While I am on record in this forum as using “super glue” to keep cable from fraying, I have gotten frustrated with this technique and have tried going back to soldering. While a hassle, this used to be (back in the 70’s and 80’s) pretty straight forward. Now, I cannot get the solder to flow/stick. My question is this:

What is the trick to soldering “modern” stainless steel cables?

I am using:

Acid Core Solder (Alphametals 40/60)
Water Soluble Flux Paste (Fry Technology No. 51053)
Weller “Professional” Soldering Gun (260/200 watts)

I have read through a related thread on this topic without turning up anything that sounds like the “magic bullet”.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=72081

Constructive suggestions would be appreciated.

it just plain doesn't work very well

Try Loctight blue, works better than Super Glue. If you have to pull a cable out you can pull the Loctight off using your fingers, apply again if you use the same cable over again.

Try small shrink tubing, not invisible but it works.

Modern cables are already treated with goop and oily. Possibly absolving any good soldering technique regardless of flux and the like.

Try Loctight blue, works better than Super Glue. If you have to pull a cable out you can pull the Loctight off using your fingers, apply again if you use the same cable over again.

I'm not sure that Loctite or superglue (cyanoacrylate) are the best choices for this application. Loctite is an anerobic threadlocker, meaning that it cures when deprived of air (e.g. in between the threads of a fastener). Try using a tiny dab of 5-minute epoxy: this will harden a short while after mixing regardless. You can snip off the very end of the cable for removal.

[QUOTE=jmoryl]I'm not sure that Loctite or superglue (cyanoacrylate) are the best choices for this application. Loctite is an anerobic threadlocker, meaning that it cures when deprived of air....


Actually if you use quality cable cutters and make a nice clean cut, you don't need anything. I stopped using cable end caps. I've seen rubber end caps on the market, that's the direction I would go. The prob with Superglue is that you take a chance of it dripping on part of your bike where you don't want it..you can peal it off, but paint comes off with it..I've found with end caps if you take off the caps to pull the cable out and want to reuse it, you have to trim some off as it will be frayed underneath the section the cap was on, so you have to cut them long with that first cut...about the only place I use an end cap is on the front derailleur..

Try small shrink tubing, not invisible but it works.I use that. You can get it in clear if you want to hide it or get it in a color that goes with the bike.

Actually if you use quality cable cutters and make a nice clean cut, you don't need anything.

Quality cable cutters notwithstanding, if you don't protect the ends of the cable with something, the odds are good that it will get caught on something and fray. Then, when it's time to clean and lube your cables, it's a job to get the cable threaded back through the casing. I think the problem people have with superglue is not doing a good job of cleaning the cable end. Use a solvent or soap and water solution to get things good and clean, let it dry completely, and then apply one or two drops of superglue. Works pretty well and it's not obvious why you would be getting glue all over the rest of the bike :)

Quality cable cutters notwithstanding, if you don't protect the ends of the cable with something, the odds are good that it will get caught on something and fray. Then, when it's time to clean and lube your cables, it's a job to get the cable threaded back through the casing. I think the problem people have with superglue is not doing a good job of cleaning the cable end. Use a solvent or soap and water solution to get things good and clean, let it dry completely, and then apply one or two drops of superglue. Works pretty well and it's not obvious why you would be getting glue all over the rest of the bike :)

Yeah, the part about fraying makes sense if the cable end gets caught on something, although I have avoided doing that recently. But you know what they say about Murphy's Law.

I have yet to invest in a work stand and I occasionally do things to my bike when it is upside down on my garage floor (mainly cleaning). I did accidentally drip some Super Glue (unknown at the time) on the chainstay of my Master X-Light (which is chrome) came off easy. Being an old retired senior citizen helping a daughter though college hurts the old pocket book. Someday a work stand will be in my garage, soon I hope....maybe with a new bike mounted on it......

if you're racing then you should protect the ends of the cables (if there's a bike check and they aren't capped then they shouldn't let you ride) - uncapped cables can very easily stick into you or someone else in a crash, even if they're cut very short, and it's not pleasant if they do.

Try small shrink tubing, not invisible but it works.

good idea, which diameter?

I solder my cables all the time.....as a matter of fact I did it this morning.
CLEAN is critical....use lighter fliud (cigarette lighter fluid) then I use 99% isopropyl...let dry and then use tghe flux and solder provided with "Stay Bright" solder, it is used for low temp application for repairing CHEAP costume jewelry, silver based solder, bismuth would work as well, solder with an iron not a flame. At that point I take a separating disk and round off the end....I had never thought of the chance of being skewered, I may put end caps on over tip after hearing that. The nice thing about soldered cables it that you can take them out and re-thread them if need be. (did that this morning too!)

Thanks for the tips. I'll get more anal about the CLEAN thing and try a silver based solder.

http://www.jewelerssupplies.com/Stay-Brite-Solder.html

here is what you need, I don't deal with this place but my suppliers only deal with trade accounts ...

make sure you wash the flux off well when you are done, pretty nasty.

ding ding. Silver is the key when trying to adhere to stainless.

ding ding. Silver is the key when trying to adhere to stainless.


So is clean.....and the right flux helps too. This stuff is not high temp enough to burn the cable clean so.... I make a living with a torch and it just irks me to have to use an iron to do this but it works best. You need it to flow INTO the cable then rounding off the end is a cinch with a flex shaft (ok...dremel will do)

( I can solder a component on a circuit board with a torch and not scorch the board!, I try no to have too....but....shoot, sometimes a guys does what he has to do)

Theirs this new fangled gadget called end caps. They are amazing.

if you're racing then you should protect the ends of the cables (if there's a bike check and they aren't capped then they shouldn't let you ride) - uncapped cables can very easily stick into you or someone else in a crash, even if they're cut very short, and it's not pleasant if they do.


I didn't see anything written like this in the USCF handbook, so I don't think that it's a big deal if you ride without caps on the ends of your cables.

I don't know about the USCF handbook, from slowtwitch.com, the UCI book only says:

"1.3.005 The rider shall ensure that his bicycle, including any accessories and devices fitted thereto, do not, by their quality, material or design, constitute a danger to himself or to the other participants in the races."

and doesn't seem to mention anything in particular, but the British Cycling rulebook is a bit more detailed:

"3.2.3 Handlebar ends shall be plugged, not merely covered by tape, and other projections shall be protected as far as possible."

It's been 15 years since I raced, but back then 'projections' included cable ends.

foz

A thin coating of JB Weld ($5 at hardware store) would probably do the trick.

Clean matters, to be sure, but oil burns up pretty quickly, and "dirt" is relative at 800+ degrees...

You need a solder with a high silver content (45, 50N, or 56 will work flawlessly) and a low lead content (most high-silver content solders are lead-free). You'll need a flux that works with stainless and silver. And I'd use a torch, not a soldering iron: a propane kitchen torch will work great, and will get the wire very hot very quickly. Soldering irons just make a mess. Good luck!

Having said all that...I don't use anything but derailleur-specific end-caps. $1 buys 100 or so.

A thin coating of JB Weld ($5 at hardware store) would probably do the trick.

I doubt it would penetrate the cable.....really, soldering them is no big deal.....you can use any silver plumbing solder and tinning flux....it just isn't rocket science. CLEAN is the key.

If you want them soldered....solder them...a build up on the outside of the cable core isn't going to aid in pulling the cable or re-inserting it, I know I have to polish the excess solder off the outside, That is the only reason I solder them in the first place. Although if you solder before you cut, you sure get a nice clean cut.