How Do You Expand Heat Shrink Tubing?
• Select the right tool for the size of the heat shrink tubing you want to expand. • Needlenose pliers. Smaller and moderate sized heat shrink tubing is easy to stretch with needle-nose pliers. Most tubing sold is of this size. If possible, find a pair of needle-nose pliers with extended ends to accommodate longer sections of tubing. • Large pliers in combination with regular pliers. Larger tubing will require larger pliers. Some tubing will benefit from the combination of pliers to leverage enough force to stretch thicker tubing. In this scenario, one plier’s handles will expand the tubing, while the other pliers are used to pry them apart. • Needlepoint tweezers with a jeweler’s screwdriver. Extremely small tubing calls for tweezers with needlepoint tips. A good example is LTD’s Tweezerman models. • Insert the tweezers or pliers into the tubing as far as possible. Make sure the tool used is completely closed. • Pull the pliers apart slowly to open up the ends. If using tweezers, use
