I am replacing some braided line due to a new radiator. I forgot what a pain it is to get the hose end cut clean so the AN fitting will slide on. What are some tricks of the trade? I am wraping it tightly with black tape, and using a brand new hacksaw blade but I still get the fraying and the difficult peeling when I try to slide the AN on. Ideas?
A hacksaw wont hack it. You need a cut off wheel. If you dont have a compressor, you can buy a cheap 4" grinder, which you will find useful for other stuff, and buy cut off wheels for that.
I'v had best luck with some realy sharp tin snips. And i'v also found out that no matter how you do it a loss of blood is most deffinetly going to happen.
Cut off wheel did not work for me. It generated too much heat and made the rubber swell, causing it to flare a little at the end. I use these, less than $20 from Lowes, Home Depot, etc. They are called "High Leverage Cable Cutters" and cut on an arc, not a flat like tin snips, and don't crush the steel or rubber. I still use 2 or 3 wraps of electrical tape, then cut right in the middle of the taped area for a clean cut, with no steel chunks sticking out.
I thought the cable cutters were for copper cables - wire in the large sizes. The pair I have (Snap-on) won't cut steel wire without breaking on the cutting edges.
I used a Dremel w/cut-off wheel. The thin disc shoots smaller sparks. I'm guessing the wires didn't get as hot like a thicker 4" disc and larger sparks. I did use electral tape on the ends before cutting.
I`ve never tried it , But I`ve heard that an Anvil and a Very sharp chisel works really well for cutting braided lines...just adding to the suggestions
I have some extra braided line, and the cable cutter. I GUARANTEE that this works, and am willing to take pics, before, during, and after, and maybe video, if that is what it takes to show you that these things really work VERY well. There might be better ways to do it, but in my experience, these work better than cutting with a wheel or hacksaw or similar type of cutting. And tin snips just DO NOT WORK! NO! I do NOT work for the company that makes these cable cutters. I just lost 12" of braided hose using various ways to cut it before I found that these things work wonderfully. They barely disturb the braided stainless, and the fittings go on really easily if you use them in conjunction with a couple wraps of electrical tape.
No video needed for me. I have braided my entire car, I was just looking for an easier way. Thanks. Scott
I use the stranded strapping tape and cut in the middle of tape,, just did 2 race cars and went well,, strapping tape, quick cut with thin cut off wheel, lube up well start twisting
Scott, I was going to try that when I did mine, but ended up using a cut off wheel, next time, I'll buy the cutters I think
