[sdiy] 1/8th patch cables ?

[R. D. Davis]

Quothe Paul Perry, from writings of Sat, Jan 07, 2006 at 12:46:36PM +1100:
> Something that makes a real difference, is how gently people put their 
> plugs in & out (and how they use switches &  sliders, for that matter).

I'm very careful with how I use cables, and always try to avoid
pulling on the cables themselves, rather than the connectors,
but... there are cases where clearances are sometimes too tight, where
there's no way to get a good grip on the connectors and the connection
itself is a little too tight due to the plugs or jacks not being made
right... a bad combination that may put a little strain on a cable,
which one can then repair if moulded connectors are not used.  Still,
I do not like to pull on cables... it's a bad thing to do.

Also, some cables (notably those from the place named "R____ S____
which is rumored to advertise, "You've got questions, we've got blank
stares"), no matter how carefully handled, sometimes fail from just
the cables being flexed occasionally over a period of time.  I do have
a few ancient RS cables, however, which have survived the test of
time, which are useful for a few non-critical things once in a while,
but never, ever, in any part of a signal path where they could cause a
power amp to send a very large signal to the speakers if they fail
when accidentally touched!

> I was astonished at how 'roughly' (in my opinion) a visiting EE
> used the controls on my scope. I guess it is a personality thing (like 
> some people always slam doors). 

That's always a bad thing, never a good way to treat anything.  Too
destructive.  I trust that you've stocked up on moustraps since then...

You: Please reach around the back of that scope and get me [some tool]
that I left back there.  Just reach for it gently.  Be careful.

Visiting EE: Ok. [quickly and recklessly reaches back there] SNAP!
OUCH!  Oooohhh...  Why didn't you tell me there was a, a, mouse trap
back there?

You:  Well, if you had been more careful and not so reckless, your
fingers wouldn't have encountered that.  Please be more careful when
you're here!

If anyone treated my equipment like that, they'd find themselves
ushered outside rather quickly and would receive a bill for costs
associated with future premature equipment failure due to their
carelessness.

> I only ever got one lot of cables in my life that were 'unuseably' crap.
> And in all fairness, that was from a store that threw them out.

Interesting, but it's good to hear that you've had such great luck with
cables. :-)

-- 
   R. D. Davis                The difference between humans & other animals: an
www.rddavis.org  410-744-4900    unnatural belief that we're above Nature & her
     Dangling Spiders              other creatures, using dogma to justify such
   Electronic Music Studio           beliefs and to justify much human cruelty.