re Heat Shrink

surfguy13

Hi Guys

I have to tidy up some wiring on an old thinline tele and I was told that heat shrink was the best option but I've never used it before.  Essentially all I want to do is tie together a steel braided wire from a humbucker and a plastic wire.....combined they are about 3.8mm. 

I notice that heat shrink comes in tubes which, I assume, are fed over wires prior to soldering?  As I don't want to de-solder if I can avoid it can I cut the heat shrink, wrap it around the wires and then apply heat?  Will this work? 

If this can be done what sort of size heat shrink would I need to get if the wires combined are 3.8mm bearing in mind I would have to slit the heat shrink tube open to wrap around the wire? 

Many thanks! 

NervousJohn

Won't work. If you cut it the heat shrink tube it will pull apart when you shrink it down.

Bending a 180 degree bend maybe a solution but I wouldn't recommend it for the long term as tight bends stress the wire and can lead to breakages. Insulating tape is probably the way forward here. Or cutting and soldering.

Megii

I doubt it would work cutting the heat shrink, although I've not tried that I admit. Another simple solution is just to use one or more of those plastic cable ties - that works for me when tidying up the wiring after a soldering job.

For example:

mike_l

The heatshirk is supplied in a tube so it can shrink to the size of the cable. If you try cutting and wrapping it simply won't work.

Best is to slide some over the wire before soldering, when you've done to soldering slide it down to cover the joint and heat the heatshrink gently (I use a lighter, some use a gas soldering iron) instead of wrapping the joint in electrical tape.

steamabacus

You can't cut the heat shrink - it has to be fed over the wires and then shrinks down to around half the diameter when heated.

If you really want to avoid desoldering, etc. and the basic solder connection is good, then good old fashioned electrical tape will do the job of preventing any unwanted shorting out, etc.

surfguy13

Thanks guys!  Really helpful.  I'm glad I asked the question.  I will just use electrical cable ties as you suggest Megii...this had been my original idea but someone said use heat shrink. 

randomhandclaps

Tiny cable ties or tape are the most practical solutions.  Another possibility if you have no neither of those is to take a piece of heat shrink and tie it around the wires like a piece of string.  Once you have tied a secure and firm knot, heat it carefully then snip off the excess.

littlethoughts

I wouldn't really want to use heat shrink anywhere near a guitar. If you get a bit casual with the heat gun there is a good chance you could harm the finish. Obviously there may be a sweet spot of heat, direction and so on that is perfectly safe, but I sure as hell wouldn't want to be the one to trial and error it.

WezV

I use heatshrink all the time in guitar cavities, althouh i shrink it with a lighter - not a heat gun

surfguy13

littlethoughts said:

I wouldn't really want to use heat shrink anywhere near a guitar. If you get a bit casual with the heat gun there is a good chance you could harm the finish. Obviously there may be a sweet spot of heat, direction and so on that is perfectly safe, but I sure as hell wouldn't want to be the one to trial and error it.

Yeah, this did occur to me!!!!!!  It seemed like a heat gun being used anywhere near pickups might be a recepie for disaster.  I think very small cable ties are the answer and have tried small fairly small ties and they work well so will get some tiny ones and re-do.

equalsql

I have actually used it occasionally by splitting and wrapping it around larger components than it was meant for. I found that by tying it with a clove-hitch knot and then heating gently and evenly with an air gun works because the knot tightens as it shrinks and holds the sleeving securely in place. 

Phil_aka_Pip

There's a trick with tape whereby you keep the sticky side away from the wire. Saves the wire from being all manky when it comes to undoing things ...

thermionic

I most often use the soldering iron to shrink - just hold it very carefully underneath, enough heat rises to do the job.

Gagaryn

I use a wee kitchen style blowtorch!

FelineGuitars

There are some lighters for lighting candles that have long necks or goosenecks that are fab for this.

Gagaryn

I used to use one of them but the wee blowtorch works better - it's quicker so less chance of heating stuff you don't want heated and you can heat from the top and not just the bottom - just needs a quick waft. It seems like a really bad idea but works brilliantly.

Richardj

Waiting to be shot down over this.... If the cables are @3-4mm in diameter can't you just get some bigger diameter heat shrink?  I try to keep a few different diameters in for these situations.  I have a little gas powered soldering iron and it is perfect for these delicate jobs.

Headphones

Why not use some spiroband?

It does th  same sort of thing and is readily removable.

Comes in different sizes, but here's the 3mm size at Maplin.

littlethoughts

Good suggestions guys. I use it a lot at work and the heat gun is a must because 1) can't have an open flame and 2) have to have it shrink evenly, because kinks like youd get if you used spot heating would ruin the result (laboratory applications)

WezV

yeah, a guitar control cavity is not a laboratory setting  

ICBM

steamabacus said:

good old fashioned electrical tape

Oxymoron.



There is no such thing as "good electrical tape". It all goes sticky and falls off eventually - leaving the sticky muck on the wires.

Use paper masking tape - it's What Leo Did, and for these near-zero voltages it's perfectly good insulation. Fold about an inch of it around the wire with about twice as much on one side as the other so the end sticks to the first bit of itself glue-side to glue-side, then wrap the rest.

Have a look at pics of old Fender wiring looms if you're not sure .