Extra Fine Bowden Cable?

Hi guys, quick materials sourcing question. Where can we get super fine bowden cable and housing, preferably by the roll?
Here are a few examples of the gauge range I'm interested in, (which you may find interesting whether or not you have an answer): 





It looks like a lot of these cable housings have a wire wrapped outer layer? Then in the second example (the chipmunk) it looks like the cables are maybe running through fine extension springs... Any ideas? I've been making do with the Sullivan Gold-N-Rod #577 (Veryflex), which are fine enough, (1.85mm outer housing/0.8mm cable,) but only come in 36" lengths and could do to be a bit more robust.

Thanks!!

Comments

  • One more for fun: 

  • For smaller movements I use a "Gold-N-Rod" brand push rods by Sullivan that are used in the RC world a lot.  Those might work for you.  I don't know of a source as rolls though.

    /Chris
  • Thanks Chris – Yes I've been using the Gold-N-Rod #577 (Veryflex), which seems to be the finest they make, and it works well for some things. Now I'm looking for something a little more robust if possible, and mainly that overcomes the length issue. It doesn't seem like Gold-N-Rod is available any longer than the 36" assembly packs.

    In Richard Landon's tentacle vid he mentioned that he gets cable stuff from Hosmer-Dorrance. Anyone know if they carry anything that fine? When I get a chance I'll give them a call and report my findings.
  • So apparently Hosmer-Dorrance is out of business now. (That cable control vid was about 4 years ago.) Any ideas where the pros are getting the pro gear these days? The quest continues...
  • edited June 2018
    I was looking back and thought I would pass along some possibilities that might help.

    For cable and housing, I went to http://www.flanderscables.com/    
     Overall I am really happy with the materials, I went with the 1.2mm 7x7 cable and housing.  I ended up stripping off sections of the outer layer to get some extra flexibility in the housing.

    Second, I was looking for a similar fix for the "Gold-n-Rod" length issue. I found a possible solution on Ebay.   Again, I went with the 1.2mm cable, then I bought the 16S  Teflon Tubing . The cable fits wonderfully in this! It's small, and with the thick wall, it's sturdy.  It just took a while to get here. About 3 weeks.

    Hope this will at least give you some ideas.

    Happy building!

    P.s. If you wanted a smaller diameter, you can get rolls of small piano wire and get tubing  to fit.




    Post edited by Joel Goodpaster on
  • Thanks for the info Joel!

    I know sites like McMaster Carr have teflon tubing in lots of sizes as well.

    /Chris
  • Does it need to be push and pull or just a pull cable? If it's just pull would tigertail the stranded beading wire work? It's like super thin bicycle brake cable wire.
  • contact these guys. super nice prices are good. I'm about to place an order with them myself.

    http://www.bergencable.com/
  • edited December 2018
    E p i c , thanks for the posts guys, I'll investigate all of this!

    So I finally found the housing I was originally looking for via Ron Cole's great blog.
    It's product #C070 - 0.07OD galvanized steel spring push/pull casing from Sava Carl Stahl Industries. Other sizes are also available, but this is the finest of its kind I've seen.
    Here's the link: https://www.savacable.com/pages/prod_04_02.html

    They only deal business to business but if you're working as an individual McMaster Carr is able to special order it on your behalf. There is a 50' order minimum @ $7.40 per foot.

    In the process I also discovered that you can find some very fine PTFE teflon tubing via Chinese sellers on Ebay, down to under 1mm. It looks like vermicelli noodles and works well with Spiderwire/Fireline. A little harder to secure at the ends than spring housings or something like Gold-N-Rod, but it can be done. It helps to abrade the surface under a microscope.
  • I know this is an older thread, but it still shows up on Google when searching for animatronic cable.
    Just wanted to chime in with another source, for those closer to the Midwest. Lexco Cable (https://www.lexcocable.com/) has cable and bowden conduit for really great prices.
    Conduit housing is part number 1400-1IN, cable is 1/16th" diameter and the 7x7 is part number 1167SSAC.

    I will say the cable is nothing special, but the conduit is exceptionally flexible. It's listed as bicycle conduit, but it's more flexy then any other bike cable I've used.
     Price for 50ft of cable and conduit was $50.



  • Thanks Andy! 

    /Chris
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