[sdiy] Quick ribbon cable question

Peter Pearson electrocontinuo at gmail.com
Sun Jan 26 03:46:11 CET 2025


It's a good point, but the old tortoises sound better than the new
tortoises and you can't get the old tortoises anymore...

On Sat, Jan 25, 2025 at 9:33 PM Oren Leavitt via Synth-diy <
synth-diy at synth-diy.org> wrote:

> My buddy, Fred Flintstone does his IDCs with an old tortoise.
>
> On 1/25/25 8:20 PM, Peter Pearson via Synth-diy wrote:
> > Maybe you're right.  Might as well just bite down on the connectors with
> > your molars to crimp them.  You grew your teeth for free.
> >
> > On Sat, Jan 25, 2025 at 9:18 PM Quincas Moreira <quincas at gmail.com
> > <mailto:quincas at gmail.com>> wrote:
> >
> >     I’ve done many by placing them between two boards and stepping on
> them
> >
> >
> >
> >     Quincas Moreira
> >     Director | QMA
> >     mobile: 5534988825 <tel:5534988825>
> >     site: quincasmoreira.com <http://quincasmoreira.com/>
> >     email: quincas at gmail.com <mailto:quincas at gmail.com>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >     On Sat 25 Jan 2025 at 7:17 p.m. Peter Pearson via Synth-diy <synth-
> >     diy at synth-diy.org <mailto:synth-diy at synth-diy.org>> wrote:
> >
> >         Sorry, not trying to be mean here, but I don't understand this
> >         attitude of like "Can't you just use a heavy can of tomatoes to
> >         crimp your cables?! I don't want to spend money on my nice
> >         synthesizer!"  The good tool that does the job well is cheap!
> >         Here's what looks to be an unused hand crimper for $1 with no
> >         bids and cheap shipping on ebay:
> >
> >         https://www.ebay.com/itm/306054243851 <https://www.ebay.com/
> >         itm/306054243851>
> >
> >         And I only spent like 20 seconds of time to find it.  I'm sure
> >         there are loads more similar auctions up currently.
> >
> >         It's the same with Molex crimp terminals.  Just buy the tool
> >         that does the job well.  It's so worth it.  They aren't
> >         expensive and they make life better.
> >
> >         I guess if you'd rather spend 20 hours of bench time to figure
> >         out that your crap attempt at making a cable is the reason that
> >         your thing doesn't work, that's you doing you.  Have fun.
> >
> >         On Sat, Jan 25, 2025 at 7:55 PM Shawn Rakestraw via Synth-diy
> >         <synth-diy at synth-diy.org <mailto:synth-diy at synth-diy.org>>
> wrote:
> >
> >             I second the Channel Lock pliers method. I have a very small
> >             pair that I used masking tape over the "teeth" so that it
> >             won't mar the plastic. I'm usually making eurorack power
> >             cables, so the size of the connectors is relatively small.
> >
> >             - Shawn
> >
> >             On Sat, Jan 25, 2025 at 4:38 PM Terry Bowman via Synth-diy
> >             <synth-diy at synth-diy.org <mailto:synth-diy at synth-diy.org>>
> >             wrote:
> >
> >
> >>                 On Jan 25, 2025, at 4:25 PM, Oren Leavitt via Synth-
> >>                 diy <synth-diy at synth-diy.org <mailto:synth-diy at synth-
> >>                 diy.org>> wrote:
> >>
> >>                 In the past, I've used an arbor press with the IDC
> >>                 between two pieces of
> >>                 0.125/3mm thick aluminum or blocks of wood.
> >
> >                 Yeah, you can use a drill press as well. It has more
> >                 "feel" than a bench vise which will make it more
> >                 difficult to screw up.
> >
> >
> >>                 Never hammer IDCs! I've
> >>                 learnt that the hard way years ago. The key is evenly
> >>                 distributed,
> >>                 controlled pressure.
> >
> >                 Ditto. When everything is lined up right it only takes a
> >                 second.
> >
> >
> >>                 Nowadays, since I do so many of those ribbon IDCs, I
> >>                 have one of these:
> >>                 https://www.rapidonline.com/anvil-av-idcct-idc-
> >>                 connector-crimping-tool-86-0527 <https://
> >>                 www.rapidonline.com/anvil-av-idcct-idc-connector-
> >>                 crimping-tool-86-0527>
> >
> >                 That's the one I have.
> >
> >                 And don't put the connector on the ribbon cable
> >                 backwards/upside-down. I've done that multiple times but
> >                 caught it before I fried anything.
> >
> >
> >                 Terry Bowman, KA4HJH
> >                 "The Mac Doctor"
> >
> >                 https://www.astarcloseup.com <
> https://www.astarcloseup.com>
> >
> >                 Q: Should car stereo speakers be pointed to the rear for
> >                 more thrust or up for more traction?
> >
> >                 A. On long trips, the 20- to 30% improvement in gas
> >                 mileage you might get with speakers pointing to the rear
> >                 is certainly worthwhile. On the other hand, if you drive
> >                 on snow or ice, the extra traction of speakers pointing
> >                 upward gives you added control.
> >
> >                 Don Lancaster
> >
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>
>
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