Topic: DIY Chopper RA XLR's help..

[esteyes]

FWIW the "removable mystery cap" is handmade at this time. likely to have them made in some quantity by my machinist soon.

neil

[Nick's Picks]

if you were to use the XX series XLRs, they are threaded *inside*.  that could make for a very easy removable "cap" to be made.

[Jimna]

if you were to use the XX series XLRs, they are threaded *inside*.  that could make for a very easy removable "cap" to be made.

that would be ideal. 

[Gutbucket]

if you were to use the XX series XLRs, they are threaded *inside*.  that could make for a very easy removable "cap" to be made.

that would be ideal. 

Except that the cable would then have to enter beneath the threads.  With the set screw cap the cable can enter at the very back edge with just enough material around the hole to capture the strain relief ferrule.

[Nick's Picks]

I think you could go right through the threads and still have it work.

[esteyes]

yes you could go thru the threads. but you would then have to drill each one individually, dress the threads, etc. plus i see serious difficulties in tightening the cap if the cable goes thru the thread on cap.... how would you actually tighten it? i mean the soldering has to be done before assembly, so i just don't see how to do it as a one piece threaded cap...

if you did it as a two piece arrangement it might be doable, but the threaded cap would only have a few threads so that the cable could exit near the top of the tube. the spacer below would have to be slotted to clear the cable exit, then you could cut your notch anywhere, solder, assemble the contact piece into the tube, insert your insulator, insert your spacer, then tighten the cap. but i think you might still have difficulty getting the spacer to not want to spin - that's why neutrik has a key on their strain relief. one of the key advantages to this shorty RA xlr connector is that the fabricator can aim the cable in any direction. if you manufacture a spacer with a key, it leads to more hand work, thus more time spent on assembly...

if you do the set screw cap, you are not exposing yourself to many of the above issues.

just my $0.02

neil

[Nick's Picks]

making these sucks.  no matter how you slice it.


Lets suppose you notch out a deep U in the chasis.  and you also do that (although not as deep) on the threaded cap. 
in theory, it would crimp the cable as you tightened it.  but those threads are pretty fine...and likely after any modification they'd be near useless.

My initial voyage into these I was looking at modifying the plastic chuck as "my cap" w/the same idea.  I tried grinding, melting the plastic...you name it.  It just didn't work.

[rowjimmy]

be careful of over engineering the simple.

Sage words.
That said, this is a great and informative thread for a future cable DIY guy... +Ts all around.

[aegert]

as Nick said PITA using liquid epoxy... but using the moldable stuff it is hard to get it in and around the 3 pin insert and make me confident it all will stay in place, plus you can't fix'em. HATE that. so i did it my way. completely rebuildable/serviceable. time consuming at the moment tho'

OK +T I'm in... Now that is one sweet connector... Makes me wish I didn't dump my drill press! I would buy those connectors. If I had to I would buy the complete cables..

I need a pair of padded Female xlr to trs right angle cables .5M each

I would love to re build my mic 2 channel snake to incorporate these as well.. I would send it for rework if need be...

PM me...
A

[Jimna]

finished one set last night.  i need to be more cautious with the amount of epoxy im using but over all im very happy.  i dont see any need to ever service these, im glad they are a finshed deal. now only 5 more sets to go...

btw, the tape around the top worked great as a form for the epoxy.  +T to all that gave help and input.  TS.com rocks!

[it-goes-to-eleven]

yes you could go thru the threads. but you would then have to drill each one individually, dress the threads, etc. plus i see serious difficulties in tightening the cap if the cable goes thru the thread on cap.... how would you actually tighten it? i mean the soldering has to be done before assembly, so i just don't see how to do it as a one piece threaded cap...

The armchair designers will quiet down if you ask them to to post pics of their prototype
Sort of like making actives.. it is one thing to talk about it and quite another to spend hours and hours and hours planning and prototyping.

Nice work!

I think set screw based retention is the way to go.  I'm curious what sort of collar you are using under the heat shrink on the cable to prevent pull out?  That is one of the bigger long term challenges with the epoxy based designs - cable retention and strain relief on the conductors. 

As far as tips for making the epoxy based designs...  I use clear 15 or 30 minute hobby epoxy with a filler to thicken it.  For me that gives the perfect balance of not too much flow and plenty of working time.  I always make them with the opposite connector inserted to keep the pins aligned.

[Nick's Picks]

dremel tool !
no drill press needed.  a vice is handy though.

I have *never* been able to pull out a cable that was just epoxy'd or putty'd in.

[tfrench]

I made Todd French some cables and coated the epoxy with the spray on plastisol, after taping up the metal so it wouldnt get on it.  It looked great.

I 100% agree that they look and perform great!  Love my shorty XLR's!

Todd

[JackHenry]

I've had a quick read through this post so I'm sorry if I missed someone else making this comment.

If you use clear epxoy, you can colour it with a small amount paint dye (Experiment on the quantity). So you can have different coloured plugs, which are usually very handy when trying to find the correct end.

ALSO, if you stick a little bit of 'blue tack' (Not sure if that's what you call it in the US) into any gaps that you don't want the epoxy to run through, it solves that problem.

Regards
John

[esteyes]

yeah, it is blue tack in the us and it is make for helping pottery, sculptures etc stay stuck to a shelf and not inadvertently fall off. non-marring and leaves no residue.

the strain relief is actually a lock washer trimmed then crimped around the cable. the "plug" is brass tubing silver soldered to a brass freeze plug then hand filed to the correct dimension to retain the neutrik pins then slotted for the cable exit.

now you have all my secrets!

neil