How big is your Lemo?

[Andrew Stone]

I use crimp connectors, I don't bother with solder anymore!

 

That crimp tool thing was the best £400 I ever spent, saved me so much time soldering and thousands and thousands of pounds over paying someone else to do it...

 

The crimp tool that Peter speaks of, can someone point me to one?

 

-Andrew

[Peter Hoare]

Crimp tools are on page 149 of the Lemo catalogue (im on holiday in NYC right now, but I always carry atleast one Lemo catalogue with me)

 

The tool is expensive, about £400 in the UK. Each differnt pin needs a different positioner die, which are additional cost, about £40. For example, 3pin 0B male needs a different positioner to female. If the connector has more pins, they are smaller so usually use a different positioner.

 

 

When crimping, the peek insulator has no pins in it, just holes. The pins come separately in a little tub. You set the wire gauge on the tool, strip about 3mm of wire back, and stick it in the top of the pin and squeeze it.

 

You then shove the pin into the insulator and it locks in. Be careful, you only get one chance. You need a special tool (£50) to get the pin out again.

 

After this, you just assemble the connector as usual.

 

 

Its not very well suited to someone doing 1-2 cables, better if your doing lots in one run, as it costs quite a lot to tool up for each type of connector/pin number.

 

I had 100 3pin 0B cables to assemble, so the tool made sense. It takes away a lot of faffing with solder, and its much quicker. You get into a real rhythm with it, and I did 100 cables in about 10 hours (one 10 hour stint)

 

 

 

Crimping is great, I think people should do more crimping, much easier than soldering.

 

 

Pete.