Re: Nicopress fittings

oldbandito@citlink.net
Sat, 1 May 1999 07:38:28 -0700


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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>
> What is thimble size (diameter) that you bend 1/8" 1x19 wire on?
>

George . . . The inside diameter of the thimble is 3/8". You can't
do this using those small 'tighten the bolts' type tools, you must
use the big, long handled type. First you slide the swadge(s) onto
the wire, then slide the bitter end of the wire through the swadge
leaving enough wire sticking out for the next swadge if you are
using two. Now, turn the whole thing on its side and with the very
end of the crimping tool, squeeze down on just the side of the
swadge that is on the bitter end ONLY, letting the standing part of
the wire continue to slide through the swadge forming a sliding
loop. You can now tighten up the loop by working the standing
part through the swadge, inserting the thimble when the loop gets
small enough . . . continue working the standing end through until
you have the thimble snugged up but NOT tight. I usually crimp
each swadge two or three times with the tool, starting at the end
FARTHEST from the thimble, continuing towrds the thimble, each
crimp you do will tighten the thimble in the end just a bit more. If
you are using two swadges, then you can now crimp the other one,
starting from the end CLOSEST to the thimble. As you are
crimping the swadges, the soft metal (zinc, usually) expandes
away from the area being crimped, thus lenghtening the fitting just
a little. If you were to take a hacksaw and cut through the swadge
and wire on a fitting, you would see that the metal of the swadge
has filled in all the minute spaces of the surface of the wire, making
the swadge a total mass with no voids.This is a lot easier to do
than to explain . . . . . . . .

Dik Richardson
Hamada HMS 18 #11
LosBarbas Ranger 29 #60
Vas Kora Islander 33 #363
Hidden Harbor Marina, Rio Vista, CA