How in the Blazed do you Fix THIS???

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 22 Oct 2000 10:08 am

Here's a new one. As I sit here reading the Forum, I am prepping the end a GeoL cable that was accidentally pulled out of a right-angle plug last night. Now that the ends are nice and square and the sheath is pulled back ~1mm or so, the dang thing won't go into the plug because part of the old cable that broke off is lodged in there!

I guess that sucker is in there forever, huh?
Anyone ever have this happen to them?

SF

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 22 Oct 2000 10:13 am

Now how'd you manage that Steve!!??
honestly, I can't leave you on your own for second

Can you remove the screw and try to walk the remainder out with an awl or something thru the screwhole?

aw, nurtz, I just saw, you said right angle plug.

You're on your own, bub.[This message was edited by Jon Light on 22 October 2000 at 11:15 AM.]

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 22 Oct 2000 10:44 am

Using the right-angle plug to begin with was my first mistake....

I've tried paper clips, needles, banging the crap out of it on a hard wooden block (hole side down, of course...). I think I'll have to just chalk this one up to being a bonehead.

I WILL DONATE THIS PLUG, postage paid, to the person who comes up with the successful method of 'cable nib extraction' from this plug. Act now! YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE WON!

Winner will be announced in a paid advertizement during the Super Bowl.

Kenny Forbess · Post by **Kenny Forbess** » 22 Oct 2000 11:07 am

Steve,
take the set-screw out,spray it with WD-40,
blow high pressure air in the hole, maybe to loosen it, if not,
THEN take a small fish-hook, straighten it out and shove it into the wire and the barb will probably grab it enough to pull it out.
just a thought,hope it helps.
Kenny

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 22 Oct 2000 11:19 am

Kenny - I have the Dubya-D-40, but I don't have compressed air (will butane do?). I have to run on over to Wally World now to see if they have any fish hooks that small.

Thanks,
Steve

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 22 Oct 2000 11:24 am

I might could send you my last trico fly--Franky Roosevelt on a dime could wear the hook in his nose as a nose ring. Small enuff? A brookie bigger than your hand would also straighten out this hook so I don't know how utilitarian this would really be. But damn, I want that prize! I may already be a weiner![This message was edited by Jon Light on 22 October 2000 at 12:26 PM.]

Kenny Forbess · Post by **Kenny Forbess** » 22 Oct 2000 11:29 am

Steve, I think the fish-hook would be the better of the extraction and a lot cleaner, that is, if you don't poke your finger with the hook,
good luck, I know I hate to loose a good connector.
Kenny
PS, you could use a small wire and flatten it and file a barb on it, (maybe?)

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 22 Oct 2000 11:53 am

A new plug would be cheaper.
Actually the fish hook idea works. Done it myself before.

Good luck.
Bill

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 22 Oct 2000 1:16 pm

Steve - If it's a small piece of insulation that has things plugged up, perhaps you could burn it out with a small flame of some sort.

Lee, from South Texas

Bob Mainwaring · Post by **Bob Mainwaring** » 22 Oct 2000 1:24 pm

Steve,
It`s surprising what can be achieved by using a "Carlisle #6 fishhook" - heated so it can be straightened, then "quenched" in water to maintain its hardness then push into place by holding with a small pair of vicegrips and twist the barbed end into the plastic covering and pull.

Bob Mainwaring Z.Bs. and other weird things.

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Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 22 Oct 2000 1:33 pm

OK - Bob. Carlisle #6, huh? We may have a winner here friends (the rest of you win the "Rube Goldberg Award For Ingenuity Concerning GeoL Products" Hey! It's better than being named on Mr. Blackwells Worst-Dressed List).

I can't get one today, but I'll get a hold of one after work tomorrow, and I will dutifully heat, quench, push, grip, twist, and pull as directed - tomorrow.

Still up for other good ideas, though.

You should know by now that it ain't the plug, it's the principle... [This message was edited by Steve Feldman on 22 October 2000 at 02:36 PM.]

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 22 Oct 2000 2:33 pm

Just so you see I'm not kiddin' about the size of this hook (crappy photo but...)

LARRY COLE · Post by **LARRY COLE** » 22 Oct 2000 7:41 pm

I have never had that happen with a Switchcraft 280 plug. And they don't corrode and have to be cut off and resoldered.

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LC. WILLIAMS U12

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 23 Oct 2000 3:32 am

I've been using George L's cable/plugs since the mid 80's. I've had to repair one end in all that time. I'd consider that an excellent or above average track record.

I've had to repair a lot more of the conventional cable/plugs than that. When I was in amp repair I had a lot of business repairing cable ends and almost all were Switchcraft plugs. However, most of the time it was a wire had broken or been pulled out of the plug not physically a plug failure.

Kenny Forbess · Post by **Kenny Forbess** » 23 Oct 2000 6:55 am

Dang-it , I started to mention useing a fish-hook.
sorry,
Kenny

Dave Horch · Post by **Dave Horch** » 23 Oct 2000 9:55 am

Jon, what do you plan on catching with that itty bitty thing??

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 23 Oct 2000 12:10 pm

Believe it or not, Dave, I have caught respectable trout (10-12") with such a fly.
I don't know if you are familiar with flyfishing (something I used to have passion for but haven't done now in years) but your choice of flies has nothing to do with what you wish to use and everything to do with whatever fly is hatching or emerging from the water on that given day or time of year. Tie on the wrong fly and the fish will say screw you, buddy. But then you tie on the cherry bomb. Who's laughing now, fish?!
Great stress management.

Alan Michael · Post by **Alan Michael** » 23 Oct 2000 3:08 pm

Jon, I don't know maybe a # 8 gray squirrel hair streamer would be a better choice. When the small stuff doesn't get the job done, sometimes you have get the big guns out. Just kidding...I'm pretty passionate about it too. [This message was edited by Alan Michael on 23 October 2000 at 04:09 PM.]

Bob Mainwaring · Post by **Bob Mainwaring** » 23 Oct 2000 6:04 pm

WELL! Steve F. - did it work????
I`m sure it would have as I use this idea nearly every day during my work day with about a 90% success rate at that.

Bob Mainwaring Z.Bs. and other weird things.

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Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 23 Oct 2000 6:26 pm

Well Bob -

You're just gonna have to wait till I can get the fish hook. I didn't have time today after work. But don't worry - you've got the top method so far, and if it works, I'll send you the plug.

BTW - you say you use this method nearly every day, huh? You break stuff that often?

BTW - I expect you'll send -b0b- a check in the amount of 2.5% of the retail value of this plug as a tip....

Skip Cole · Post by **Skip Cole** » 23 Oct 2000 7:57 pm

Steve,
If the fish hook that Kenny mentioned doesn't work, try setting the offending plug on a fence post(any old fence post will suffice) and gently shake it with a blast from a 12 guage shotgun. If that doesn't free it up, contact Geo. L and he'll send you 1 at retail cost.

-----LOL
Skip

Kenny Forbess · Post by **Kenny Forbess** » 23 Oct 2000 8:01 pm

>>>>>

[This message was edited by KENNY FORBESS on 24 October 2000 at 02:15 AM.][This message was edited by KENNY FORBESS on 24 October 2000 at 03:49 AM.]

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 24 Oct 2000 5:42 am

Hmmm...got me thinking. I work at a large minesite. I could always go shove this thing down a blasthole and wait for the daily 2:00 detonation. 'Course, then I'd have to sift through the muck, but if the thing came through alright, I could be the next John Cameron Swayze of GeoL products.....

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 24 Oct 2000 5:44 pm

Sr. Bob -

I did EXACTLY like you said - to the Tee - Vice grips, heat, bend, quench and all:

"Carlisle #6 fishhook" - heated so it can be straightened, then "quenched" in water to maintain its hardness then push into place by holding with a small pair of vicegrips and twist the barbed end into the plastic covering and pull.

I should say, though, that I did not use a 'Carlisle' hook, but rather a 'Danielson' #6. The outside diam. of the cable is VERY close to the inside diam. of the plug barrel, so there is almost zero clearance for the hook to get in.

I will try a #10 hook tomorrow.