Date   : Thu, 23 Nov 2000 10:58:17 +1300
From   : "Bill Keesing" <bill@...>
Subject: Re: [Re: BBC Micro to Cub monitor cable]

> I made up one of these a few months ago. A length of ordinary ethernet
cable
> (8 cores, narrow and very cheap) seemed to work fine. As people have said
> before, you don't need any complicated pin diagram, as you just connect
each
> pin in one plug to the identical pin in the other plug. The most difficult
> bit is getting the pin hot enough for the solder to take to it, without
> melting the plastic insert which keeps the pins in place!

Good idea. I don't know why didn't I think of using CAT-5.

Tip on the soldering those plugs.

Make sure the plug base is held in something like a vise but close the vice
on the plastic base, not on the pins or when heat is applied the pins will
shift, ruining the plug.

Attach a heatsink the other side of the base for the pin you are working on.
An alligator clip works great for that job.

Tin the cable at both ends, once you have done the stripping. If you don't
know what tinning means, it means to apply solder to the wire before you
attempt to solder the wire the the other item.

Twist the wires before you tin then the you souldn't get stray wire end
floating round. If you stip the wire a bit longer than the actual required
kength to the plug pins, you can tin the and then cut off the raggedy end
which usually aids connecting the wires into the plug.

Put a blob of solder in each of the pin then immdiately put the wire into
the hot solder.

Since it is such a fiddly job, three hands would be better than two., That
way, the assistant can hold the solder while you hold the wire in needle
nosed pliers, which will also act as a heatsink for the wire, stopping
possible insulation degridation further down the wire. That will also able
you to do the solder blob then the wire quicker, reducing the potential heat
damage to the plug