Guides Cable Sleeving: An Introduction to the Tools and Materials

Earlier this year, when I got my Fractal Design Define R5 I, for the first time since I started self-building in 2003, actually put some effort into installing the cables tidily using the back-plate holes and ties provided. Going so far as to start sleeving the cables, this side of 2030, would be a step too far.

 

To be honest, I take the easy option now and buy pre-sleeved cables. Before these were available I used to do this a lot. The sleeving part was fine (although I used a hair dryer to heat up the shrink and later the heat gun I use for plastic tube bending); I always hated (with passion) trying to remove the pins from the power blocks. I lost count of the amount of the 2 prong tools I broke trying to get the wires to release.

I appreciate that you can get a far more customised version doing this yourself, but this was one part of modding that I never enjoyed - I did get a great feeling of satisfaction though when it was all done though - but not enough to make me want to do it again.

I only use the tools now for changing the white fittings that still come on some items (such as molex) to black ones to match with the rest of the cables.