7 replies to this topic

[Steve Milberry]

Here's a quick how-to on making '90 degree plug boots. It's probably not the only way to do it , just how I do it.

First take a peice of scrap plastic and cut a notch in it just wide enough to put a peice of your boot material in. It needs to be tight enough so the material can't wiggle around too mush but wide enough that it fits in easily.


Cut a peice of your boot material to the length you want your boots to be and put in the notch,


Get a triangle from a geometry set and put the 45 degree side up agenst the edge of your plastic scrap. Line up the angle so it crosses the notch at the end of your boot peice.



Cut the scrap across the 45 degree angle and now you have a template for cutting your boot peices.


Now you can put peices of the boot material in the notch and cut them off at a 45 degree angle and they'll all be the same size.



You'll be able to make a bunch of boot peices pretty quickly this way. Now take a peice of your plug wire and make a sharp 90 degree bend close to one end. Slip a boot peice on each end with the 45 degree cut first.


Slip the peices tightly together at the bend and secure it with a tiny drop of super glue and that all there is to it.


So there you have it. A relitivly quick and easy way to make 90 degree plug boots.

[Skip]

Great twist on an old trick,seen the 45 degree cut made freehand but the "miter box" tool is even better. Wonder about using a heat source to soften the edges of the fused cut to make it look a little more molded as a full scale plug boot is.

[roadhawg]

This is great! I never thought about making a jig. Thanks!!!

[crazyjim]

Something new to try. Thanks Steve.

[njcivicwagon1]

Nice tip!

[JustBill]

Thanks for taking the time to put this together Steve. I shall be using this on my current build.

[vintagestang]

What if you just heated the wire and bent it instead?

[Steve Milberry]

What if you just heated the wire and bent it instead?

No idea, I've never tried it ,, I think you should try it and let us know how it works out. Don't forget to post pics too.