<div dir="ltr"><div>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:</div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/306054243851">https://www.ebay.com/itm/306054243851</a></div><div><br></div><div>And I only spent like 20 seconds of time to find it. I'm sure there are loads more similar auctions up currently.<br></div><div><br></div><div>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.<br></div><div><br></div><div>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.<br></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sat, Jan 25, 2025 at 7:55 PM Shawn Rakestraw via Synth-diy <<a href="mailto:synth-diy@synth-diy.org">synth-diy@synth-diy.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">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.<div><br></div><div>- Shawn</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sat, Jan 25, 2025 at 4:38 PM Terry Bowman via Synth-diy <<a href="mailto:synth-diy@synth-diy.org" target="_blank">synth-diy@synth-diy.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><br><div><blockquote type="cite"><div>On Jan 25, 2025, at 4:25 PM, Oren Leavitt via Synth-diy <<a href="mailto:synth-diy@synth-diy.org" target="_blank">synth-diy@synth-diy.org</a>> wrote:</div><br><div><div>In the past, I've used an arbor press with the IDC between two pieces of <br>0.125/3mm thick aluminum or blocks of wood. </div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>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.</div><div><br></div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div><div>Never hammer IDCs! I've <br>learnt that the hard way years ago. The key is evenly distributed, <br>controlled pressure.<br></div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Ditto. When everything is lined up right it only takes a second.</div><div><br></div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div><div>Nowadays, since I do so many of those ribbon IDCs, I have one of these:<br><a href="https://www.rapidonline.com/anvil-av-idcct-idc-connector-crimping-tool-86-0527" target="_blank">https://www.rapidonline.com/anvil-av-idcct-idc-connector-crimping-tool-86-0527</a><br></div></div></blockquote></div><div><br></div>That's the one I have.<div><br></div><div>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.<br><div><br></div><div><br><div>
<div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px">Terry Bowman, KA4HJH<br>"The Mac Doctor"<br><br><a href="https://www.astarcloseup.com" target="_blank">https://www.astarcloseup.com</a><br><br>Q: Should car stereo speakers be pointed to the rear for more thrust or up for more traction?<br><br>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.</div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><br></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px">Don Lancaster</div></div>
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