Stainless Cable Ties - Tool Required?

[pancho400cid]

For work I need some weather-proof, UV resistant cable ties for exposed outdoor use. Plastic ty-wraps won't survive.

Can stainless cable ties be installed by hand or with common hand tools? A lot of the datasheets mention an installation tool, but is that a convenience or a requirement?

I'm looking at Panduit similar to link below, but most any similar ones would work. They are just for light retention of cables. Not much load on them.

Panduit MLT2S-CP Cable Tie

...

 

[Old tool guy]

No experience so just guessing. Do you need the tool in order to snug the cable tight? Does it have a built-in cutter?

 

[pancholasvegas]

Have used these before without a special tool - Slip it in, grab with pliers and pull tight.

 

[y'sguy]

i use them for certain application maily on my car. It's easy to snip them with a good pair of cutters if you don't have large quantities.
However, you must watch out for the finish, what may be left behind is usually very sharp and potentially harmful. I don't have a good answer for this at the moment except that I used some coarse sandpaper and attempted to round off the edges. not great, but something. You could also use a piece of heavy heat shrink as a safety first kinda thing.

 

[rlitman]

Have used these before without a special tool - Slip it in, grab with pliers and pull tight.

Same experience. The tool doesn't do much, though it does make tightening and cutting a bit easier if you're doing a lot.

The first time I used a bunch in one go, I went through about 50, attaching sound insulation to a drain pipe that was about to be enclosed in a wall, and I didn't want plastic ties to fail a few decades down the road. I used duckbill pliers to pull, bent the tails so they had no chance of backing out, and didn't even bother cutting them. At work, I've installed a handful with the tool we have (I'm not on the cable installation team, but they've come in handy for other things), and I still ended up messing with the cut tail with pliers to eliminate any laceration hazards.

 

[Jeffrey D]

I purchased this one last year and have been pleased with it. Pulls tight and the silver handle is the cutter. Plus it came with ties.

 

[pancho400cid]

Do you need the tool in order to snug the cable tight?

This is part of what I need to know.

Do you just loop the loose end through the "buckle" and pull it snug with hand pliers? Or do you have to crimp the buckle or something to keep tension?

...

 

[pembol]

These can be installed by hand - they install just like a nylon zip tie. I am sure a tool would be helpful to snug them up and cut them if you have a lot to do, but it is in no way necessary. If you can avoid cutting the tails, that is the best option as it is hard to remove the sharp edges once cut.

 

[mrb1]

Do you just loop the loose end through the "buckle" and pull it snug with hand pliers?

Used Panduit brand almost daily at my old shop. Usually used for heat shield anchoring. Was never enough of the hand tool around. Can pull with just a set of pliers no problem. Will stay. Cut, bend over, or whatever with the tag end.

 

[rlitman]

This is part of what I need to know.

Do you just loop the loose end through the "buckle" and pull it snug with hand pliers? Or do you have to crimp the buckle or something to keep tension?

...

They grab in the tightening direction like the old-school metal toothed zip-ties that predate the ratcheting type. It works like a ratchet, but no clicking. If you've used push-in wire connectors, they work like that. You can wiggle the stainless band out with some effort, but for the most part it stays put. That's why I like to use pliers and fold the tab over.

 

[Innovate1]

The latch in the ones I have used is just a small ball floating in a ramped chamber. If it is positioned so the big end of the ramp is down the ball may never jamb/latch and if it does latch it may come loose if it ever loses tension. There is no spring in the ones I have seen. So I install them with the small end of the ramp down. Seems like they would have a more positive lock but they don't. You can pull them tight by hand or pliers as other have said. Maybe some have a spring steel metal locking tab that doesn't rely on orientation - seems to be what rlitman is describing.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Have used these before without a special tool - Slip it in, grab with pliers and pull tight.

In my experience you can NOT get them really tight by hand !

 

[pancholasvegas]

In my experience you can NOT get them really tight by hand !

Knipex cobra worked fine when I wrapped my sportster pipes years ago

 

[bugnut]

Used similar tool as posted above by @Jeffrey D tension, on my baja exhaust, tension with pliers seemed lacking and so tool was purchased and used. To avoid the sharpness of the cut end I leave it slightly long and loop it back under the clamp, then press the tag end flat or leave as a loop depending on finish look desired.

 

[pbon]

I take needle nose and curl up the tail. Gets it pretty tight as you pull and twist.

 

[pancho400cid]

I ordered a bag of 100 and we tried them out. As discussed, they can be adequately tightened for our needs by hand and with pliers. It's a little strange how well they grip despite not having any noticeable ratchet action/sound.

I'm sure that the installation tool would be helpful and a bit better, but we will rarely be using these and if I ordered the tool, it would be lost before the next time it was needed LOL.

....

 

[Codyboy]

Ive never used the SS ties.
Why do you think you need SS ties instead of heavy duty nylon ties?
We've used HD nylon to hold together parallel 1000mcm copper, outdoors for many, many years.

 

[pancho400cid]

Ive never used the SS ties.
Why do you think you need SS ties instead of heavy duty nylon ties?
We've used HD nylon to hold together parallel 1000mcm copper, outdoors for many, many years.

All I can say is these will be fully exposed in direct sunlight. UV was my main concern. I guess nylon might work, but I had some doubts based on past issues where plastic definitely did not hold up.

...

 

[Chefjpd]

This little tool came with my bag of stainless ties.
1/4 inch drive. Worked quite well on exhaust wrapping.

 

[N_Jay]

They are more difficult to get tight.
Since the nylon ones stretch a little, if you pull them tight they retain a decent preload.
The steal ones don't stretch, so while they hold when you stop pulling it is much harder to get then noticably tight, especially if whet you are tying doesn't have any give.

 

[nadogail]

When I was wiring Vacuum Sealed Laminating Presse, the stainless cable ties held up to the high temperature in the press chamber.

 

[Codyboy]

All I can say is these will be fully exposed in direct sunlight. UV was my main concern. I guess nylon might work, but I had some doubts based on past issues where plastic definitely did not hold up.

...

Trying to remember which brand we used.
Just googling i think it was Panduit brand.

Never seen one fail even after being installed 20 years outdoors in the Houston heat.
I think SS is overkill unless its some area with lots of chemicals that could weaken or make nylon brittle.
Idk.

 

[inphx]

Im in AZ, and despite buying retail "UV" safe zip ties they do fail in a season out doors or become brittle (break on tightening) when using older packages stored in doors. I may not be getting the real deal from Lowes/Home Depot. The stainless steel have been my go to for longevity.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Trying to remember which brand we used.
Just googling i think it was Panduit brand.

Panduit (plastic/nylon?) ties are EXCELLENT !!

They do make one that are UV resistant for longer life in direct sunlight.

 

[theoldwizard1]

This little tool came with my bag of stainless ties.
1/4 inch drive. Worked quite well on exhaust wrapping.

I can't grok how this would work ?

Sure, it coils up the excess, but how does it prevent the other end from slipping ?

 

[Neohio]

My company uses between 25 and 30,000 stainless ties a year.
We have tried many install tools.
These from iWiss seem to last the longest. Roughly 2 months.

https://www.amazon.com/IWISS-Stainless-Tightener-Tensioning-Functional/dp/B08MQB74XN/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[dave*99]

 

[Chefjpd]