Warbird Information Exchange

After a brief inspection of the wiring in our PBJ we have determined it to be junk. We are now looking at a complete rewire job. We are planning on using readily available wire meeting the mil-w-22759/16 spec. The issue we are having now is how we are going to put the circuit identification marking on the wire. Being on a limited budget, we are looking at buying a Kingsley hot foil stamping machine. There are several models available to us, most are manualy operated. We would like to hear from someone who has done this before, as this is all new to us. Is there a better way to ID the wires? Has anyone used one of these machines for this purpose? Thanks in advance for info to help us with this project.

The PBJ Crew

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I know our avionics department likes to use some type of white shrink wrap that are linked together like a ladder for using in a printer.

They type up the wire number then print them out. Then they just tear each printed shrink wrap tube off and apply and shrink to the wire.

Kin of like this
http://www.connectworld.net/bulkcable/i ... tion8.html

Also look through here for other ideas
http://www.edmo.com/index.php?module=pr ... _cat=&mid=

The hot stamping method has been found to damage the wire insulation, and we are prohibiited from using this method on the DoD airplanes. Now we have to use the lasar engraved method.

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I like the shrink tube method, it does not damage the insulation.

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Matt Gunsch, A&P, IA, Warbird maint and restorations
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Hot stamping is not acceptable on certain wires due to insulation properties.

Laser is 100% safest, but hot stamping is OK with Mil-W-22759/16 as it has thicker insulation. It is time consuming to setup with correct stamps and guide blocks and when you get stamping you need some space to ensure no tangles of the wire being fed in and out of the machine. Labels at start and ends of wires don't help when t/shooting wiring faults and they have been known to fade or fall off.
There is some good advice in AC43-13.

Dan: Best thing is to find someone that will laser mark them for you. We still use hot stamp for some things, as well as hot stamping heat shrink sleeves, but all production work is now lasered.

Getting a Kingsley set up takes patientence and you have to pay attention to the type elements due to wear based on usage. Typically, a set of type lasted us about 6 months in our instrument shop.

If you lay things out properly, a good laser operator should be able to do a complete set of wires in about two days.

You can use a Dymo Rhino labeler w/ the heat shrink labels. Cheap to buy too. I would rewire w/ teflon coated wire. It doesn't take long if you make all new wires to the lengths and gauges called out in your manual. Don't mess with your old wire, pull it all and put in new more updated wires.

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We used this method last winter when we rewired parts of the Liberty Belle. Each wire was labeled at each end with a circuit number and name. I second the idea of not messing with the old wire, new stuff is usually much easier in the long run.

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Rod Schneider
Ball Ground, Ga

Just a suggestion, but you should also put a few labels en route on the wire, especially on long runs- makes it easier to find problems in a particular circuit...

Robbie

I would second that idea, 'specially with the long runs you'll have to make. My biggest gripe with a/c wiring is that all the wiring is the same color; makes it a real b***ch to trace if you've got a problem and no markings en route...

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Will this work with 20 gauge wire? On the dymo web site the smallest heat shrink tube available is 1/4", will need alot of shrink to get a good fit on a small wire.

Hmmm.......most of our wire was between 14-18 gauge, and the biggest problem was the printing would start to get very small on the smaller wires. The stuff we used (it may have been a different brand) seemed to shrink up just fine, and it started out as 1/4".

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Rod Schneider
Ball Ground, Ga

Humble Jeff B just happens to be on our PBJ crew. And I am glad to see he is now part of WIX. He suggested that I network on WIX and so far you guys have proved him right. This is what WIX is all about. Sharing knowledge from the WIX talent pool.

Thanks Guys!

Dan

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Thanks for some great info and ideas. After looking at the Dymo Rhino method, heatshrink seems the best way to go. I found a printer made by Kroy, model #k5100. This machine can print on 1/8" heatshrink tube that will work well with 20 gauge wire. Should also work well for labels and placards on panels. Does anyone have one of these in the shop? Or ever seen one in action? Thanks again.
Jeff

We've got a Kroy machine in our shop, don't recall the the exact model number, just that it's a new machine purchased last year as a replacement for an older model. So far, it's worked well with no problems.

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"They can teach MONKEYS to fly better than that"

http://www.heritageflight.org
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