I am looking for projects to do in the winter that don't involve paint, and working on the wiring seems to be it.
I have spent over $1200 on a 'professionally done' harness and I an not thrilled by it. Yeah, its correct EXCEPT for the use of modern connectors (I can tell, they look like crap) so I plan to but the wires and lay out a few smaller harnesses, apply the proper connectors, then have it braided.
I have an A&P background so I know about harnesses, but I never made one from spools of wire... so any one do it? Any links to sites or videos? Anything to start me off would be great.
I did my own wiring "harness" for my 49. Very simple as I just followed the wiring schematic in the manual. I used the same gauge wire size and have a 12 volt system. I don't understand braiding but when we restored old warplanes we used to lace the wire.
1949 Chevy 1/2-Ton "Sedgewick" In the Gallery 1989 Caprice
"When we tug a single thing in nature, we find it attached to the rest of the world" ~ John Muir "When we tug a single thing on an old truck, we find it falls off" ~ me Some TF series details & TF heater pics
I'll wait till farber puts up his shingle, and buy a harness from him....:-) I haven't done a harness for a regular car, but have made them for other things. They were wrapped with friction tape. Don't use plastic electrical tape, it usually ends up coming loose in time.
Later on some MVs did move from braiding to vinyl type tape.
Yes, braided wires are available. Simply search 'braided wire' and lots of places will come up. Typically $0.15-$0.50/ft.
I have found several places that will braid for $5/ft or so. Not bad.
I got my Chevvy G506 harness from 'the leader in MV harnesses'. That's as close as I can say. I do plan on documenting the issues on my web site, simply due to the amount of photo's required.
Lacing was used in aircraft since they started putting wires in them. Saves the weight of a full braid and allows for immediate repairs.
That manual is from the 60's and by then braiding was long gone away with due to the widespread use of plastic coated wires.... that and the Army would never be able to train skilled enough workers to deal with braided harasses.
This is a braiding machine in action:
Looks like a 32 spool unit. Early ones are just like this, but may be hand or pulley driven.
I have to disagree that braiding harnesses in military aircraft has been done away with unless it's been done since I retired from the F-16 factory 10 years ago.
"It's just a phase. He'll grow out of it." Mama, 1964
Cletis, braided cloth covered or laced? I think farber is saying military land vehicles weren't using braided cloth cabling by the 60's, but that has nothing to do with the skills of grunt mechs, rather the military buys current commercial production ... aircraft cabling was all cord laced in the 60's, excellent way to do it even in trucks
"When we tug a single thing in nature, we find it attached to the rest of the world" ~ John Muir "When we tug a single thing on an old truck, we find it falls off" ~ me Some TF series details & TF heater pics
Yes from several sources. I used Road Island RI wire. They are great. I ordered the color I wanted and with the tracers in what ever quantity you want. They also sell woven sleeving. The wire is great because it is modern thermoplastic wire with a cloth over braid. They sell harnesses too. I made my own up because I ran ground to every light added fuses and turn signals. You can see some of this in my photos.
www.riwire.com is where I got the wire to make a genny to regulator harness. They do sell old tyme cotton insulated braided wire.. but their order system is kinda hard... I just called them and asked for what I needed.
The common asphalt impregnated sheath they sell today is not the weave as from the 40's. Its close, but not 100%.
The killer is the connectors. Mainly flag terminals.
There are a ton of old lamp and desk fan sites on the net... they have a TON of wire resources. Evidently restoring those items is a huge hobby.... and they know their wiring.
Most wiring on AC is not braided... unless called for. I've climbed the fuselage of quite a few GA ac and I can tell you what... they are combed and laced, unless the manufacturer specifically required full braid. Most braiding on GA ac is for hoses or rf shielding, not so much for end to end harnesses. The harness on my 1966 M35a2 was taped, very little lace. But its had gone through at least 2 updates.
What exacty is friction tape and where would I purchase it? We have the typical box stores up here in Philadelphia so I could mail order it. I just don't know the difference between it and electrical tape from Home Depot.
Original 40s era harnesses used what most call electrical tape (not the cheap hard/stiff plastic stuff.. more like but the better 3M stuff). Friction tape was supplied in the spare parts box/bag as an emergency repair tool. Harnesses evolved from all braided, to a mix of mostly taped with cloth sleeves as wear/exposed points.
Braiding a harness is a fairly slow process. Taping is much faster.
