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Gear / Technical Help => Cables => Topic started by: Chuck on December 07, 2012, 09:49:38 AM
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I have a 4 channel TechFlexed snake I made. The shrink wrap I used to finish the Techflex ends is deteriorated and I need to find a way to secure the TechFlex, which is unraveling now.
Black electrical tape is too gummy...
I was thinking about wrapping a good bit of black polyester thread around the TechFlex and super gluing (or silicon chalking) over it... Ugly though.. :(
I can't really think of another way to fix it without pulling the XLR ends off the cable and re-shrink wrap over the TecFlex ends... Time consuming and a pain to do, since they are chopped XLRs.
Anybody have a good idea how to do this better?
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Take a pix so we have a better idea of what your talking about.
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Take a pix so we have a better idea of what your talking about.
I'll have to do that after work...
Basically, I TechFlexed 4 (15' long) mini-wires (think Belden 1804a). I put heat shrink over both end to keep the TechFlex from fraying. That heat shrink is now cracked and exposing the frayed TechFlex. The best way to fix would be to remove the connectors and just re-heat shrink it... but that'll take a while and be a pain to do... I tried Black electrical tape, but it got the wires all gooy...
Have you ever tried the TechFlex that is open on the sides? I've heard of it, but have never seen it in action. That's one thing I stumbled on in my research that might work.
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In the future, apply a bit of hot glue to the end of the tech flex then use heat shrink over that. You may want to use gaffers tape instead of electrical to deal with your current situation.
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Thanks for the tip on the hot glue! I hadn't been using that.
Yeah, I have gaffers tape. I guess I could just use that.
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I love gaffer tape for some stuff, but not this. Gaffer tape does not typically stick well to it's own backside - like when you are wrapping it multiple times and it is overlapping itself. I believe that is due to a silicone on the top side of good gaf tape that helps make it come of the roll easily, especially as it ages.
You could french whip it, starting the whip with a constrictor knot. You might want to apply the whipping over a wrap of rubbery material, and allow it to overhang the whip, so the techflex has some strain relief at the edge.
Alternatively, a strip of rubber from an inner tube, wrapped and then cleanly superglued, would be easy to do and look clean. You might try using contact cement, but I think that would be more difficult. If you end the tip to a narrow section, you could weave it back underitself and have very little seam to deal with.
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I've found using a hot knife to cut the techflex provides the cleanest edge.
Radio Shack used to sell a "heat shrink tape", don't think they have it anymore but it's available if you search for it.
Markertek's got "Tommy Tape" a Self-Fusing Silicone Tape (http://www.markertek.com/Expendables/Gaffers-Tape-Adhesive/Self-Fusing-Silicone-Tape/Tommy-Tape-Miracle-Wrap/2010010BK-T.xhtml?TOMMY-1-CR)
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I've found using a hot knife to cut the techflex provides the cleanest edge.
Radio Shack used to sell a "heat shrink tape", don't think they have it anymore but it's available if you search for it.
Markertek's got "Tommy Tape" a Self-Fusing Silicone Tape (http://www.markertek.com/Expendables/Gaffers-Tape-Adhesive/Self-Fusing-Silicone-Tape/Tommy-Tape-Miracle-Wrap/2010010BK-T.xhtml?TOMMY-1-CR)
A little hot glue and this should do the trick....
http://www.pjtool.com/heatshrinktapeblack1x180.aspx?gclid=COCTyNTeiLQCFQHonAodjHcAkg
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I've found using a hot knife to cut the techflex provides the cleanest edge.
Radio Shack used to sell a "heat shrink tape", don't think they have it anymore but it's available if you search for it.
Markertek's got "Tommy Tape" a Self-Fusing Silicone Tape (http://www.markertek.com/Expendables/Gaffers-Tape-Adhesive/Self-Fusing-Silicone-Tape/Tommy-Tape-Miracle-Wrap/2010010BK-T.xhtml?TOMMY-1-CR)
A little hot glue and this should do the trick....
http://www.pjtool.com/heatshrinktapeblack1x180.aspx?gclid=COCTyNTeiLQCFQHonAodjHcAkg
That looks good, but I wonder how it works? No adhesive...
I suppose I could cut some 1" diameter adhesive backed heat shrink tubing and use that... or use carpet tape (both sides have adhesive) to keep it from coming apart.
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I use Gaff also but have found the cheaper stuff does not hold nearly as well as, say for instance the better Shurtape. I have also used Scotch-23 rubber splicing tape with adheres to itself and for this kind of use does not need to wrapped with electrical tape. But it's not cheap, same with the good gaff tape.
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yep a little hot glue under the heat shrink and it ain't coming off/apart
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Yeah, now I know... :-[
I'll probably un-solder the XLR's over the weekend and do it right this time.
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I'd use cold shrink tape. Stretch the tape as you put in on, and it turns into a rubber mass. It works great, same stuff I used to tape together my Milab active cables.
I think I got mine here:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=350-044
You could probably get it at that local electronics parts store of yours.
EDIT: sounds like what I'm talking about is the same as the Scotch 23 that kirk mentioned.
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Thanks Todd.