DIY Cable Questions and Comments Thread

[HirschiAUT]

Don't use stranded hookup wire inside that box. I made a switch box with stranded wire, and it was a pain. It's much easier, and better, to use solid core wire. Pretty much any decent solid core copper or silver insulated wire will work. Your local hardware or electronics store should have some. 20, 22, or 24 AWG should be fine.

Right on. I personally use a jigsaw to cut the first little piece


Also agreed (unless you really prefer the sound of a certain wire, I like Cardas 2x24 and 4x24 with the shield when wiring up amps). Neotech makes a fantastic solid core UP-OCC wire in teflon for about a buck a foot. I've used it for many switchboxes, Bottlehead builds and Dynaco restorations. The hardware store wire is great on a budget. You can ask if they have any discount remnants too. Also a good budget choice is Cat 5e ethernet wire (solid core in teflon) and surplus silver plated solid core copper in teflon at Apex Jr.

Solid wire is indeed a good choice but of the choices there, I chose the one I might use. I can work with either stranded or solid wire equally well with the connectors shown. XlR's and binding posts have fairly large openings. Solid wire is more suitable in situations where the wire does not get moved much as it would in a headphone cable or some interconnect cables and it does conduct a bit better. I have plenty of high end stranded, shielded wire so I use it on Bottlehead builds rather than doing the braiding. Twisted pair is good, shielded twisted pair is better. I am afraid I looked at the internals of that box and the first thing that came to mind was how I would wire it, I did the same with Bottlehead Crack amps I built and unfortunately that is not a lot of help to a novice DIY person.

I have also done Dynaco builds and it is good to hear you are redoing some of those Highflyin, I just got an add the other day from someone selling Dynaco 70's for $3,000 each, I believe they were reproductions but I did not read it that closely. I have seen some of your switchbox and Bottlehead builds on your website as I recall and the work was most impressive and you go out of your way to document and explain the work to DIY folks which I also admire. I could be wrong but I believe you even used the Steampunk style on an amp or two, a style I used myself to impress a local sci fi group.

Thanks for all the answers!

I just dont really understand the recommendation of solid core wires.
From what i remember stranded was always easier to solder (for me), but its a long time ago in school, just starting with that stuff again
Why is it that you prefer solid core wires for such builds?

@Paladin79 when you say you would use the twisted pair sommer cable as it is, how would you do that in this case?

Also, what would you guys guess how much wire i need for this?
I would say 2 meters should be enough, or am I off here?


And about the speaker binding posts, would you use one with those kind of screwed on solder lugs:
http://www.ebay.at/itm/321567119706

Or ones where you solder directly onto the "center conductor"?
https://www.ebay.at/itm/140365796167

Oh, and i also found these, i dont even know how to solder to these, do i wind the wire around the small groove at the end of it?
http://www.dx.com/p/diy-amplifier-t...-terminal-black-red-2-pcs-171070#.Wp0mQyUiF9M

As always, all help is really appretiated!

 

[Allanmarcus]

I just dont really understand the recommendation of solid core wires.
From what i remember stranded was always easier to solder (for me), but its a long time ago in school, just starting with that stuff again
Why is it that you prefer solid core wires for such builds?

When working with wire around the tiny solder lugs, and making sure no stray wires are touching nearby lugs, having to worry about one wire makes it much easier. With solid core wire, you just use needle-nose pliers to curl the end, then you loop the end into the lug, then use the pliers to squish the loop of wire over the lug, then drop a little solder on it. When using stranded, you have to strip the wire, then twist the wires , then curl them, and often the wires untwist. Or you twist, then tin, then try to curl them for the lug, and the it's harder because of the tinning.

In general, it way easier to work with solid core.

 

[Paladin79]

I just dont really understand the recommendation of solid core wires.
From what i remember stranded was always easier to solder (for me), but its a long time ago in school, just starting with that stuff again
Why is it that you prefer solid core wires for such builds?

@Paladin79 when you say you would use the twisted pair sommer cable as it is, how would you do that in this case?

Also, what would you guys guess how much wire i need for this?
I would say 2 meters should be enough, or am I off here?


And about the speaker binding posts, would you use one with those kind of screwed on solder lugs:
http://www.ebay.at/itm/321567119706

Or ones where you solder directly onto the "center conductor"?
https://www.ebay.at/itm/140365796167

Oh, and i also found these, i dont even know how to solder to these, do i wind the wire around the small groove at the end of it?
http://www.dx.com/p/diy-amplifier-t...-terminal-black-red-2-pcs-171070#.Wp0mQyUiF9M

As always, all help is really appretiated!


In an effort to answer your questions, solid core is easier and best for beginners. Solid conducts a bit better but if you nick it, it can break pretty easily so be careful. I have no issues with either but I am pretty experienced and would not have any problems either way.

The Sommer cable is twisted pair, which is a form of shielding, you can look that up and get the answers, it has been explained in here a bunch. It contains two wires, instead of running separate black and red wires you can use the two wires within the cable and have black, red and ground. Those equate to left channel, right channel and ground. If you have trouble substituting those, then buy individual wire but going across a metal cabinet I would at least form the signal wires into twisted pair. (The Sommer cable does that for you and gives you a shield as well.) As I said earlier, I have plenty such wire that is high quality cable so I generally use it for such wiring and the more practice you get with such wire, they better you will be working with headphone cables and connectors.

Judging by what I see in the cabinet, I believe two meters of wire would be plenty. A meter of the Sommer or a meter each of red and black hook up wire. This would probably be a lot less confusing for you, and you can follow the instructions on the box better.

That type of binding post generally has a hole in the center pin for your hot wire, ground wire usually has a solder lug or the wire might clamp under the adjustment screw, I cannot tell by the photo.

 

[HirschiAUT]

When working with wire around the tiny solder lugs, and making sure no stray wires are touching nearby lugs, having to worry about one wire makes it much easier. With solid core wire, you just use needle-nose pliers to curl the end, then you loop the end into the lug, then use the pliers to squish the loop of wire over the lug, then drop a little solder on it. When using stranded, you have to strip the wire, then twist the wires , then curl them, and often the wires untwist. Or you twist, then tin, then try to curl them for the lug, and the it's harder because of the tinning.

In general, it way easier to work with solid core.

In an effort to answer your questions, solid core is easier and best for beginners. Solid conducts a bit better but if you nick it, it can break pretty easily so be careful. I have no issues with either but I am pretty experienced and would not have any problems either way.

The Sommer cable is twisted pair, which is a form of shielding, you can look that up and get the answers, it has been explained in here a bunch. It contains two wires, instead of running separate black and red wires you can use the two wires within the cable and have black, red and ground. Those equate to left channel, right channel and ground. If you have trouble substituting those, then buy individual wire but going across a metal cabinet I would at least form the signal wires into twisted pair. (The Sommer cable does that for you and gives you a shield as well.) As I said earlier, I have plenty such wire that is high quality cable so I generally use it for such wiring and the more practice you get with such wire, they better you will be working with headphone cables and connectors.

Judging by what I see in the cabinet, I believe two meters of wire would be plenty. A meter of the Sommer or a meter each of red and black hook up wire. This would probably be a lot less confusing for you, and you can follow the instructions on the box better.

That type of binding post generally has a hole in the center pin for your hot wire, ground wire usually has a solder lug or the wire might clamp under the adjustment screw, I cannot tell by the photo.

Thanks again for your answers.

I see now that everyone has his favorites, and i guess i will just go with what is easier to get for me.
I would have a few meters left over of some internals of a Mogami quad cable, but this is only 24AWG.

Alternatively i found some cheap 20AWG wires for ~0,34€ / meter, but it has tinned copper conductors, is this ok or should i aim for bare copper?

 

[Paladin79]

Both solder well, tinned copper solders a bit more easily IMHO. If you decide to build that device, they may well give you a list of product to buy; being fairly new you may want to just follow their instructions or post them so I can look them over and help.

 

[HirschiAUT]

Both solder well, tinned copper solders a bit more easily IMHO. If you decide to build that device, they may well give you a list of product to buy; being fairly new you may want to just follow their instructions or post them so I can look them over and help.

Here is the link: https://robrobinette.com/RobinetteBox.htm


And the parts list:

Four or Eight 5-way Speaker Binding Posts (eBay, about $2 each) You'll need 8 if you add the speaker out binding posts. I used 4 pair of dual banana connectors.

18, 20 or 22 gauge wire

Vishay/Dale wirewound non-inductive 1% tollerance resistors about $2 each.

2 each Resistor2 Mouser part# 71-RS0056R000FB12 Vishay part# RS0056R000FB12 5watts 6ohms 1%

2 each Resistor3 Mouser part# 71-NS2B-2 Vishay part# NS02B2R000FB12 3watts 2ohms 1%

2 each Resistor5 Mouser part# 594-AC03W10R00J Vishay part# AC03000001009JAC00 3watts 10ohms 5%

Female 4-Pin XLR Panel Mount about $5 (recommend Neutrik from ebay)

ON-ON SWITCH TOGGLE 4PDT 6A 125V by NKK Digi-Key part# 360-1871-ND $12 (4 Pole, Dual Throw) for Network Bypass switch (NKK are high quality--don't cheap out on the toggle switches)

ON-OFF-ON SWITCH TOGGLE DPDT 6A 125V by NKK Digi-Key part# 360-1849-ND $7 (Dual Pole, Dual Throw) for Amp Mode switch.

1/4" 6.3mm Stereo TRS Panel Mount $5 (recommend Neutrik female, non-switching, non-grounding from ebay)

1/8" 3.5mm Stereo TRS Panel Mount $4 (recommend Neutrik female, non-switching, non-grounding from ebay)

 

[Paladin79]

Do you plan to order from Digikey and Mouser? If so I can probably find you some suitable wire on there and save you some trouble.

 

[HirschiAUT]

Do you plan to order from Digikey and Mouser? If so I can probably find you some suitable wire on there and save you some trouble.

Since i dont find the 4PDT switch anywhere else, i am kinda forced to do that...
And mouser also has the xlr and 6,3mm connectors, so i will order there.

If you find something suitable there i would really be Happy, maybe even a choice of solid core and stranded

 

[Allanmarcus]

@HirschiAUT
Since this is the cable thread, how about you start a new thread in the DIY Forum for the Robinette Box?

 

[HirschiAUT]

@HirschiAUT
Since this is the cable thread, how about you start a new thread in the DIY Forum for the Robinette Box?

Sorry, you are absolutely right, i will do that.
Is there any way to move my earlier posts?

 

[Paladin79]

Since i dont find the 4PDT switch anywhere else, i am kinda forced to do that...
And mouser also has the xlr and 6,3mm connectors, so i will order there.

If you find something suitable there i would really be Happy, maybe even a choice of solid core and stranded

Since i dont find the 4PDT switch anywhere else, i am kinda forced to do that...
And mouser also has the xlr and 6,3mm connectors, so i will order there.

If you find something suitable there i would really be Happy, maybe even a choice of solid core and stranded

I will check around when I get time tomorrow and send you a couple links by private message so as not to take up any more time away from discussions of wire and cable et alia.

Work has kept me so busy I have not had much chance to check out some new litz wire. Its small size will allow it to be fed into paracord pretty easily so it is just a matter of deciding on colors and then doing a four wire braid for Sennheisers down to a mini four pin xlr for balanced audio. With a selection of pigtails, they is then a quick changeover to 3.5 mm plug, or 1/4" stereo plug for amplifier versatility.

 

[Allanmarcus]

I will check around when I get time tomorrow and send you a couple links by private message so as not to take up any more time away from discussions of wire and cable et alia.

Work has kept me so busy I have not had much chance to check out some new litz wire. Its small size will allow it to be fed into paracord pretty easily so it is just a matter of deciding on colors and then doing a four wire braid for Sennheisers down to a mini four pin xlr for balanced audio. With a selection of pigtails, they is then a quick changeover to 3.5 mm plug, or 1/4" stereo plug for amplifier versatility.

Sorry if you said it earlier, but which litz wire did you get?

 

[Paladin79]

It is a 26awg sold by Magnetic Sensor Systems. 60/44 strand count. Quite small and flexible of course. Uses a very thin spirally wrapped jacket.

This would be great product for some of the HD 800 connectors that only accept 26 awg wire. I will only use this with a solder pot. Using such connectors it is best not to spread the wires apart any more than is absolutely necessary and that is difficult not to do using a soldering iron. It is also most difficult to achieve proper tinning using the iron as well.

 

[Paladin79]

I recall someone on here looking for copper mesh tubing to go around fairly large cables, I happened upon this on Ebay while searching for something else....

https://www.ebay.com/p/15mm-Wide-Kn...6&pageci=c38b56f1-e00c-4564-9dc1-29141d2b7d85

Since it is 15 MM wide I would think it would handle cable of around 6 or 7 mm diameter or more.

 

[Allanmarcus]

I recall someone on here looking for copper mesh tubing to go around fairly large cables, I happened upon this on Ebay while searching for something else....

https://www.ebay.com/p/15mm-Wide-Kn...6&pageci=c38b56f1-e00c-4564-9dc1-29141d2b7d85

Since it is 15 MM wide I would think it would handle cable of around 6 or 7 mm diameter or more.

I think that stuff is like TechFlex. If you want it to fit over 7mm wire, you want to buy it slightly smaller as it will expand. 15mm tubing with hang limp and flap all over the place over 6 to 7mm wire.