Topic: First build in a while

[checht]

Thought I’d get back to building cables, it's been a few decades. Following Voltronic’s advice I ordered Redco 4 channel snake cable and a Pinecil. Got Neutrik xlrs and colored boots to compensate for poor vision. Got a LED light magnifier soldering station to supplement my trusty vise.

Build went fine, if slower than when I had good vision. Over the course of wiring 8 connectors, memorized but forgotten motor skills and techniques came back to me. Using full size connectors was nice, reducing the need to keep leads short like would be needed for stubbies. The snake will be used when sanctioned to record, and weighs 6#, so size of connectors wasn’t super critical. I tested the cables, all was fine, continuity and no shorts. Then I shrank the shrink tubing and made an unforced error. Lingered too long on one cable, which fused the wires inside and shorted them. Lesson learned.

Picture below, it's 4 channels x 100'. Solders look decent to me.

The third picture is one of the last sets of cables I made back in the day, built in the dorms in 1983, for stealthing with my km84i pair. It was Vermont/NorthEast, so I’d wear a Russian winter hat with the ear coverings snapped up and put the mics in the flaps. Used ‘em for B52s @ the Fillmore when they warmed up for their Love Shack tour:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/qoyvp69vfytroyv3tv6up/h?dl=0&rlkey=lvh4c8y8rvmeho57vb85nccex

Still using the shorties, mostly for SBD feeds when I’m running at the board. Hope the new snake is similarly durable.

Thanks all, for the input along the way, it helped a lot.

[morst]

I've probably mentioned this in other threads but a double "Third hand" weighted base, with a couple alligator clips can really make things easy in terms of holding wires in place to allow you to use one hand on the soldering iron and the other on the solder itself.

[checht]

I've probably mentioned this in other threads but a double "Third hand" weighted base, with a couple alligator clips can really make things easy in terms of holding wires in place to allow you to use one hand on the soldering iron and the other on the solder itself.

Thanks, Morst. The magnifying, lighted soldering station has a third hand too, but I just used it for tinning wires. So, one clip holds the connector, the other the wire? The wire is set in the cup? I prefer to heat the cup then insert the wire to avoid overheating the wire, so not sure that'd work for me.

I've seen folks mount their iron vertically, then hold component or wire in one hand, solder in the other. Then move things into contact with the iron and apply solder. Thinking that might work best with my style of assembly. Anyone tried that?

[Gutbucket]

Nice work.

I've seen folks mount their iron vertically, then hold component or wire in one hand, solder in the other. Then move things into contact with the iron and apply solder. Thinking that might work best with my style of assembly. Anyone tried that?

I use this method, with the iron held in a small vice, or lacking that, simply inserted into the center hole of the solder spool.

Russian winter hat with the ear coverings snapped up

I wore one of those as a Florida kid attending college in upstage NY, driving an old aircooled convertible VW with "rust ventilated" floorboard and no heat.  I never stuck mics in the hat but that's genius.  Extra points if the fur of the hat acted as windjammer!

[fireonshakedwnstreet]

Very nice. This is def a skill I want to learn!

[morst]

Thanks, Morst. The magnifying, lighted soldering station has a third hand too, but I just used it for tinning wires. So, one clip holds the connector, the other the wire? The wire is set in the cup? I prefer to heat the cup then insert the wire to avoid overheating the wire, so not sure that'd work for me.

I've seen folks mount their iron vertically, then hold component or wire in one hand, solder in the other. Then move things into contact with the iron and apply solder. Thinking that might work best with my style of assembly. Anyone tried that?

dang, I could swear I posted a reply last night to this.


Note that the clips swing around on this thing, so they can hold items in place against the table surface too.
With your vice you only really need a single-clip third hand unit, but they are not very expensive anyhow so I'd suggest the double.

[Gutbucket]

TS was down earlier this morning, possible some messages may have disappeared due to that.

[voltronic]

I've seen folks mount their iron vertically, then hold component or wire in one hand, solder in the other. Then move things into contact with the iron and apply solder. Thinking that might work best with my style of assembly. Anyone tried that?

This won't work with the Pinecil, because it goes into low-temp/power mode when held still for a certain number of seconds. Although this may be an option that can be changed in the settings.

[morst]

TS was down earlier this morning, possible some messages may have disappeared due to that.

thanks. Glad to know that if I'm crazy, that it's not new.

[rocksuitcase]

TS was down earlier this morning, possible some messages may have disappeared due to that.

Yeah, I posted on after morst saying to Chris, "looks good, thanks for the pics". That was lost.
sooo
looks good, thanks for the pics