Cabling – A new Challenge and Learning !

When I was up at the TLAC factory in Norfolk last month Paul kindly stepped me through what putting a cable together entailed.

First you wrap a short piece of masking tape very tightly around the cut point of the cable. When you then cut it doesnt fray all over the place. You then get your FERRULE and place it in the SWAGER (the device that compresses the ferrule onto the cable) passing the cable around the THIMBLE and back through the ferrule. Pulling the cable through to adjust to length BEFORE clamping so you dont have to post trim.

Take care to thread two ferrules onto the cable if it calls for it PLUS the heat shink cable – difficult to slot on afterwards !

After the first press (in the middle)  you remove, turn through 180 degrees and compress again. Then you do the same one end and then the other. This ensures you have an even grip over the length of the ferrule.

Not posessing a swager – South Pier Ship Yard have kndly offered to let me use theirs (very many thanks Ed !) who has shown me some of the very neat job he does on their boat cables.

First step will be to accurately measure the point to point between the front rudder pedal and the pilot rudder pedal – as these are the first I will try.  As Ed suggested, mark where the cable ‘peaks’ over the Thimble.