Need advice on making my own cables/fixing my own gear.

touched1 · Post by **touched1** » Mon May 12, 2008 10:57 pm

I've been making music with machines for 20 some years, and do not know how to making my own cables. I am embarrassed and tired of it. Not to mention tired of paying for premade crap that I know I could build myself for 1/2 the price and twice the quality.

I am technically inclined, there is nothing in my studio that I can't disassemble and reassemble. I have my own soldering gear/volt meters. And have helped others with making cables in short runs, so it's never really "sunk in", but have never built my own.

I am not opposed to taking a class.
I'd love to pick up some recommended books on the topic
I'd even be up for helping someone locally with a big cabling job just to go through the repetition of building cables and learn the ins and outs.

Help a brother out! What do I need to do to learn this craft?
I feel like it's something I missed out on and I need to catch up.

pixeltarian · Post by **pixeltarian** » Tue May 13, 2008 2:42 am

touched1 wrote:I've been making music with machines for 20 some years, and do not know how to making my own cables. I am embarrassed and tired of it. Not to mention tired of paying for premade crap that I know I could build myself for 1/2 the price and twice the quality.

I am technically inclined, there is nothing in my studio that I can't disassemble and reassemble. I have my own soldering gear/volt meters. And have helped others with making cables in short runs, so it's never really "sunk in", but have never built my own.

I am not opposed to taking a class.
I'd love to pick up some recommended books on the topic
I'd even be up for helping someone locally with a big cabling job just to go through the repetition of building cables and learn the ins and outs.

Help a brother out! What do I need to do to learn this craft?
I feel like it's something I missed out on and I need to catch up.

I'm no master at making cables. I just made my first XLR a few days ago. I don't think you have to take a class. it's pretty easy to get started, but you should probably read up on the basics. fixing gear doesn't seem too hard either. I would maybe get a few buildyourownclone.com kits and learn what all the parts are and what they are doing. they even ship you a practice kit free with your first order.

as far as I know, you just need to pre-tin your contact points and heat the components and not the solder itself.

I usually just google what I'm trying to do and get instructions.

touched1 · Post by **touched1** » Tue May 13, 2008 9:48 am

Thanks Jeff.
Yeah, I've learned to accept that I have to do things poorly before I can do them well.

Maybe I should just buy some cable and connectors and start building? It would be good to have some books/videos/web resources to refer to along the way. What would be some good parts/cabling to start with? What accessories in addition to solder, volt meter and parts will I need?

The patch bays I am currently using are 1/4" TRS, and I'd like to keep the quality of cabling high, but not ridiculous, if that makes sense. Similar to what I've bought from Redco in the past.

I know there are some "guitar repair" books and "electronics projects for guitarists" books, but it would be good to get some recommendations.

Nate Dort · Post by **Nate Dort** » Tue May 13, 2008 10:07 am

touched1 wrote:What accessories in addition to solder, volt meter and parts will I need?
The patch bays I am currently using are 1/4" TRS, and I'd like to keep the quality of cabling high, but not ridiculous, if that makes sense. Similar to what I've bought from Redco in the past.

tip cleaner, like a hakko 599B w/ refill
Good cutters, like the hakko chp170
Good strippers, like paladin or klein
some small needle-nose pliers
various sizes of heat shrink and a heat gun w/ at least 2 speeds/temps
maybe a soldapult or some solder wick to get you started

Get some bulk redco cable, like their LO-Z1 and a bunch of neutrik 1/4" TRS ends, preferably the NP3X or NP3C (avoid the NYS series for patch cables as they don't hold up). Then just practice. And remember to put the boot on first.

dubsymmetry · Post by **dubsymmetry** » Tue May 13, 2008 12:54 pm

these tutorials helped me a lot:

http://tangentsoft.net/elec/movies/

touched1 · Post by **touched1** » Tue May 13, 2008 1:11 pm

Nice...
Thanks guys. That's all very helpful.
Seems like I should just order some parts and get down with it!

roscoenyc · Post by **roscoenyc** » Wed May 14, 2008 4:58 am

nate wrote:
touched1 wrote:What accessories in addition to solder, volt meter and parts will I need?
The patch bays I am currently using are 1/4" TRS, and I'd like to keep the quality of cabling high, but not ridiculous, if that makes sense. Similar to what I've bought from Redco in the past.

tip cleaner, like a hakko 599B w/ refill
Good cutters, like the hakko chp170
Good strippers, like paladin or klein
some small needle-nose pliers
various sizes of heat shrink and a heat gun w/ at least 2 speeds/temps
maybe a soldapult or some solder wick to get you started
Get some bulk redco cable, like their LO-Z1 and a bunch of neutrik 1/4" TRS ends, preferably the NP3X or NP3C (avoid the NYS series for patch cables as they don't hold up). Then just practice. And remember to put the boot on first.

****good stuff^^
Really good quality tools help this a great deal. Get 'em and save them just for this kind of work (ie don't lend 'em out to somebody working on their bike:)

touched1 · Post by **touched1** » Wed May 14, 2008 10:32 am

Thanks yet again.
Placing an order with Redco today for some tools and raw materials.
Believe me, I'll be back here asking advice before you know it...

touched1 · Post by **touched1** » Wed May 14, 2008 11:07 am

I think I can pull all the stuff together, but would appreciate specific advice/recommendations on the following:
-Heat shrink gun
-shrink tubing

Is this the rubber that will gun under the connector and over the cable?
Sorry for the remedial question, thanks for the patient and detailed replies.

chris harris · Post by **chris harris** » Wed May 14, 2008 11:21 am

touched1 wrote:I think I can pull all the stuff together, but would appreciate specific advice/recommendations on the following:
-Heat shrink gun
-shrink tubing

Is this the rubber that will gun under the connector and over the cable?
Sorry for the remedial question, thanks for the patient and detailed replies.

get the shrink tubing from Redco. It shrinks to about half it's original size. And, yeah, you're gonna use it as a sort of strain relief at the connector. Some people shrink it under the connector, before screwing down the barrel. Some people shrink it over the connector. Some people do both.

and, use a hair dryer to shrink it. If you're just making some cables here and there, and not getting into mass manufacturing electronics, then you probably don't need a heat gun.

Nate Dort · Post by **Nate Dort** » Wed May 14, 2008 11:35 am

For shrink, I use 1/4" diameter 3M FP301 (when I'm doing mic cables), which you can get in 4ft lengths (or 100ft rolls if you want) from mouser. I put about 1.5" over the joint for an XLR end. You'll probably use less (about 3/4") for a 1/4" TRS. I also put shrink over the shield (or drain wire) after I twist it up when I'm terminating an XLR, but not when I'm doing a 1/4" TRS as you'll probably cut it shorter. Over the shield, I'll use 3/32" or 1/16" diameter shrink.

As for a heat gun, you could get the $9 special from Harbor Freight which may last a week or it may last forever, they're very hit-or-miss. Or, Radio Shack may have a better one. I'm not sure. The one I use is an "Ecoheat" that I paid around $40 for and it came with a hard case and some different blower accessories.

touched1 · Post by **touched1** » Thu May 15, 2008 3:44 pm

Thanks again guys.
I have an order from Redco on it's way.

I'll refer to the videos on the tangent site. But would still like to pick up a few books.
That's just how my brain works.

Can someone recommend a few good books on this topic?

Here is one on Amazon (though I won't order from them. Another thread another time):
http://www.amazon.com/Electronic-Projec ... 0825695023

Any other suggestions?

Alex Netick · Post by **Alex Netick** » Thu May 15, 2008 5:46 pm

You don't need a book to make cables . Just get a couple of clamps to hold cables and jacks into place while you solder, and a well ventilated space. I'm a knucklehead with electronics, and I made a hundred or so cables no problem -- I just asked the guy who sold me the cable how to do it.

Nate Dort · Post by **Nate Dort** » Thu May 15, 2008 5:58 pm

Yeah, that's one thing you definitely need, a clamp or panavise of some sort. I use this $10 thing from Harbor Freight:

Just rotate it so the clamp is facing you and the tightening bar-thing is on top, and take off the rubber covers from the jaws. There's a little cutout in the center that a 1/4" plug fits in perfectly.

touched1 · Post by **touched1** » Thu May 15, 2008 6:42 pm

Yeah, clamps, good call. (Futurama anyone? "Bender gets made"?) I should pick up a few. I have that old school Radio Shack helping hand thing with the magnifying glass. But I should probably upgrade.

I've been to Harbor Freight. I've bought from Harbor Freight. But man it makes me feel dirty. It's near the lowest form of capitalism. I guess it's no worse than Canal St back in NYC, just without the urban charm. I suppose the conditions the tools at Harbor Freight were made under were no better than the stuff at Home Depot or True Value, they just removed all the window dressing. That's how the one in Portland felt anyway.
End rant.

OK OK, so you guys aren't readers. I'll try a few books and let you know what I find.
Good to hear that fellow electronics knuckleheads can fumble their way through hundreds of cables. That's what I'll be doing soon.

Thanks again for all the helpful posts. Give em the clamps!! Sorry, you really gotta see that episode.

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Need advice on making my own cables/fixing my own gear.

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