trigger-wire replacement

[haireball]

anybody know where I can get trigger-wires replaced on some old (1980's vintage) Friends? I was gonna do it myself, but can't find small-enough diameter cable at my local hardware dealers...

[Retrosaurus]

Have you tried using nylon guitar string? I've got it on a bunch of my cams. Works great. Doesn't get kinked and is plenty strong enough. You'll never have to straighten trigger wires again. One string for about $1.50 will be enough for about one and a half cams. You will want the fattest string which is a G-string. (No, trask, your thong won't work.) I don't know why cams aren't made with this instead of cable&wire. I honestly think it is superior.

[Gary_Yngve]

quote:

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Originally posted by Retrosaurus:

You will want the fattest string which is a G-string. (No, trask, your thong won't work.)

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Isn't the thickest (lowest string) on a guitar the E-string? (EBGDAE)

[Retrosaurus]

I am a musical ignoramus. It could be an E. Or it could be that the E is not nylon. I just asked the guy behind the counter for the fattest nylon guitar string.

[fern]

what's your technique for swaging the nylon string?

[Dru]

i believe the lesser common spotted snafflehound (snafflehundus chronicus horsecockii) has teeth ideally suited to swaging guitar strings.

[erik]

haireball call tacoma screw(they have a website too) they will ship the goods to you...

 

i use paper clips for the portion that goes into the cam....

[Off_White]

I just did this to a couple of vintage cams. Here's what worked for me, though there are other options: I left the original stiff wires attached and worked off the old swages with some diagonal cutters. I used new 1/16" stainless wire which required drilling out the old trigger bar just slightly, a 5/64" bit I believe. I swaged the new cable (get the length right!) to the wires with some 1/16 swages crimped with a fencing tool. If I'd had more time I'd have tried to track down a single barrel swage, but couldn't find any in Olympia and needed 'em back in service too soon to hunt down parts.

[Retrosaurus]

quote:

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Originally posted by fern:

what's your technique for swaging the nylon string?

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No swaging. Use an overhand not after you remove the wires completely. But you knew this, right?

[fern]

I wondered if there was some slick trick. Sometimes knots don't hold so well in nylon. whatever, thanks for the advice.

[Retrosaurus]

Tensioned the proper amount they hold just fine.

I have been using some cams rigged this way for more than 5 years and have yet to have to replace a string yet, or straighten them the way you do wires.

[ScottP]

When I had to replace the triggers on my old Friends and found the the newer bars were larger in diameter/circumference/whatever, I took a file to them and filed them flat enough for them to fit.

[haireball]

Mitch,

 

Why didn't I think of that - thirty years of old dead banjo-strings going to landfills, and I coulda been puttin' 'em to good use! I'll go re-string that sucker right now, and let you know how it goes!!!

BTW - school is back in session, and I'm back driving, but I have a cragging window from about 8:30-2:30 weekdays - I'll give ya a call.

-Curt

[David_Parker]

I took a friend to a sail rigging shop in Ballard once. I had to convince them that the swage didn't have anything to do with the holding power of the unit in a fall. They swaged it for a buck I think. Might have a problem finding one of those type shops in Wenatchee though!

[haireball]

thanks for all the suggestions, guys! an old dead banjo-string worked like a charm. I'm considering putting a dab of aqua-seal (neoprene) on the knot to secure it, but so far, it seems not to need it.

 

Mitch, - got your pm. I'll call you.