Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #41   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 151
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On Fri, 16 May 2014 01:33:24 -0400, Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote:

I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my
vision and fine motor control just aren't what they used to be. And, I
only had to make 5 connections on the DB-9's, it took me close to an
hour. These are for a DRO, I've been using a break-out box until now on
the mismatched scales and display. Remember, the display bit the dust a
while ago.

I did have the connectors locked in a miniature vice but I couldn't
think of any other techniques that would help.



Try putting on some wrist weights to act as tremor dampers.



Regards,

Boris Mohar

Got Knock? - see:
Viatrack Printed Circuit Designs (among other things) http://www.viatrack.ca

void _-void-_ in the obvious place



---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

  #42   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,888
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

"Tom Gardner" Mars@Tacks wrote in message
...
On 5/16/2014 12:30 PM, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

PS: Have you ever seen any of these?

http://www.project-parts.com/itempix/450-040A.jpg


Learn something new every day! No, never saw those connectors, I
assume they are RF.


Engineers put lots of nasty things like that on the back of
subassemblies that blind-mate, like scope plug-ins. I bet they snicker
at the trouble they know techs will have repairing them.

This shows a 2-coax version of that connector on the IF section of a
spectrum analyzer like mine:
http://www.azur-electronics.com/Page...f_section.aspx
"J3 connector mates directly with the plug-in RF Section. Some care
is needed to avoid damaging this connector."

The RF section plugs into the top of it, then both together slide into
the main frame. Someone had spare plug-ins at the ham flea market a
few weeks ago and showed me how they go together. I guarantee you that
not every electronics company engineers the mechanicals like this as
well as HP and Tektronix.

-jsw


  #43   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 22
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On Fri, 16 May 2014 11:47:03 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:

"Tom Gardner" Mars@Tacks wrote in message
m...
I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my
vision and fine motor control just aren't what they used to be. And, I
only had to make 5 connections on the DB-9's, it took me close to an hour.
These are for a DRO, I've been using a break-out box until now on the
mismatched scales and display. Remember, the display bit the dust a while
ago.

I did have the connectors locked in a miniature vice but I couldn't think
of any other techniques that would help.


I have always had some issue with D-Sub connectors. I've found that
ergonomics is key. I always try to clamp it up so that I can rest my hands
or forearms on something to work. I have a roll of very thin rosin core for
this work. Reading glasses are mandatory now, but not that many years I
just needed to work in a well lit area. I tin the wires, and the pins, then
with every thing ready I only need to line everything up for a second and it
flows together. Doing it sitting down at a table or desk seems to work the
best.

That being said there are pin crimp D-Subs connectors available, and
sometimes I use them. Especially with assemblies I can't easily move to
the work bench. Radio Shack sells the fine solder I use. They also have
pin crimp tools and pin crimp D-Subs last time I looked.



Phoenix Contact and perhaps others sell a variety of D-Sub connectors
with screw terminals. They are expensive but well worth the cost for
occasional use.

http://www.mouser.com/catalog/catalogusd/646/1522.pdf

Mike
  #44   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,624
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 5/17/2014 9:01 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
"Tom Gardner" Mars@Tacks wrote in message
...
On 5/16/2014 12:30 PM, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

PS: Have you ever seen any of these?

http://www.project-parts.com/itempix/450-040A.jpg


Learn something new every day! No, never saw those connectors, I
assume they are RF.


Engineers put lots of nasty things like that on the back of
subassemblies that blind-mate, like scope plug-ins. I bet they snicker
at the trouble they know techs will have repairing them.

This shows a 2-coax version of that connector on the IF section of a
spectrum analyzer like mine:
http://www.azur-electronics.com/Page...f_section.aspx
"J3 connector mates directly with the plug-in RF Section. Some care
is needed to avoid damaging this connector."

The RF section plugs into the top of it, then both together slide into
the main frame. Someone had spare plug-ins at the ham flea market a
few weeks ago and showed me how they go together. I guarantee you that
not every electronics company engineers the mechanicals like this as
well as HP and Tektronix.

-jsw



What do the male coax plugs look like? I bet they are a bitch to work
with too!
  #45   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,624
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 5/17/2014 8:48 AM, Boris Mohar wrote:
On Fri, 16 May 2014 01:33:24 -0400, Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote:

I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my
vision and fine motor control just aren't what they used to be. And, I
only had to make 5 connections on the DB-9's, it took me close to an
hour. These are for a DRO, I've been using a break-out box until now on
the mismatched scales and display. Remember, the display bit the dust a
while ago.

I did have the connectors locked in a miniature vice but I couldn't
think of any other techniques that would help.



Try putting on some wrist weights to act as tremor dampers.



Regards,

Boris Mohar




Ahhh, VERY interesting idea! I'm gonna' try that!



  #46   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 32
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On Fri, 16 May 2014 01:33:24 -0400, Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote:

I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my
vision and fine motor control just aren't what they used to be. And, I
only had to make 5 connections on the DB-9's, it took me close to an
hour. These are for a DRO, I've been using a break-out box until now on
the mismatched scales and display. Remember, the display bit the dust a
while ago.

I did have the connectors locked in a miniature vice but I couldn't
think of any other techniques that would help.


Soldering a DB-9 connector is dirt simple easy as things go today, but
it ain't the same as soldering tube sockets with a solder gun.

Three issues:

- vision, which doesn't improve as we age
- manual steadiness -- which doesn't improve as we age
- right tools -- which we can better afford as we age

Vision: whatever works. The binocular visors others have mentioned
suffice for me; I don't solder anything without those. For finer
stuff, like surfacemount, I use a binoc microscope I got on Ebay.

Manual steadiness: cheating is encouraged as it is in TIG welding and
marksmanship. Use any support that will work, use what you've
learned about precision shooting with available supports. Snipercraft.

Tools: a really good soldering station can make a world of
difference. I use a Pace TW-100 that I got a decade ago. There may
be other better choices available now, but I could solder a gnat's
balls together with that arn under the microscope. Doing a DB-9 is no
challenge at all with hand rests and the binocular visors.

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

  #47   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,888
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?


"Tom Gardner" Mars@Tacks wrote in message
...
On 5/17/2014 9:01 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
"Tom Gardner" Mars@Tacks wrote in message
...
On 5/16/2014 12:30 PM, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

PS: Have you ever seen any of these?

http://www.project-parts.com/itempix/450-040A.jpg


This shows a 2-coax version of that connector on the IF section of
a
spectrum analyzer like mine:
http://www.azur-electronics.com/Page...f_section.aspx
"J3 connector mates directly with the plug-in RF Section. Some
care
is needed to avoid damaging this connector."

The RF section plugs into the top of it, then both together slide
into
the main frame. Someone had spare plug-ins at the ham flea market a
few weeks ago and showed me how they go together. I guarantee you
that
not every electronics company engineers the mechanicals like this
as
well as HP and Tektronix.

-jsw



What do the male coax plugs look like? I bet they are a bitch to
work with too!


http://www.azur-electronics.com/Page...f_section.aspx

They look like you don't want to mess with them either.


  #48   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,632
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

"Jim Wilkins" fired this volley in news:ll8v9r$vb3
:

They look like you don't want to mess with them either.


I dunno. I'm 'bout half-blind now, but if I have a good light, a clamp-
stand, and a magnifier, I can still reliably solder on the first try to
0.050-centers connectors, and with some re-do's on 0.025 centers.

I think it's more about having the correct iron, the right gauge of
solder, and good setup/holding equipment than it has to do with age or
physical ability. I'm quite a bit more shakey than I was in my youth,
but bracing my wrist or arm against the bench or a rest solves a lot of
that.

Yesterday I 'pigtailed' four 0.050"c/c SOT Hall Effect sensors for a
position-sensing bar (the sensors are designed to be I/R flow-soldered to
a board, but I needed leads on them), and got all four nailed on the
first pass.

LLoyd
  #49   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,888
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

"Lloyd E. Sponenburgh" lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote in message
. 3.70...
"Jim Wilkins" fired this volley in
news:ll8v9r$vb3
:


Yesterday I 'pigtailed' four 0.050"c/c SOT Hall Effect sensors for a
position-sensing bar (the sensors are designed to be I/R
flow-soldered to
a board, but I needed leads on them), and got all four nailed on the
first pass.

LLoyd


A good test that needs no special equipment is to see how small you
can write with a pointed scribe.

jsw



  #50   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 171
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On Fri, 16 May 2014 01:33:24 -0400, Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote:

I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my
vision and fine motor control just aren't what they used to be. And, I
only had to make 5 connections on the DB-9's, it took me close to an
hour. These are for a DRO, I've been using a break-out box until now on
the mismatched scales and display. Remember, the display bit the dust a
while ago.

I did have the connectors locked in a miniature vice but I couldn't
think of any other techniques that would help.

Get you a mid teen girlfriend and give her lots of incentive to handle
the FINE work for you!
---

Gerry :-)}
London,Canada


  #51   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,624
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 5/17/2014 8:08 PM, Don Foreman wrote:
On Fri, 16 May 2014 01:33:24 -0400, Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote:

I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my
vision and fine motor control just aren't what they used to be. And, I
only had to make 5 connections on the DB-9's, it took me close to an
hour. These are for a DRO, I've been using a break-out box until now on
the mismatched scales and display. Remember, the display bit the dust a
while ago.

I did have the connectors locked in a miniature vice but I couldn't
think of any other techniques that would help.


Soldering a DB-9 connector is dirt simple easy as things go today, but
it ain't the same as soldering tube sockets with a solder gun.

Three issues:

- vision, which doesn't improve as we age
- manual steadiness -- which doesn't improve as we age
- right tools -- which we can better afford as we age

Vision: whatever works. The binocular visors others have mentioned
suffice for me; I don't solder anything without those. For finer
stuff, like surfacemount, I use a binoc microscope I got on Ebay.

Manual steadiness: cheating is encouraged as it is in TIG welding and
marksmanship. Use any support that will work, use what you've
learned about precision shooting with available supports. Snipercraft.

Tools: a really good soldering station can make a world of
difference. I use a Pace TW-100 that I got a decade ago. There may
be other better choices available now, but I could solder a gnat's
balls together with that arn under the microscope. Doing a DB-9 is no
challenge at all with hand rests and the binocular visors.

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com



Funny, I shoot a hell of a lot better than I did 20 or even 30 years
ago. I think you hit the nail on the head and I need better tools! I
need just one more pistol too!
  #53   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,584
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 2014-05-17, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Fri, 16 May 2014 12:30:55 -0400, "Michael A. Terrell"
wrote:


Tom Gardner wrote:

I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my


[ ... ]

BTW, it isn't a DB-9, it is a DE-9. The second letter is the shell
size. The common 25 pin shell is a 'B'. The SVGA monitor plug is a
HDE-15.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-subminiature


Interesting! Even when I was buying them for computers/cables I
built, they were always listed as DB-9s.


The people who know what they are doing will recognize them
anyway, knowing that there is no such thing as a DB-9, and the use of
the common wrong name makes those who don't know satisfied that they got
what they asked for.

The letter sequence is weird, BTW. Assuming the two rows of
individual pins, they are "DA-15", "DB-25", "DC-37" "DD-50" (really three
rows) and finally "DE-9".

The 9-pin size was an afterthought, and you can't back up to a
letter before 'A' unlike being able to back up '1' to '0' (or even minus
numbers at need). :-)

I don't know for sure who originated the series, but the first
ones I remember were made by Canon, and had white Nylon insulators,
which happily melted as you were soldering, so if you weren't quick
enough at it, you wind up with the pin at an angle as the Nylon hardens
again. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Remove oil spill source from e-mail
Email: | (KV4PH) Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---
  #54   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,584
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 2014-05-17, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

Larry Jaques wrote:

On Fri, 16 May 2014 12:30:55 -0400, "Michael A. Terrell"
? wrote:

?
?Tom Gardner wrote:
??
?? I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my


[ ... ]

? BTW, it isn't a DB-9, it is a DE-9. The second letter is the shell
?size. The common 25 pin shell is a 'B'. The SVGA monitor plug is a
?HDE-15.
?
?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-subminiature

Interesting! Even when I was buying them for computers/cables I
built, they were always listed as DB-9s.



That's because the people selling computer parts rarely take the time
to research what they sell. Since they ran into the DB25 first, they
assumed everything that was vaguely similar was DB as well.


Just like what happened with the Amphenol miniature blue ribbon
connectors. Centronics chose the 36-pin version of that as the parallel
printer port. Now, anything which uses one of the series of connectors
gets called "Centronics connector", including the most common (the 50-pin
SCSI interface -- which also used the DD-50 and a miniature quick-lock
connector which I first saw on Sun workstations and drive boxes).
Another (less common) one is the IEEE-488 connector (also originally
called HP-IB by Hewlett Packard, and later when it was made public
domain, GP-IB). That one uses a 24-pin version of the connector, and
usually a weird one on the cable end which has both a male and a female
on back so you can stack them, since you can chain a number of test
instruments on one bus.

In *my* mind, it is a "Centronics" connector only when using the
36-pin version, and only when using it to talk to a printer via a
parallel interface. :-)

The interesting thing about the DB-25 and the RS-232 serial port
is that the standards were very careful about the voltages which the
pins would accept and output, and lots of other things, but it did not
bother to specify the actual connector to use. It *could* have been any
of a number of other connectors, as long as it had enough pins. I think
that the use of the DB-25 for that was started by Ma Bell in their
modems -- and everyone else followed suit. :-)

That's like
when USB first hit the market, the local computer wholesaler didn't know
what the letters stood for, yet they built at least 50 computers per
business day. They had to go drag a tech out of the back to answer the
simplest questions.


:-)

?PS: Have you ever seen any of these?
?
?http://www.project-parts.com/itempix/450-040A.jpg

Wow, 8-way mini-coax? Whassit for?



Anything that needs a good RF match. That connector is $48, wholesale.
I've seen them in studio video equipment, and for the IF connections of
modular telemetry equipment


As I said -- Sun used ones with the DB shell with three coax and
ten individual pins, which was called a 13W3 (13 total wires, of which
three were coax, set up like this:
__________________________________________________ __
\ . . . . . /
\ ( ) ( ) ( ) /
\ . . . . . /
\--------------------------------------------/

The three coax pins were the Red, Blue and Green signals. The
vertical and horizontal sync were on two of the regular pins with
corresponding grounds on adjacent pins, and the rest were (later on)
used to encode which resolution the monitor had. Standard was 1152x900.

If things don't line up in the above, switch to a fixed-pitch
font on your computer -- like Courier. Proportional pitch fonts look
really nice in text, but they really mess up ASCII graphics -- even
between different computers with supposedly the same proportional font. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Remove oil spill source from e-mail
Email: | (KV4PH) Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---
  #55   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,584
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 2014-05-17, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Fri, 16 May 2014 19:31:04 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:


[ ... ]

If you found soldering D-Subs frustrating, these would have you raging
through the engineering cubicles swinging an axe:
http://www.binder-usa.com/product-li...al-connectors/


I'll bet they are just the sweetest, teensiest thangs with about an
80% breakage rate when using the specified crimping tool.


:-)

http://www.lemo.com/en


Those push/pull B metal Lemos look really, really familiar, but I
can't place where I've seen them. The (strong but foggy) memory feels
like "o-scope", but those are all BNC, IIRC.



*That* is the connector which Tektronix put on the DMM plugin
for the TM-500 series test instruments. It has the normal binding posts
for most test leads, but that was used for turning a transistor into a
remote temperature probe on the end of a cable. I wanted to make one of
those once I got the plugin, but they are way too expensive for me to do
that unless I really *need* it.

I remember liking the
feeling of the connection with those for some reason. Maybe it was
used on the $3500 HP RCL meter we got at SouthCom in '73.


Could have been -- I don't know that particular piece of
equipment, but I do know that Tektronix used the one as I described
above. (If you care, I can go downstairs and read which particular
model of plug-in it is. Likely something like a DM-501 or so.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Remove oil spill source from e-mail
Email: | (KV4PH) Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---


  #56   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,584
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 2014-05-17, Bob Engelhardt wrote:
On 5/16/2014 12:17 PM, Karl Townsend wrote:
... For soldering, have you seen the dial indicator
holder that just takes one hand knob to tighten the whole thing? They
are just tits. Anyway, put an allegator clamp in place of the
indicator, hold the thing in place and tighten - it won't move even a
couple thou. maybe get one for the other part too.
http://www.mscdirect.com/product/det...60426&fromRR=Y

You may choke on the price, but THEY ARE WORTH EVERY PENNY.


I have one of those - a competitor's version, I think. It is a
FANTASTIC indicator holder. Great idea- using it for soldering!

I got mine when somebody here alerted to it's being on sale - for $65,
IIRC (not MSC).


I've gotten a couple like that for about that price when MSC had
it in the monthly sales flyer. The first one was because I had read so
much good about it. The second was because the first was killed by
fire-induced rust, along with a number of other things which were in the
wrong place.

Enjoy,
DoN.


--
Remove oil spill source from e-mail
Email: | (KV4PH) Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---
  #57   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,584
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 2014-05-18, Don Foreman wrote:
On Fri, 16 May 2014 01:33:24 -0400, Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote:

I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my
vision and fine motor control just aren't what they used to be. And, I


[ ... ]

Soldering a DB-9 connector is dirt simple easy as things go today, but
it ain't the same as soldering tube sockets with a solder gun.

Three issues:


[ ... ]

- manual steadiness -- which doesn't improve as we age


[ ... ]

Manual steadiness: cheating is encouraged as it is in TIG welding and
marksmanship. Use any support that will work, use what you've
learned about precision shooting with available supports. Snipercraft.


One trick which helps is to put something stable where the
little finger can reach out and touch it to stabilize the hand.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Remove oil spill source from e-mail
Email: | (KV4PH) Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---
  #58   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9,025
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 18 May 2014 02:51:57 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote:

On 2014-05-17, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Fri, 16 May 2014 12:30:55 -0400, "Michael A. Terrell"
wrote:


Tom Gardner wrote:

I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my


[ ... ]

BTW, it isn't a DB-9, it is a DE-9. The second letter is the shell
size. The common 25 pin shell is a 'B'. The SVGA monitor plug is a
HDE-15.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-subminiature


Interesting! Even when I was buying them for computers/cables I
built, they were always listed as DB-9s.


The people who know what they are doing will recognize them
anyway, knowing that there is no such thing as a DB-9, and the use of
the common wrong name makes those who don't know satisfied that they got
what they asked for.

The letter sequence is weird, BTW. Assuming the two rows of
individual pins, they are "DA-15", "DB-25", "DC-37" "DD-50" (really three
rows) and finally "DE-9".


Funky.


The 9-pin size was an afterthought, and you can't back up to a
letter before 'A' unlike being able to back up '1' to '0' (or even minus
numbers at need). :-)


Strange, because the serial port was one of the first used on
computers. Hmm, PCs, anyway. Maybe that's my problem. I started
late, trained in '88 and building computers in '90. I had to pass up
a job at the Miramar Naval Air Station because I didn't have any
experience with bubble memory. (I think my textbook covered it in two
sentences or so.) I would have liked that job, working on the F-16
flight simulators...but it would have been a hellish drive each way
every day.


I don't know for sure who originated the series, but the first
ones I remember were made by Canon, and had white Nylon insulators,
which happily melted as you were soldering, so if you weren't quick
enough at it, you wind up with the pin at an angle as the Nylon hardens
again. :-)


Indeed. DAMHIKT. sigh

--
We cannot but pity the boy who has never fired a gun; he is
no more humane, while his education has been sadly neglected.
--Henry David Thoreau
  #59   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9,025
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On Sat, 17 May 2014 08:48:07 -0400, Boris Mohar
wrote:

On Fri, 16 May 2014 01:33:24 -0400, Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote:

I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my
vision and fine motor control just aren't what they used to be. And, I
only had to make 5 connections on the DB-9's, it took me close to an
hour. These are for a DRO, I've been using a break-out box until now on
the mismatched scales and display. Remember, the display bit the dust a
while ago.

I did have the connectors locked in a miniature vice but I couldn't
think of any other techniques that would help.



Try putting on some wrist weights to act as tremor dampers.


We'll be --== rich! ==-- once we start making Parkinson's Bungees for
Soldering. Not sold in stores everywhere!


--
We cannot but pity the boy who has never fired a gun; he is
no more humane, while his education has been sadly neglected.
--Henry David Thoreau
  #60   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 327
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 18 May 2014 02:51:57 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote:

On 2014-05-17, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Fri, 16 May 2014 12:30:55 -0400, "Michael A. Terrell"
wrote:


Tom Gardner wrote:

I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my


[ ... ]

BTW, it isn't a DB-9, it is a DE-9. The second letter is the shell
size. The common 25 pin shell is a 'B'. The SVGA monitor plug is a
HDE-15.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-subminiature


Interesting! Even when I was buying them for computers/cables I
built, they were always listed as DB-9s.


The people who know what they are doing will recognize them
anyway, knowing that there is no such thing as a DB-9, and the use of
the common wrong name makes those who don't know satisfied that they got
what they asked for.

The letter sequence is weird, BTW. Assuming the two rows of
individual pins, they are "DA-15", "DB-25", "DC-37" "DD-50" (really three
rows) and finally "DE-9".

The 9-pin size was an afterthought, and you can't back up to a
letter before 'A' unlike being able to back up '1' to '0' (or even minus
numbers at need). :-)

I don't know for sure who originated the series, but the first
ones I remember were made by Canon, and had white Nylon insulators,
which happily melted as you were soldering, so if you weren't quick
enough at it, you wind up with the pin at an angle as the Nylon hardens
again. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.

I used the 50 pin version on one rig in R&D. Over my career, I moved
from massive quantities of H-9 hose (pneumatic instruments) to poly
tubing to direct wired, to 37 pin Amphenol connectors (with the crimp
insert pins) to the 50 pin D connectors. Then finally to networked
connections.

The Amphenol connectors came on my first cart rig, where I could roll
carts with different capabilities in and out to the main line. The D
connectors were much easier to use, because we used them on ribbon
cable. I also had a few failures on the Amphenols due to faulty
insertion or removal techniques. My last rig in that style had about
1000 individual wire terminations in the main cabinet. I'd land the
ribbon cables on a breakout board, cross wire to the computer I/O
boards. Made it easy to add and modify instrumentation.

The networked rigs were a quantum leap forward. I was able to make
location independent carts which could be used (or not) anywhere in
the pilot plant, and no long runs of signal wiring anywhere other than
the coax or optic fiber network.

There was talk of wireless when I retired, but I concluded that was a
bad idea in the chemical industry. Maybe I was just too old
fashioned, but the thought of someone interfering with a potentially
dangerous process with a cell phone or appliance, or intentionally by
some other means made me very nervous.

Pete Keillor


  #61   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,888
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On 18 May 2014 02:51:57 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"

wrote:

The 9-pin size was an afterthought, and you can't back up to a
letter before 'A' unlike being able to back up '1' to '0' (or even
minus
numbers at need). :-)


Strange, because the serial port was one of the first used on
computers. Hmm, PCs, anyway. Maybe that's my problem. I started
late, trained in '88 and building computers in '90. ...


Originally the PC's COM ports used 25 pin connectors with more control
signals.
http://www.aggsoft.com/rs232-pinout-cable/RS232.htm

Modems with built-in intelligence can use software flow control and
don't need them.

When I started a Western Electric 1200 Baud (202) modem was the size
of a 2-drawer filing cabinet and had two discrete-component logic
gates per circuit card. The phase-shift modulator and demodulator were
so complex and subtle that even the instructor didn't understand how
they worked.

The networks I maintained had newer rack-mount modems the size of PCs,
which were poorly designed mechanically and the main cause of outages.
I fixed everything -except- the equipment I trained for, whose mean
time to failure was the interval between Ice Ages.

-jsw


  #62   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 327
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On Sat, 17 May 2014 19:44:45 -0500, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote:

"Jim Wilkins" fired this volley in news:ll8v9r$vb3
:

They look like you don't want to mess with them either.


I dunno. I'm 'bout half-blind now, but if I have a good light, a clamp-
stand, and a magnifier, I can still reliably solder on the first try to
0.050-centers connectors, and with some re-do's on 0.025 centers.

I think it's more about having the correct iron, the right gauge of
solder, and good setup/holding equipment than it has to do with age or
physical ability. I'm quite a bit more shakey than I was in my youth,
but bracing my wrist or arm against the bench or a rest solves a lot of
that.


My cousin is a dermatologist, and has always had a pronounced tremor,
even as a kid. I asked him once if his patients looked like they had
been hit with pinking shears. He said "Nah, I just get a good rest
somewhere on them. Then no problem"

Yesterday I 'pigtailed' four 0.050"c/c SOT Hall Effect sensors for a
position-sensing bar (the sensors are designed to be I/R flow-soldered to
a board, but I needed leads on them), and got all four nailed on the
first pass.

LLoyd

  #63   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,632
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

"Jim Wilkins" fired this volley in news:lla74k$p47$1
@dont-email.me:

Originally the PC's COM ports used 25 pin connectors with more control
signals.


And a lot of wasted pins.
Lloyd
  #64   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,888
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

"Pete Keillor" wrote in message
...
On 18 May 2014 02:51:57 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"

wrote:


There was talk of wireless when I retired, but I concluded that was
a
bad idea in the chemical industry. Maybe I was just too old
fashioned, but the thought of someone interfering with a potentially
dangerous process with a cell phone or appliance, or intentionally
by
some other means made me very nervous.

Pete Keillor


Radio suffers from Dead Zones where man-made interference or multipath
makes reception difficult. We had to account for their temporary
dropouts in the design of aircraft networking, since even GPS is
affected.
http://phys.org/news/2011-02-4g-netw...-gps-dead.html

I live in one for the local television channel and have to jack the
antenna up 50' and aim at a water tower reflection to minimize
multipath although the raw signal level appears strong enough from
most directions, from other reflections. On analog TV I had a faint
leading ghost from the line-of-sight signal, and about four trailing
ghosts.

-jsw


  #65   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,888
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

"Pete Keillor" wrote in message
...
My cousin is a dermatologist, and has always had a pronounced
tremor,
even as a kid. I asked him once if his patients looked like they
had
been hit with pinking shears. He said "Nah, I just get a good rest
somewhere on them. Then no problem"


I just assumed I was average until someone pointed out that I was
walking around with a coffee cup filled within 1/8" of the rim without
spilling it. And it was my third cup.
-jsw




  #66   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9,025
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On Sun, 18 May 2014 06:55:10 -0500, Pete Keillor
wrote:
--snippage
The Amphenol connectors came on my first cart rig, where I could roll
carts with different capabilities in and out to the main line. The D
connectors were much easier to use, because we used them on ribbon
cable. I also had a few failures on the Amphenols due to faulty
insertion or removal techniques. My last rig in that style had about
1000 individual wire terminations in the main cabinet. I'd land the
ribbon cables on a breakout board, cross wire to the computer I/O
boards. Made it easy to add and modify instrumentation.


Wow!


The networked rigs were a quantum leap forward. I was able to make
location independent carts which could be used (or not) anywhere in
the pilot plant, and no long runs of signal wiring anywhere other than
the coax or optic fiber network.


Yes, a vast improvement. Long runs of wire are -so- easily affected.


There was talk of wireless when I retired, but I concluded that was a
bad idea in the chemical industry. Maybe I was just too old
fashioned, but the thought of someone interfering with a potentially
dangerous process with a cell phone or appliance, or intentionally by
some other means made me very nervous.


That's a sane approach, Pete. Precisely why I favor hard-wired
sensors over wireless in home security, too.

--
We cannot but pity the boy who has never fired a gun; he is
no more humane, while his education has been sadly neglected.
--Henry David Thoreau
  #67   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,584
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 2014-05-18, Larry Jaques wrote:
On 18 May 2014 02:51:57 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote:


[ ... ]

The letter sequence is weird, BTW. Assuming the two rows of
individual pins, they are "DA-15", "DB-25", "DC-37" "DD-50" (really three
rows) and finally "DE-9".


Funky.


The 9-pin size was an afterthought, and you can't back up to a
letter before 'A' unlike being able to back up '1' to '0' (or even minus
numbers at need). :-)


Strange, because the serial port was one of the first used on
computers.


Yes, the serial port was one of the first on computers -- but
back then, it used the DB-25 connector, which was already in existence
and used for other purposes. It just happened to have a reasonable
number of pins for the worst-case needs (which included a lower
baud-rate back channel to turn around the high speed channel in the
early 1200 Baud modems (not compatible with the more recent
bi-directional 1200 Baud modems.

It was later in the PC world that one of the two serial ports
started to use the DE-9 connector instead of the DB-25, because for most
purposes, there was no need for more pins. Those extra pins included +
and - 12 VDC references, baud rate clock pins, *lots* of handshaking for
various modem things as well as flow control and other weird pins.

Hmm, PCs, anyway. Maybe that's my problem. I started
late, trained in '88 and building computers in '90.


I built my first home computer (from a kit) back in 1976 -- an
Altair 680b. At that time, all serial ports were DB-25 connectors.
Parallel printer ports were the Amphenol 36-pin (mis-called Centronics)
at the printer end, and tended to use the DB-25 at the computer end,
ignoring some of the paralleled ground pins. Interestingly enough, the
IBM PC and the clones after it) were among the few to use the proper
gender on the serial port connector at the computer end -- the male
connector. The modem had the female connector, and the wiring of the
two was different -- one would talk out pin 2 and the other listen to
pin 2. So those two would connect directly (if the modem was small
enough to fit up against the back of the computer, which it wasn't.)

A lot of other computers used the female connector, which was
*wrong*. The female was for DCE (Data Communications Equipment -- e.g.
Modems), and the male was for DTE (Data Terminal Equipment -- a
terminal, or a computer -- intended to connect to a modem. This
resulted in quite a bit of confusion, since some with the female
connector were wired up to listen on the right pin for the gender of the
connector, and others were wired to talk out that pin, thus needing null
modems -- and requiring people to learn when to use them. The only
other thing I saw which had the proper gender for DTE on it was the DEC
series of VT-??? terminals, starting with the VT-100 (maybe even the
VT-52, I never had one of those) and up through at lest the VT-340.

I had to pass up
a job at the Miramar Naval Air Station because I didn't have any
experience with bubble memory.


Hmmm ... I got one bubble memory kit at a hamfest a long time
ago, and never used it. I finally sold it to someone who needed some
more, and they were no longer made. :-)

(I think my textbook covered it in two
sentences or so.) I would have liked that job, working on the F-16
flight simulators...but it would have been a hellish drive each way
every day.


Hmmm ... an F-16 flight simulator would have been interesting.
I helped build a simulator for the LTV A7A light attack aircraft back in
the 1960s -- around 1966 I think, since when we had it working they
shipped in the test pilot from the prototype aircraft to see whether it
felt like a real A7A. I was an assembler -- on the graveyard shift, but
I got to fly that beastie a number of times, to take it up to a
specified altitude and switch on things like the Attitude Hold (part of
the autopilot) to see what happened.

I'm actually collecting (and making work) instruments to build
my own subset of the A7A simulator. Back then it needed two
minicomputers. These days, it could be handled by a desktop PC -- other
than all the needed I/O interconnection.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Remove oil spill source from e-mail
Email: | (KV4PH) Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---
  #68   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,584
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 2014-05-18, Pete Keillor wrote:
On 18 May 2014 02:51:57 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote:


[ ... ]

I used the 50 pin version on one rig in R&D. Over my career, I moved
from massive quantities of H-9 hose (pneumatic instruments) to poly
tubing to direct wired, to 37 pin Amphenol connectors (with the crimp
insert pins) to the 50 pin D connectors. Then finally to networked
connections.


37-pin Amphenol in the D series (e.g. DC-37)? Amphenol makes a
wide range of connectors -- including the "miniature circular) ones
which used to be made by Bendix, and made with the connectors on the back
of aircraft instruments from the 1967 period.

BTW -- Amphenol started out as "American Molded Phenol" -- the
blue plastic used as insulators in many of their early connectors.

The Amphenol connectors came on my first cart rig, where I could roll
carts with different capabilities in and out to the main line. The D
connectors were much easier to use, because we used them on ribbon
cable. I also had a few failures on the Amphenols due to faulty
insertion or removal techniques.


Some Amphenol connectors (in the "miniature circular" style) are
available as "scoop-proof". (That is, the male pins are recessed far
enough so the female connector can't reach into the shell far enough to
bend them -- but once the keys are properly aligned, the whole thing
goes in straight to connect reliably.

My last rig in that style had about
1000 individual wire terminations in the main cabinet. I'd land the
ribbon cables on a breakout board, cross wire to the computer I/O
boards. Made it easy to add and modify instrumentation.


That helps, indeed.

The networked rigs were a quantum leap forward. I was able to make
location independent carts which could be used (or not) anywhere in
the pilot plant, and no long runs of signal wiring anywhere other than
the coax or optic fiber network.


Yes -- each device has its own address (MAC address, as well as
likely IP address), and they can all talk to either other on one cable,
assuming that nothing is overloading the bandwidth of the ethernet hose.

There was talk of wireless when I retired, but I concluded that was a
bad idea in the chemical industry. Maybe I was just too old
fashioned, but the thought of someone interfering with a potentially
dangerous process with a cell phone or appliance, or intentionally by
some other means made me very nervous.


I happen to agree *fully* with you. Even if they don't try to
set up a second wireless network overlapping the first in coverage. :-)

Just as using wireless keyboards and mice is a bad idea where
more than one computer is in use. (I'm sort of considering a wireless
trackball on this computer, but I can't let my wife have on at the same
time. Were sitting about eight feet apart, and the computers are closer
to each other. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Remove oil spill source from e-mail
Email: | (KV4PH) Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---
  #69   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,624
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 5/18/2014 12:41 AM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sat, 17 May 2014 08:48:07 -0400, Boris Mohar
wrote:

On Fri, 16 May 2014 01:33:24 -0400, Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote:

I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my
vision and fine motor control just aren't what they used to be. And, I
only had to make 5 connections on the DB-9's, it took me close to an
hour. These are for a DRO, I've been using a break-out box until now on
the mismatched scales and display. Remember, the display bit the dust a
while ago.

I did have the connectors locked in a miniature vice but I couldn't
think of any other techniques that would help.



Try putting on some wrist weights to act as tremor dampers.


We'll be --== rich! ==-- once we start making Parkinson's Bungees for
Soldering. Not sold in stores everywhere!


--
We cannot but pity the boy who has never fired a gun; he is
no more humane, while his education has been sadly neglected.
--Henry David Thoreau



Think of the Parkinson's sex aids...
  #70   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10,399
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 19 May 2014 02:48:53 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote:


I happen to agree *fully* with you. Even if they don't try to
set up a second wireless network overlapping the first in coverage. :-)

Just as using wireless keyboards and mice is a bad idea where
more than one computer is in use. (I'm sort of considering a wireless
trackball on this computer, but I can't let my wife have on at the same
time. Were sitting about eight feet apart, and the computers are closer
to each other. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.

--


Relax...the equipment is smart enough these days to find the proper
widget and not interfer with other gear.

Ive got a wifi keyboard, wifi mouse, wifi printer on my normal
computer..and my wifes machine is 12 feet away with the same gear. No
issues. I further note that my roommate has must the same thing..she
is 15 feet in the other direction..no issues. My computer in the shop
is 25' away..no issues.

I would suggest buying a different brand of wireless gizmo than your
wifes..but its not normally a requirement.

Oh..all the computers in the house..along with ALL the cell
phones..about 10 or so devices..shares the same wifi router as well
My main puter here on the desk is cabled to the router..simply because
its close and I didnt need to put a Wifi card in my rig.


Gunner

--

"
I was once told by a “gun safety” advocate back in the Nineties
that he favored total civilian firearms confiscation.
Only the military and police should have weapons he averred and what did I think about that?

I began to give him a reasoned answer and he
cut me off with an abrupt, “Give me the short answer.”

I thought for a moment and said, “If you try to take our firearms we will kill you.”"


  #71   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 327
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 19 May 2014 02:48:53 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote:

On 2014-05-18, Pete Keillor wrote:
On 18 May 2014 02:51:57 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote:


[ ... ]

I used the 50 pin version on one rig in R&D. Over my career, I moved
from massive quantities of H-9 hose (pneumatic instruments) to poly
tubing to direct wired, to 37 pin Amphenol connectors (with the crimp
insert pins) to the 50 pin D connectors. Then finally to networked
connections.


37-pin Amphenol in the D series (e.g. DC-37)? Amphenol makes a
wide range of connectors -- including the "miniature circular) ones
which used to be made by Bendix, and made with the connectors on the back
of aircraft instruments from the 1967 period.


No, it was one of the green round shell ones, about 1" or a little
bigger in diameter. You had to crimp the tiny little mating bits on
each wire with an expensive tool that did a circular crimp, then
insert in the connector.

Bad choice on my part, drove us nuts keeping all the signals straight.
D connectors and ribbon was a lot better. I found quick release
latches for the D's, plus shielded ribbon cable which was rolled up in
the shield and outer insulation. I mounted the mating connectors in
the bottom of 6" Hoffman hinged trough suspended overhead.

BTW -- Amphenol started out as "American Molded Phenol" -- the
blue plastic used as insulators in many of their early connectors.

The Amphenol connectors came on my first cart rig, where I could roll
carts with different capabilities in and out to the main line. The D
connectors were much easier to use, because we used them on ribbon
cable. I also had a few failures on the Amphenols due to faulty
insertion or removal techniques.


Some Amphenol connectors (in the "miniature circular" style) are
available as "scoop-proof". (That is, the male pins are recessed far
enough so the female connector can't reach into the shell far enough to
bend them -- but once the keys are properly aligned, the whole thing
goes in straight to connect reliably.

My last rig in that style had about
1000 individual wire terminations in the main cabinet. I'd land the
ribbon cables on a breakout board, cross wire to the computer I/O
boards. Made it easy to add and modify instrumentation.


That helps, indeed.

The networked rigs were a quantum leap forward. I was able to make
location independent carts which could be used (or not) anywhere in
the pilot plant, and no long runs of signal wiring anywhere other than
the coax or optic fiber network.


Yes -- each device has its own address (MAC address, as well as
likely IP address), and they can all talk to either other on one cable,
assuming that nothing is overloading the bandwidth of the ethernet hose.

There was talk of wireless when I retired, but I concluded that was a
bad idea in the chemical industry. Maybe I was just too old
fashioned, but the thought of someone interfering with a potentially
dangerous process with a cell phone or appliance, or intentionally by
some other means made me very nervous.


I happen to agree *fully* with you. Even if they don't try to
set up a second wireless network overlapping the first in coverage. :-)

Just as using wireless keyboards and mice is a bad idea where
more than one computer is in use. (I'm sort of considering a wireless
trackball on this computer, but I can't let my wife have on at the same
time. Were sitting about eight feet apart, and the computers are closer
to each other. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.


I'm going to try one of those on a current project. I'm trying to put
together a cheap, very simple to operate cd voice recorder. I'll use
a headless microcomputer to run the show, interface with pushbuttons
only. I'll use a monitor, keyboard, etc. to develop, test, and down
the road if this works, repair.

My wife volunteers with some folks in women's prisons here in Texas
recording inmates reading children's books to their kids, then sending
the recordings and books to the kids. They used to use cassettes, but
can't find the players any more. They're changing to cd's, also
obsolete, but at least cd's are cheap and available. The problem is
the volunteers are using laptops and recording thumb drives, and about
half the volunteers have difficulty running the recording, file
conversion, burning, etc. Never mind the inevitable bloatware and
pop-ups.

We looked all over for cheap voice recorders with cd capability. They
exist, but not cheap. So I'm trying a $45 Beaglebone Black, $12 cd
burner, then I'll probably need a custom cape to handle audio, mic and
speaker, buttons, and battery management. Code will be the big deal.
I need auto-start and a graceful shutdown. Don't need no stinkin'
network, etc. Except for troubleshooting and repair, and that won't
be accessible to the users. I've got a lot of learning to do. And
networking (not my strong suit) to find the right help. Ultimately
they'd need over 30 of these. They cover six prisons once/month.

Pete

Pete Keillor
  #72   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 55
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On Fri, 16 May 2014 01:33:24 -0400, Tom Gardner wrote:

I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my
vision and fine motor control just aren't what they used to be. And, I
only had to make 5 connections on the DB-9's, it took me close to an
hour. These are for a DRO, I've been using a break-out box until now on
the mismatched scales and display. Remember, the display bit the dust a
while ago.

I did have the connectors locked in a miniature vice but I couldn't
think of any other techniques that would help.


Amen, brother. Just use a magnifying glass or microscope, though: for
instance this dorky magnifying visor:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...sor+with+light

I was amazed at my own dexterity cutting out the screen protector to my
phone when I actually could see what I was doing under my $25 ebay
special binocular 20x microscope. I use it constantly for dealing with
small repairs, splinters, etc.
  #73   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10,399
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On Mon, 19 May 2014 06:49:22 -0500, Pete Keillor
wrote:

On 19 May 2014 02:48:53 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote:

On 2014-05-18, Pete Keillor wrote:
On 18 May 2014 02:51:57 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote:


[ ... ]

I used the 50 pin version on one rig in R&D. Over my career, I moved
from massive quantities of H-9 hose (pneumatic instruments) to poly
tubing to direct wired, to 37 pin Amphenol connectors (with the crimp
insert pins) to the 50 pin D connectors. Then finally to networked
connections.


37-pin Amphenol in the D series (e.g. DC-37)? Amphenol makes a
wide range of connectors -- including the "miniature circular) ones
which used to be made by Bendix, and made with the connectors on the back
of aircraft instruments from the 1967 period.


No, it was one of the green round shell ones, about 1" or a little
bigger in diameter. You had to crimp the tiny little mating bits on
each wire with an expensive tool that did a circular crimp, then
insert in the connector.

Bad choice on my part, drove us nuts keeping all the signals straight.
D connectors and ribbon was a lot better. I found quick release
latches for the D's, plus shielded ribbon cable which was rolled up in
the shield and outer insulation. I mounted the mating connectors in
the bottom of 6" Hoffman hinged trough suspended overhead.

BTW -- Amphenol started out as "American Molded Phenol" -- the
blue plastic used as insulators in many of their early connectors.

The Amphenol connectors came on my first cart rig, where I could roll
carts with different capabilities in and out to the main line. The D
connectors were much easier to use, because we used them on ribbon
cable. I also had a few failures on the Amphenols due to faulty
insertion or removal techniques.


Some Amphenol connectors (in the "miniature circular" style) are
available as "scoop-proof". (That is, the male pins are recessed far
enough so the female connector can't reach into the shell far enough to
bend them -- but once the keys are properly aligned, the whole thing
goes in straight to connect reliably.

My last rig in that style had about
1000 individual wire terminations in the main cabinet. I'd land the
ribbon cables on a breakout board, cross wire to the computer I/O
boards. Made it easy to add and modify instrumentation.


That helps, indeed.

The networked rigs were a quantum leap forward. I was able to make
location independent carts which could be used (or not) anywhere in
the pilot plant, and no long runs of signal wiring anywhere other than
the coax or optic fiber network.


Yes -- each device has its own address (MAC address, as well as
likely IP address), and they can all talk to either other on one cable,
assuming that nothing is overloading the bandwidth of the ethernet hose.

There was talk of wireless when I retired, but I concluded that was a
bad idea in the chemical industry. Maybe I was just too old
fashioned, but the thought of someone interfering with a potentially
dangerous process with a cell phone or appliance, or intentionally by
some other means made me very nervous.


I happen to agree *fully* with you. Even if they don't try to
set up a second wireless network overlapping the first in coverage. :-)

Just as using wireless keyboards and mice is a bad idea where
more than one computer is in use. (I'm sort of considering a wireless
trackball on this computer, but I can't let my wife have on at the same
time. Were sitting about eight feet apart, and the computers are closer
to each other. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.


I'm going to try one of those on a current project. I'm trying to put
together a cheap, very simple to operate cd voice recorder. I'll use
a headless microcomputer to run the show, interface with pushbuttons
only. I'll use a monitor, keyboard, etc. to develop, test, and down
the road if this works, repair.

My wife volunteers with some folks in women's prisons here in Texas
recording inmates reading children's books to their kids, then sending
the recordings and books to the kids. They used to use cassettes, but
can't find the players any more. They're changing to cd's, also
obsolete, but at least cd's are cheap and available. The problem is
the volunteers are using laptops and recording thumb drives, and about
half the volunteers have difficulty running the recording, file
conversion, burning, etc. Never mind the inevitable bloatware and
pop-ups.

We looked all over for cheap voice recorders with cd capability. They
exist, but not cheap. So I'm trying a $45 Beaglebone Black, $12 cd
burner, then I'll probably need a custom cape to handle audio, mic and
speaker, buttons, and battery management. Code will be the big deal.
I need auto-start and a graceful shutdown. Don't need no stinkin'
network, etc. Except for troubleshooting and repair, and that won't
be accessible to the users. I've got a lot of learning to do. And
networking (not my strong suit) to find the right help. Ultimately
they'd need over 30 of these. They cover six prisons once/month.

Pete

Pete Keillor


http://www.microcenter.com/search/se...ce+recorder&N=

http://www.techtwirl.com/shopping/?s...r#.U3oEInY8dSM

etc etc

Patch cord from portable to computer when she gets home or out of
lockup and do a transfer to CD using the simple Audio Recorder on your
computer.


--

"
I was once told by a “gun safety” advocate back in the Nineties
that he favored total civilian firearms confiscation.
Only the military and police should have weapons he averred and what did I think about that?

I began to give him a reasoned answer and he
cut me off with an abrupt, “Give me the short answer.”

I thought for a moment and said, “If you try to take our firearms we will kill you.”"
  #74   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 12,924
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?


"DoN. Nichols" wrote:

On 2014-05-17, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

Larry Jaques wrote:

On Fri, 16 May 2014 12:30:55 -0400, "Michael A. Terrell"
? wrote:

?
?Tom Gardner wrote:
??
?? I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my


[ ... ]

? BTW, it isn't a DB-9, it is a DE-9. The second letter is the shell
?size. The common 25 pin shell is a 'B'. The SVGA monitor plug is a
?HDE-15.
?
?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-subminiature

Interesting! Even when I was buying them for computers/cables I
built, they were always listed as DB-9s.



That's because the people selling computer parts rarely take the time
to research what they sell. Since they ran into the DB25 first, they
assumed everything that was vaguely similar was DB as well.


Just like what happened with the Amphenol miniature blue ribbon
connectors. Centronics chose the 36-pin version of that as the parallel
printer port. Now, anything which uses one of the series of connectors
gets called "Centronics connector", including the most common (the 50-pin
SCSI interface -- which also used the DD-50 and a miniature quick-lock
connector which I first saw on Sun workstations and drive boxes).
Another (less common) one is the IEEE-488 connector (also originally
called HP-IB by Hewlett Packard, and later when it was made public
domain, GP-IB). That one uses a 24-pin version of the connector, and
usually a weird one on the cable end which has both a male and a female
on back so you can stack them, since you can chain a number of test
instruments on one bus.



I have a half dozen pieces of test equipment with the IEEE-488
interface. There are web pages with USB to IEEE-488 interfaces you can
build.


In *my* mind, it is a "Centronics" connector only when using the
36-pin version, and only when using it to talk to a printer via a
parallel interface. :-)

The interesting thing about the DB-25 and the RS-232 serial port
is that the standards were very careful about the voltages which the
pins would accept and output, and lots of other things, but it did not
bother to specify the actual connector to use. It *could* have been any
of a number of other connectors, as long as it had enough pins. I think
that the use of the DB-25 for that was started by Ma Bell in their
modems -- and everyone else followed suit. :-)



It was a good choice. A reliable connector from Canon, not something
custom from an unknown source.


That's like
when USB first hit the market, the local computer wholesaler didn't know
what the letters stood for, yet they built at least 50 computers per
business day. They had to go drag a tech out of the back to answer the
simplest questions.


:-)

?PS: Have you ever seen any of these?
?
?http://www.project-parts.com/itempix/450-040A.jpg

Wow, 8-way mini-coax? Whassit for?



Anything that needs a good RF match. That connector is $48, wholesale.
I've seen them in studio video equipment, and for the IF connections of
modular telemetry equipment


As I said -- Sun used ones with the DB shell with three coax and
ten individual pins, which was called a 13W3 (13 total wires, of which
three were coax, set up like this:
__________________________________________________ __
\ . . . . . /
\ ( ) ( ) ( ) /
\ . . . . . /
\--------------------------------------------/



I've seen quite a few of these.



The three coax pins were the Red, Blue and Green signals. The
vertical and horizontal sync were on two of the regular pins with
corresponding grounds on adjacent pins, and the rest were (later on)
used to encode which resolution the monitor had. Standard was 1152x900.

If things don't line up in the above, switch to a fixed-pitch
font on your computer -- like Courier. Proportional pitch fonts look
really nice in text, but they really mess up ASCII graphics -- even
between different computers with supposedly the same proportional font. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Remove oil spill source from e-mail
Email: | (KV4PH) Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---



--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

  #75   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 12,924
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?


"DoN. Nichols" wrote:

On 2014-05-16, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

Tom Gardner wrote:

I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my
vision and fine motor control just aren't what they used to be. And, I
only had to make 5 connections on the DB-9's, it took me close to an
hour. These are for a DRO, I've been using a break-out box until now on
the mismatched scales and display. Remember, the display bit the dust a
while ago.


[ ... ]

I hold them in a drill press vise, and tin the wires before assembly.
A little solder in the cups of the pins I need to use, and a drop of
liquid rosin flux over the solder. Then touch a hot soldering iron to
the solder on the pin and insert the pretinned wire. The flux allows a
clean flow, and a little IPA will clean it up when I'm done.


If you are going to solder, it is best to get another special
tool. An anti-wicking tweezers set by Clauss for the wire size you are
using. It supports the insulation, and contacts in a full ring around
the wire to cool it off, so the solder stops flowing and leaves a
multi-strand section still flexible before you go into the insulation.
This reduces the frequency of the wires snapping from vibration right
there.

And I've got a solder pot for the tinning. I dip the wire in
liquid rosin flux, and then quickly into and out of the pot while
holding it in the anti-wicking tweezers. I just had to do a 41-pin
Bendix style aircraft instrument connector with solder cups. The 55-pin
one happens to be crimp pins, which would be good except for the cost of
machined pins. $2.30 each!

BTW, it isn't a DB-9, it is a DE-9. The second letter is the shell
size. The common 25 pin shell is a 'B'. The SVGA monitor plug is a
HDE-15.


Agreed!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-subminiature


PS: Have you ever seen any of these?

http://www.project-parts.com/itempix/450-040A.jpg


Not with the full eight coax pins, but I'm accustomed to the 13W3 (3
coax pins and 10 individual wire pins) used by Sun for their older
monitor cables.

The coax also has a special crimper which crimps both the shield
and the center conductor at one stroke. I've got the AMP crimper for
those, but not the connectors. (I've been collecting AMP crimpers for a
long time. :-)



These are PC mount versions, probably for a backplane.


--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com



  #76   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 12,924
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?


"DoN. Nichols" wrote:

Just as using wireless keyboards and mice is a bad idea where
more than one computer is in use. (I'm sort of considering a wireless
trackball on this computer, but I can't let my wife have on at the same
time. Were sitting about eight feet apart, and the computers are closer
to each other. :-)



I have two computers on, about six inches apart, and wireless mice on
both. This computer has a wireless keyboard, but I haven't bought one
for the other system.


--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

  #77   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 12,924
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?


Jim Wilkins wrote:

I did them all plus everything else the contracted cable assembly
company couldn't handle with a #3 (8") Optivisor and the 1-1/2" drill
press vise. The girls wouldn't use the larger crimpers either so my
hands got a good workout.

For anything larger than ICs with 0.5mm lead spacing I prefer being
able to shift my viewing angle, and working under a microscope for a
long time tires my eyes, which are too poorly matched for the eyepiece
adjustment to completely correct. One tested 20/40, the other about
20/180, though they are better up close and my distance vision has
improved with age. When I was young I could read the names of the
states on the back of a new $5 bill. They are under the eaves of the
building.

I've come to like the camera and monitor system which gives a large
magnification for applying the solder but doesn't block me from
inspecting it from several angles with the Optivisor.



My vision was below 20/200 & 20/400 when I was 20. A stereo
microscope was necessary for me to hand solder ICs with .015" center to
center spacing.

--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

  #78   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9,025
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On Mon, 19 May 2014 03:37:35 -0400, Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote:

On 5/18/2014 12:41 AM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sat, 17 May 2014 08:48:07 -0400, Boris Mohar
wrote:

On Fri, 16 May 2014 01:33:24 -0400, Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote:

I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my
vision and fine motor control just aren't what they used to be. And, I
only had to make 5 connections on the DB-9's, it took me close to an
hour. These are for a DRO, I've been using a break-out box until now on
the mismatched scales and display. Remember, the display bit the dust a
while ago.

I did have the connectors locked in a miniature vice but I couldn't
think of any other techniques that would help.


Try putting on some wrist weights to act as tremor dampers.


We'll be --== rich! ==-- once we start making Parkinson's Bungees for
Soldering. Not sold in stores everywhere!


Think of the Parkinson's sex aids...


"Just strap it on your arm and relax. Your body does the rest!"

--
Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.
-- Franklin D. Roosevelt
  #79   Report Post  
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 52
Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On Mon, 19 May 2014 02:30:30 -0700, Gunner Asch
wrote:


Just as using wireless keyboards and mice is a bad idea where
more than one computer is in use. (I'm sort of considering a wireless
trackball on this computer, but I can't let my wife have on at the same
time. Were sitting about eight feet apart, and the computers are closer
to each other. :-)


I bought two identical Logitech wireless Keybord - Mouse Combos (
MK320 ). They are working on two side by side computers. Plug and Go,
no problem.
Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Does lead tin solder stick to silver solder? Mike B Metalworking 7 October 17th 12 08:12 PM
Miniature 6 way inline connectors for cable extender Ian[_12_] UK diy 15 July 30th 10 07:40 PM
fs hunter miniature nut drivers William Noble Metalworking 0 July 22nd 07 09:02 AM
Miniature Burr? n cook Electronics Repair 19 May 31st 07 06:36 PM
Miniature recording equipment. (OT?) Jerry Built UK diy 26 September 9th 04 03:01 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:12 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 DIYbanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about DIY & home improvement"