mightywiz Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 so here is my first attempt at straightening the controller cable. took me about 20 minutes and it's pretty easy to do with the right equipment. now going to order knobs and cleaning chemicals to fix them up right and they will be like new. I think I have like 10 controllers laying around. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValkerieSilk Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Good Job man, looks great... so here is my first attempt at straightening the controller cable. took me about 20 minutes and it's pretty easy to do with the right equipment. now going to order knobs and cleaning chemicals to fix them up right and they will be like new. I think I have like 10 controllers laying around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+grips03 Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 so here is my first attempt at straightening the controller cable. took me about 20 minutes and it's pretty easy to do with the right equipment. now going to order knobs and cleaning chemicals to fix them up right and they will be like new. I think I have like 10 controllers laying around. awesome, did you use: boiling water weight tied to one end and the other suspended high in the air hot iron or press something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Maybe he used the old "tried and true method" of talking dirty to the cord. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rey Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyperboy Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Maybe he took them to Controller Prison and scared them straight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+evg2000 Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 so here is my first attempt at straightening the controller cable. took me about 20 minutes and it's pretty easy to do with the right equipment. now going to order knobs and cleaning chemicals to fix them up right and they will be like new. I think I have like 10 controllers laying around. Willing to share how you accomplished this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightywiz Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 awesome, did you use: boiling water weight tied to one end and the other suspended high in the air hot iron or press something else? I have a heat gun with controllable temp setting. I set the heat gun at 220 degrees with air flow at max. I hung the controller at about 9 feet in the air. then while heating the coils I pulled the cable down while unwinding the coil and keep the tension on the cable while moving up the cable as it stretched. I watched a video on you tube on "How it's made retractable cables." then reversed the process to straighten them. the key is the temp and keeping tension on the cable till the cable cools. a hair dryer is not going to get the same effect as it doesn't get hot enough. and those heat guns set at 500/1000 degrees will overheat the cable and cause the insulation to melt through to the wire. so don't use it. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phattyboombatty Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 All I did was throw mine in the oven at 350° in a Pyrex dish. Kept a careful watch on it for melting, and pulled it out after about 10 minutes or so. Grabbed some oven mits (or cheap leather gloves from Home Depot). My wife grabbed one end, and I, the other. Pulled tight while letting it cool for a few… comes out perfect! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 All I did was throw mine in the oven at 350° in a Pyrex dish. Kept a careful watch on it for melting, and pulled it out after about 10 minutes or so. Grabbed some oven mits (or cheap leather gloves from Home Depot). My wife grabbed one end, and I, the other. Pulled tight while letting it cool for a few… comes out perfect! Look 'ma! Cooked wires! Yum! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phattyboombatty Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 They come out smelling like fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+grips03 Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I have a heat gun with controllable temp setting. I set the heat gun at 220 degrees with air flow at max. I hung the controller at about 9 feet in the air. then while heating the coils I pulled the cable down while unwinding the coil and keep the tension on the cable while moving up the cable as it stretched. I watched a video on you tube on "How it's made retractable cables." then reversed the process to straighten them. the key is the temp and keeping tension on the cable till the cable cools. a hair dryer is not going to get the same effect as it doesn't get hot enough. and those heat guns set at 500/1000 degrees will overheat the cable and cause the insulation to melt through to the wire. so don't use it. 220 C or F? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightywiz Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 220 C or F? sorry 220 F 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValkerieSilk Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Now let's see you curl them back up again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+grips03 Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 wrap around a wood dowel and re-heat 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightywiz Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 All I did was throw mine in the oven at 350° in a Pyrex dish. Kept a careful watch on it for melting, and pulled it out after about 10 minutes or so. Grabbed some oven mits (or cheap leather gloves from Home Depot). My wife grabbed one end, and I, the other. Pulled tight while letting it cool for a few… comes out perfect! I'm not buying it! cause the cable is twisted several times you can't just pull it straight. you risk damaging the wires and insulation at that temp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightywiz Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 wrap around a wood dowel and re-heat watch this video it will show you how to recoil them, the key is the last part where they invert the coil winding to tighten the curls up. http://youtu.be/eRzF87c38m0 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phattyboombatty Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 I'm not buying it! cause the cable is twisted several times you can't just pull it straight. you risk damaging the wires and insulation at that temp! No. Ya don't. You don't necessarily heat the cable to that temp. 350° is simply the lowest most ovens will go. As I said, you have to keep a careful watch to ensure your cable doesn't reach the melting point. And yes, you may have to rinse and repeat after your first stretching. Much faster than a heat gun, but have it your way. Whatever you're not buying, pay attention. It's cheap. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+grips03 Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I tried the heat gun method today and it takes about 20 minutes per cable. I used a 3lb weight at bottom. I started at top and worked my way down turning the cable in between my fingers so the entire cable got heated up. I had to set the heat gun to 700F and low speed to get results. I dragged the cable across the heat gun's nozzle. If I went to 750F, then it burned the cable if held in same spot for too long, 700F did not do this.Heat gun used = DEWALT D26960 Cable was so so straight, but then I turned the cable the other way to make more straight. Its certainly a process, but it does work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightywiz Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 so I was going over my posts and had a brain fart..... 220 C = 428 F sorry again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValkerieSilk Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 How long is an uncoiled cable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightywiz Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 it's right at 6ft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZarK Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 All I did was throw mine in the oven at 350° in a Pyrex dish. Kept a careful watch on it for melting, and pulled it out after about 10 minutes or so. Grabbed some oven mits (or cheap leather gloves from Home Depot). My wife grabbed one end, and I, the other. Pulled tight while letting it cool for a few… comes out perfect! I tried to fix a mainboard to reflow solder the chipset with the oven. I had the temp too high, and left it in too long, and pulled it out of the oven just as my Mom got home. Needless to say she was not impressed when I rushed by with a smoking, hissing, exploding caps, and fire alarm mainboard. Now-a-days, I used a paint stripper heatgun to do my reflow hotaire soldering. Someday I'll get a pro unit, but this redneck one works for now My repair rate with it is around 40% success! lol 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rik Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 (edited) They come out smelling like fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies!! I'm sure the smell is just as bad for your health as chocolate chip cookies are Edited April 28, 2014 by Rik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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