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Cutting braided steel hoses


DavyZ

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Guest Anonymous

Yeah, I've seen it done with a cut off saw (with the carborundum type blade). You need to basically melt thru the stainless/tape instead of sawing back and forth with a hacksaw. As mentioned a cut-off wheel on a die grinder works good if you have air tools.

A plasma cutter maybe, laser for sure, but who has those laying around in the garage? icon_biggrin.gif

 

Wish you were closer man, I could let ya use my cutoff saw. icon_smile.gif I copped a cut off saw when I did the exhaust, probably less than 200 bones, but its a nice tool to have on the 'buy when I can afford' list, specially for all the fabrication we end up doing on these car.. icon_smile.gif

 

Regards,

 

Lone

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i wrap mine real tight in fiberglass tape then use a dremel with either the stone cutting wheel or carbon wheel... works great. you'll have to clean out the inside of the hose with something after though. i also leave the tape on the cut ends this prevents frays in teh future

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quote:

Originally posted by 73BOTIZ:

DavyZ,

Bring your hoses down to my shop in San Leandro and I will cut them for you on my abrasive cut-off saw.

Mike D.

 

Hey Mike, I appreciate it, but I bunged the piece up so bad I'm going to have to replace it! Thanks for the kind words and offers, guys...at least now I know how to do it! I do have a Dremel (forgot all about it :rolleyes icon_smile.gif with all kinds of cutting wheels (that may work next time!) and I have a grinder that I can use with a 4" wheel like Owen suggested.

 

Again, thanks for the info!!!!! icon_biggrin.gif

 

Davy

 

[ October 15, 2001: Message edited by: DavyZ ]

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Guest Anonymous

Davy Z,

I have used this method for years and it works better than anything else I ahve tried. Place two zip ties as close as possible to each other and get them as tight as possible. Cut thru the zip ties with a cut off disc, ziz wheel, rotory disc or what ever you call it, and the hose. With the zip tie on the piece you are using, you can clean up any stray pieces of stainless by slowly going back over that area. The zip tie on the other piece keeps the other end from fraying so it is usable as your next piece. Good luck Mark

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Hmmm, that is an idea I never thought of, thanks Mark!

 

Dan, I also bled like a stuck pig, got mad, and then mangled the little hose (unintentionally) and now have to get another one. I'll be sure to get a good brand.

 

Davy

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Stony hit it right on the head - fiber PACKING tape. I've cut tons of this crap lately - both Russel and Aeroquip. I finally got smart and started using inch wide packing tape with fiber in it and wrapping it VERY tight. You'll note that when the stuff shows up from the factory the ends are ALWAYS wrapped in fiber tape icon_smile.gif Stuff works well.

 

Oh, and I use the Dremel with a cutoff wheel almost exclusively. A hacksaw with a FINE blade can be used but it's nowhere near as good icon_sad.gif

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OK, I wanted to know from you guys that have been successfully cutting braided steel hoses to give me a heads up on what is required.

 

Recently I cut though what I thought was braided steel hose, but even with the ends wrapped in electrical tape, the ends frayed like no one's business and I then realized that what I had was the fake stuff. With the fake stuff, I know I should have separated the sleeve from the hose, and just cut through it with a sissors, but hindsight is 20/20. icon_rolleyes.gif

 

I guess my question is this: Does a genuine braided steel hose fray very much (if at all) given that the ends are wrapped in electrical tape? Is there a better way to do this? Is a hacksaw the best way to cut it? I realized that I may have too coarse of a blade on my hacksaw--any recommendations? icon_confused.gif

 

Davy

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My hoses better have been real or I'm gonna be pissed! But yes, even real hoses will fray even if wrapped in tape. It depends on what you cut it with. I tried once with a sawzall and a metal cutting blade...that one didn't last too long. The teeth of the saw blade catch on the steel threads and just tears everything up.

 

I didn't have one of those big cutoff wheel machines like they show in the instructions, so I used a small 4" dia cutoff wheel on my handheld grinder. Works much better icon_smile.gif

 

I was thinking though, maybe a piece of wood or plastic stuck inside the hose would keep the hose from flexing downwards when cutting it?

 

My problem is getting the hose all the way into the fittings, I have a small leak and will need to rebuild it.

 

Owen

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