After considerable evaluation, the Customer decided the shoelaces were still too long and said the hex-crimped ferrules were entirely too rough and tended to snag on things. This time, I prepared the ferrules by chucking them in the lathe:
The steel rod inside the ferrule encourages it to remain round and not collapse while I’m filing off the flange that normally holds the plastic strain-relief doodad:
I snipped another half inch off each end of the laces and crimped on the prepared ferrules:
Which were definitely too jaggy, so they now sport an epoxy coat:
Alas, JB Kwik epoxy has a pot life measured in minutes, so the last ferrule looks a bit lumpy. They seem to work fine and the Customer is happy with the results.
Memo to Self: Next time, dunk the ferrules in a pot of slow-curing JB Weld and let them drain overnight.
The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning 