Um...what's wrong with a pair of side cutters? Is this a real question?
I agree. A good quality side cutters works just fine, especially if you don't ruin it on music wire. Top-of-the-Line from a big box store or the upper price range in smaller hardware stores. It takes about 3 seconds to twist the end of cable in a slip joint pliers if the flattened end offends you.
There is also a popular eletrician's pliers that can cut, crimp, and strip insulation on every size wire. Even the cheap ones are decently hardened.
If you're into crimped sleeves they work great, but you have to grind a 1/16in. crimp slot below(towards the hand grip). It doesn't have to be perfectly round or centered. Just rotate the crimp 3-4 times while squishing it and it will form an almost perfect, factory style crimp.
I always use stainless steel twisted wire for leadouts(0.021 for smaller planes, 0.027 for anything over 32oz.) The electricians pliers can handle over 0.027in cable. To form a leadout mark where you want the end of the loop with a marker. Put the wire through the crimp with lots of slack. The crimp should be able to take 3 strands of cable. They come in different sizes to allow for this.
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Bend the loop where it's marked by bending it around 3/32 or so music wire. Feed the free end back through the crimp. position the crimp for the size loop(around 1/2 inch usually is fine) you want and bend the free end 90deg. Then make some slack in the standing end by pushing it through the crip and working the bend an inch or so clear of the crimp. Trim the free end to 3/8in. or so. Bend it over tight so the free end can slide into the crimp. Using pliers and fingers get the short free end bent over and into the crimp.
Pull the standing cable back so the end of the loop is in the right position. Put the crimp in the crimping slot you ground. Squeeze it moderately at least three time around the crimp, then repeat with more pressure. Do three squeezes around the crimp as hard as you can.
The loop is done. It is nearly impossible the pull this arrangement apart. The multiple bends on the loop and the crimped end of the wire tend to lock up on the crimp if anything does slip.
You can buy crimping plyers that are designed to crimp like this, primarily for electricians, but they work just fine. They do cost more though, but they will do the final crimp very professionally in one squeeze.
Topic: best tool for cutting lead out wire (Read 2336 times)
