Multicore tail sleeving

[Biskit]

Just wondering what type of sleeving people are using for multicore tails these days... I'm making up some satellite boxes using pre-jacketed multicore, but the tails are a bit thin and feel quite vulnerable when just terminated with an XLR without any further protection. I'm not a big fan of the braided stuff as I find it quite fiddly and easy to make a mess of; something akin to mains earth sleeving (but more flexible and in more suitable colours) would be nice. Heatshrink is another possibility but I've found this can make the tails quite stiff. Any other suggestions?

 

Many thanks

[Dave m]

Not tried itbuta mix of braided and heatshrink might work?

The main bit done in braided, but trimmed at each end with heatshrink for neatness?

[Simon Lewis]

I used to use mains cable style PVC sleeving, but it got hard to slide over long tails. If it was of sufficient diameter to make sliding on easy, it didn't really offer protection. It also got knotted very easily.

 

 

I then moved to heatshrink, but that was stiff and could get knotted, so untangling it was a pain.

 

In the end I just paid VDC to make tails with Pliosil braided sleeves and adhesive lined heatshrink ends. They last, are easy to sort out and just work.

 

[david.elsbury]

The advantage to the tech flex or similar braided sleeving is that it's very tangle resistant.

[S&L]

Nnot really helpful but I have just been down the same road as Simon - using Orchid Electronics to make up my stuff to my spec. takes a couple of weeks and not cheap but not silly expensive either.

[Brian]

The secret to using braided sleeving is to cut it with a hot knife or even to tidy up the frayed ends after using normal cutters, with a bit of practice, using a lighter or candle.

[ninjadingle]

Or with braided sleeving give yourself a bit more than you need, tie off the frayed edge a little short then push the excess over the frayed edge (so that this is now inside the sleeve), so you essentially have a folded edge to tie off rather than a frayed edge. Hard to explain, much easier to see!

[haymere]

I always braid and then use heatshrink at both ends. The trick with heatshrink and braid is when you heat the heatshrink, use tinfoil to protect the braid from burning.

[david.elsbury]

What do you use to heat the shrink? As long as I'm careful a hot air gun (hardware store style) works fine and I've not had issues. Now, open flame is a whole nother story

[Biskit]

What do you use to heat the shrink? As long as I'm careful a hot air gun (hardware store style) works fine and I've not had issues. Now, open flame is a whole nother story

I use a heat gun for heatshrink. It's not that the heatshrink gets crispy or anything, it just isn't very flexible after it's been shrunk over such a length. It isn't a major problem, I was just wondering if any other/better options had emerged in the few years since I last made one of these things up.

[Superpants]

There are loads of variations in heatshrink,, some more flexible than others. Raychem DR25 is particularly good in that regard but is significantly more expensive than generic.

[david.elsbury]

Sorry biskit- I was asking haymere as he was saying he had issues burning the braided sleeve. Just curious as I've never had that issues. I realise that full heat shrink can be very stiff.

 

Haymere?

[sunray]

I cut the braid with scissors for a neat cut then immediately use a blowtorch to seal the ends, the advantage over a lighter is it melts/seals the ends quickly without distorting the rest with a quick pass of the torch. I use a hot air gun for the heatshrink but only on the lower setting. Check it on an offcut, generally I find the high setting is enough to melt the braiding but the low setting will shrink the heatshrink without damaging the nylon. Does anyone else call it Donkey tail?