A Lazy Technician’s Trick for When You Forget Heat Shrink Tubing
We’ve all been there. That sinking feeling when you finish assembling a perfect connector, only to realize you forgot to slide the heat shrink tubing on first. It’s one of the most frustrating mistakes in any workshop.
For a lazy technician like me, disassembling the entire connector is simply not an option. A long time ago, faced with this exact problem, a simple thought struck me: “If it can shrink, it can also expand.” I tried it, and to my delight, it worked.
Being the obsessive tinkerer I am, I later looked around online and discovered that the basic idea of stretching the tubing wasn’t entirely new. However, most of the existing methods didn’t look very efficient to my eyes. The choice of tools often seemed inappropriate, and as a result, the work didn’t look all that easy.
So, I’m sharing my own special method here. This is one of those common clever tricks, but with a bit of my own spin on it. A trick on top of a trick, if you will.
The Secret Weapon: An Unconventional Use for Snap-Ring Pliers
The key to this method is a humble pair of external snap-ring pliers.
Their original purpose is installing snap rings, but as someone who enjoys finding off-label uses for tools, I realized they were perfectly designed for this task. The tips are rounded, preventing tears, and they open when you squeeze, giving you precise control over the expansion.
The Technique: The Artisan’s Method
The best way to understand this is to see it in action. The entire process, from a small job to a large one, is in the video below.
The basic principle is to gently and evenly stretch the tubing by rotating it as you squeeze the pliers.
But what if the connector is wider than the pliers’ maximum opening? That’s where the second part of my method comes in: a simple, flat bar. By using a flat, smooth object (with no sharp edges!) as a secondary stretcher, you can expand the tubing even further without damaging it.
Once stretched, you can easily slide it over the connector. A quick blast from a heat gun, and it shrinks back down for a perfect, clean finish. A success born from laziness!
Final Thoughts: The Art of the Clever Shortcut
Is it better to not make the mistake in the first place? Of course. But for those inevitable moments of human error, I hope this little trick from a lazy technician can be of some help.
This is the path of a technician who prefers a smart shortcut over tedious rework. In a way, you could say it’s the art of being a master of clever shortcuts.
