typically use these tips when pursuing larger fish like tuna and such.

A failure of the ball would probably not result in personal injury. However, some people do pay a lot of money to take expensive trips and hunt these "once in a lifetime" fish. Some people like to use these tips even on smaller fish, and after a little while the cable gets twisted and kinked and needs to be replaced. Hence the reason my friend was interested in the possibility of making his own cables, instead of buying them.
 

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A friend is looking for the apparatus that is used to crimp a small spherical ball fitting on the end of small (1/16" to 3/32") twisted wire control cables. These stainless balls are about 3/16" to 1/4" in diameter, and allow the control cable a wide range of movement in the end fixture.

Presumably it would be some sort of hand or electrically actuated hydraulic crimping device? I'm very curious myself. These balls seem to be as strong as the cable, even though there can't possibly be more than 1.5-2 times the cable diameter inside the crimp. Any help on how it's done, and where he could find such a crimper would be very helpful.

Thanks,

Jeff

Aircraft Tool Supply is another good source. http://www.aircraft-tool.com/

Unfortunetly, the Kearney swagger kit (with dies) is $8000!

If you go down the custom cable route, rather than buying the tool, I've had good experiances with Aircraft Spruce.
Jon
 








 
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