Jump to content

DIY cables


Recommended Posts

  • Members

OK. I want to try. I find many connectors do not seem to have design features which make it easier, such as clamps to fix the cable in the vicinity of the solder point.

Are there web articles on this subject?

Are there particular brands of connectors which are designed with the goal of making the wiring as simple and secure as possible?

I would appreciate any suggestions.

Yours,

ES

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Radio Shack actually carries a few useful things every once in a while. One of them is a nifty little set of clamps on a metal base. Much like this in fact http://www.amazon.com/American-Science-Surplus-HELPING-SOLDER/dp/B0001ZYH4O. I think it was something like $11 at Radio Shack, so if you need it right away be prepaired to pay a little more than if you ordered it online.

 

As long as you can find a spot on the connector to clip it on, it really works great. I used one this week and didn't burn myself once.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I have one of those "third hands", they're really a great idea. Makes everything go smoother and makes things much less frustrating.

 

I make my own cables, and have for a little while now. Generally speaking, the industry standards for good solid cabling are Belden, Mogami, and Canare for raw cable and Neutrik and Switchcraft for connectors. That's the stuff that's in countless studios around the world. There are a few different places to get them online, and you will be amazed at how much money you can save by making them yourself.

 

I get my raw materials from www.markertek.com , and I like them, but I've also heard of people getting good stuff at good prices from www.redco.com .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

For some reason I just love making my own cables. I soldered for a living at one point, and when I smell hot flux it all comes back to me. Almost like meditation. Is that wierd? Oh well... I just like it. And using cables you put together yourself is a nice feeling, too. I ordered from Markertek. Two hundred feet of purple Canare Star Quad and a bunch of connectors. For XLR I like Neutrik connectors much better than switchcraft. They always take solder so nicely, and the stress relief is elegant. Switchcraft does make nice TRS jacks, though.

 

If you are going to do it, I recommend getting a decent soldering iron. I get the little soldering station from radio shack because I'm too cheap to get a real, Weller station. But it's gotta have the little wet sponge for cleaning off the tip of the iron, and a holder for the hot iron. Get some flux as well, rosin flux. They always say "don't get the acid flux", but I've never even seen any. Must be advice from long ago. This makes me want to replace the cables on all my headphones... I've had about enough beer, I think...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I agree, the stress relief on Neutrik's stuff is really cool. Call me a geek, but when I got them in the mail and started soldering them up I really thought they were a very well thought out design.

 

By the way, I think you're the closest forumite to me I've met on here so far. I'm down in California, just a half hour or so south of the Oregon border near I-5. I come up to Medford all the time to go to the GC and do some grocery shopping.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

I agree, the stress relief on Neutrik's stuff is really cool. Call me a geek, but when I got them in the mail and started soldering them up I really thought they were a very well thought out design.


By the way, I think you're the closest forumite to me I've met on here so far. I'm down in California, just a half hour or so south of the Oregon border near I-5. I come up to Medford all the time to go to the GC and do some grocery shopping.

 

 

I have a good friend that does a lot of music events in Yreka, and I ran sound for the Scott Valley Bluegrass festival for two years. Must be in your backyard somewhere..

 

And the Neutrik and Switchcraft connectors can be found at pretty decent prices on the internet, same for microphone wire, both permanent install and standard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

I have a good friend that does a lot of music events in Yreka, and I ran sound for the Scott Valley Bluegrass festival for two years. Must be in your backyard somewhere..

 

 

Absolutely, I live in Montague, which is a tiny little town about six miles east of Yreka. This is wild, I've been on HC for over four years now and I've never run across any members that were this close to me!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

Absolutely, I live in Montague, which is a tiny little town about six miles east of Yreka. This is wild, I've been on HC for over four years now and I've never run across any members that were this close to me!

 

 

If memory serves me, I believe I played golf at the Montague golf course a couple years ago.

 

There are actually several Oregon members of HC forums, of course we aren't as smart as the guys from New York, Nashville or Southern California..but hey.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

If memory serves me, I believe I played golf at the Montague golf course a couple years ago.


There are actually several Oregon members of HC forums, of course we aren't as smart as the guys from New York, Nashville or Southern California..but hey.

 

Well us dumb mountain boys gotta make do with what we got. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I use a small bench vice that holds a 2x4 block with a variety of connectors, M/F XLR, 1/4", RCA, etc. Invaluable for holding the connector in place while soldering. Once the work is tinned properly, simply heat the connector, allowing the tinned wire to absorb the heat and complete the connection. DO NOT BLOW ON IT!! This causes the solder to cool prematurely and can cause cold connections.

 

I also love making cables, having done it professional for both audio and the government for many years. Nothing like getting exactly the cabling you need, and knowing it will last for years.

 

I'm a big fan of Neutrik connectors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Neat. I'm not as isolated as I thought. GZsound and Mind Riot are very near, and 40 miles is not far in Northern California miles. Mind Riot, I'm also near I5, abot three miles north of the border. In fact, you can see my place off to the west as you climb the Siskiyou pass. That's where I solder my cables these days.

 

I'm looking for work now, and Yreka/Montague is one place I oughta look.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Neat. I'm not as isolated as I thought. GZsound and Mind Riot are very near, and 40 miles is not far in Northern California miles. Mind Riot, I'm also near I5, abot three miles north of the border. In fact, you can see my place off to the west as you climb the Siskiyou pass. That's where I solder my cables these days.


I'm looking for work now, and Yreka/Montague is one place I oughta look.

 

Good luck with that. I like living here because it's so beautiful and peaceful, but economically there's not much going on.

 

This is kind of cool. :thu: I've been on HC a long time and the closest I've ever found another forumite to be before now was in Chico, two and a half hours south of me or so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...