Flex shaft question

[LOVE6S]

If a flex shaft is cut to shorten its length, does it come apart, I have never done it, I may want to shorten one to move the motor back just a little, do you have to soilder or jb weld the end, I dont really want to ruin a 25 dollar part, is it best not to cut them, or is ok is done the rite way, or will it just stay together, like I say I have no idea? Oh and what will give more speed a stuffing tube with a liner or one without?

[electric]

I cut flex shafts all the time. I use a dremal with a disk to do the cutting. Most will recommend (correct way) you solder them on the end afterward to prevent fraying. I have not soldered many of them after cutting and they have been fine for over two years.

On the liner topic, I run some boats with them and some without. Many views on this one, not really a clear winner. The only thing I guess I might add is I seem to have better luck controlling water seepage into the hull through the shaft with the liner. Still pretty neutral on the topic though.

[FRED]

Electric; how do you solder the cable ends? When i do it, solder just rolls off. Do you soak ends in a small diameter pipe while solder is hot. Should i clean ends first and use flex and then dip. Thanks. I've tried many times but no luck.

[electric]

Electric; how do you solder the cable ends? When i do it, solder just rolls off. Do you soak ends in a small diameter pipe while solder is hot. Should i clean ends first and use flex and then dip. Thanks. I've tried many times but no luck.

Chuckle, that is what happens to me too, so most times I do not solder it. I have seen it done though. The way I have seen it work, is you get one those small propane tourches and heat the wire up that way so the solder will flow in between the wires. What is happening(I think) is you can't get the wire hot enough with a soldering iron to get the solder to flow and adhere to the wire. You can also get some flux on there before you solder so the wire is clean. Wait a bit and see if someone who is better at this than me, comments further.

[Praxis]

I cut flex shafts all the time. I use a dremal with a disk to do the cutting. Most will recommend (correct way) you solder them on the end afterward to prevent fraying. I have not soldered many of them after cutting and they have been fine for over two years.

I haven't been doing it as long, but I cut 'em the same way (and don't solder) and no problems yet. I'm worried that I will weaken the wire if I take a torch to it. If I were going to try to fix the end, I think I'd try something like jb weld first.

[MassiveOverkill]

I was actually able to solder mine yesterday with a soldering iron, but it took awhile. You have to make sure you get all the grease and dirt off the tip of the flexshaft. Once that's done, I glob some solder on my iron and touch it to the flexshaft, where initially it will just act like water on wax, but once heat transfers enough it will wick to the flexshaft. Once it starts to wick, you just work it from that initial spot.

Of course it's probably much easier to stick a bunch of solder in a small smelting pot (metal thimble?) and heat up the end of the flexshaft with a butane torch and shove it in the solder once it's red hot.

[Rumdog]

Absolutely no point in soldering the cut end. Cut it, then chamfer it, and you're done.

[oscarel]

Of course it's probably much easier to stick a bunch of solder in a small smelting pot (metal thimble?) and heat up the end of the flexshaft with a butane torch and shove it in the solder once it's red hot.

This is how I do it but I heat the solder not the shaft. Use a black pipe end cap filled with solder, dip the flex into flux and then dip in the heated solder.

[JonD]

I was actually able to solder mine yesterday with a soldering iron, but it took awhile. You have to make sure you get all the grease and dirt off the tip of the flexshaft. Once that's done, I glob some solder on my iron and touch it to the flexshaft, where initially it will just act like water on wax, but once heat transfers enough it will wick to the flexshaft. Once it starts to wick, you just work it from that initial spot.

After it cools remember to remove any excess solder from around the flex where the motor collet grips it, otherwise you will likely end up with the flex slipping in the collet under power, due to the soft solder compressing under the pressure of the collet jaws, and the flex coming loose. I now sand or file the soldered surface until I am back down to the steel wire of the flex.

Alternatively, cut the flex a bit longer so that the soldered area of flex is pushed further in to the collet, past where the collet jaws grip it.

[Jeff Wohlt]

I use acid flux and if solder rolls off you probably getting it too hot. Melt it and then wipe shaft with cloth. I also use a torch.

[iamandrew]

Im now using some sort of Zinc flux, ive tryed to not use flux because ive heard it corrodes the wires etc, but enough is enough, and a decent solder job is going to transfer more enegry better than a dodgy half contact job.