How to Swage Cable Without Tool- 3 Alternative Hacks Must Try

Are you worried about swaging cables while you don’t have anyswage tool? This article will show you some DIY about how to swage cable without tool. It is going to be helpful to you.

People who are not professionals don’t want to spend on buying expensive tools for swaging cable for a couple of times only. So, we thought of finding out some alternative to those expensive tools and make it done with simple tools available at hand.

Check out the methods then.

How to Swage Cable without Tool- Using Some Common Tools at Home

There are several handy tools you have at home that you can use to swage cable. Let’s see the common tools that you can use as an alternative to cable swaging tools.

1. Cable
2. Aluminum Ferrule/sleeve
3. Vise grip
4. Hammer
5. Chisel
6. Pliers

How To Swage Cable Using Vice Grip

In this method, you can use a big vice grip to swage the cable. However, the IRWIN 10-inches vise grip is not bad at all with the perfect size and efficacy.

Things You Will Need

• The cable which you want to swage
• Ferrule or aluminium sleeve
• Big Vice grip

Steps for Swaging with a Vise Grip are-

1. First, take a ferrule/Aluminum sleeve according to the size(diameter) of the cable you want to swage.
2. Pass the cable throughout the ferrule.
3. Then make a loop with one end of the cable and pass into the ferrule or sleeve back.
4. Adjust the loop of the cable in which size you want it to be.
5. Now, place the sleeve with cable inside the jaw of the vise grip vertically.
6. Press lightly to hold and then tighten the Vise grip setting.
7. Repeat this and make more than one swage side by side based on the size of the ferrule.

In this way, your cable swaging is done with a vise grip.

Swaging Cable with Hammer And Chisel

You can swage a cable with a hammer, And don’t think this method is less effective. The fact is here you need to put more efforts.

Things You Will Need

• Cable
• Ferrule
• A hammer

Steps for this are-

1. Pick up an aluminium swage sleeve for the size of cable you have.
2. Make a loop byentering the cable through the ferrule and passing it back on the opposite.
3. Then adjust the loop to the size you needed.
4. Place the chisel in the sleeve and whack it with a hammer.
5. Make two or three dents on the sleeve.

How To Swage Cable with a Plier

Here in this method, you can use a plier to swage cable. This method is ideal for small diameter cables. However, it is the most controlled way of swaging.

Things You Will Need

• The cable you want to swage
• Aluminium sleeve
• A Plier

Steps for swaging with a plier are-

• With a wire and aluminium sleeve/ferrule, make a loop following the same mentioned in the previous methods.
• Adjust the loop’s size as you want and place the sleeve in between the plier’s jaw.
• Smash it and make a dent, make sure not to cut the wire.
• Repeatedly smash side by side and make two or more dents.
• Then press the pliers with your hand until the fitting closes on the cable.

Some Vital Things to Keep in Mind While Swaging Cable without Any Swage Tool

Using a swage tool to swage cables is the best way. But if you do not have one or do not want to buy, rather do without swaging tools, remember these following facts.

1. When you are using a hammer to swage a cable, do not bash it too hard or it will break
2. Hammer can be dangerous to use when you are swaging an electric wire/cable. So, do each step carefully.
3. To create a proper and secure swage, very high pressure is needed.
4. Pliers can only be used in case of low diameter cable.
5. You mightbreak one or two sleeves at first if you had never used the tools before. However, you will get to learn through the process easily after one trial.
6. It is beneficial to use copper crimps/ferrule for cable swage and aluminium crimps for monofilament. But both are usable, no issue.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

Final Words

Swage with a proper tool is always better, but sometimes it’s not practical. Sometimes you may not have a proper tool. There is no need for a swage tool if you know how to swage cable without tool.

When you do not have a tool to swage cable, you can use other simple tools you have, as described in this article.