IDEFix Express & Blizzard SCSI cable's, where to get them?

[fitzsteve]

Roy is the Cable Master - Fact

If you have a bunch of 50 pin SCSI cables and can get the 26pin IDC connectors I'm sure there would be a lot of people who would want cables for their Blizzard SCSI Kits as no one right now makes one.

You could charge £5-£10 depending on length and amount of 50 pin connectors and make some pocket money to spend on other Retr0 goodies

 

[roy_bates]

Cheers Roy, where is the best place/price for such tools ? do you know of any traders who sell them

i dont know mate,you can get them anywhere including ebay.

i bought mine from an electronics store over ten years ago,i think they were £60 when i was getting a new pair of adjustable strippers.
(they wont help you if you making custom cables out of the norm with twists and such,ive got another tool were i can put individual wires in one at a time and then close the whole thing.sometimes like steves cables has multiples so i made a quick jig )

just dont use pliers mate,they leave nasty marks all over the header when you crush them.

like i said though,you can do a pretty good job with just a vice or speed clamp.


that reminds me,ive got to get another ESR meter.i borrowed it out and never seen it again(dont ask)


i could knock these cables out to help people on request,i dont know what to charge though.
i dont really want to clog up steves thread with request either

 

[fitzsteve]

i could knock these cables out to help people on request,i dont know what to charge though.
i dont really want to clog up steves thread with request either

Hi Roy,

Users can request services in the 'Service Bay' area of the site or you could setup your own thread, you could price your cables per order in the Service bay as they will all be custom and tailor made to individual requests.

As for prices, you will need to consider your time and materials, Amigakit charge up to £18 for some cables like their BPPC SCSI Cable, if you could produce these and regular Blizzard SCSI cables for <£10 I'm sure you'd have a lot of people interested in your service. I'd have happily paid you in that region for the cable you made me

All the best,

Steve.

 

[ElectroBlaster]

I bought one of those IDC crimp tools from ebay a while back but have not used it yet!

A Vice with wood blocks works really good! Years ago I even made ide cables using a hammer and a metal ruler from my old mans routing/cutting bench! You find a sweet spot and learn to handle things right. But it has been years since I made any cable let alone ide or scsi lol!

@roy_bates. If I feel a bit funny about sorting my blizzard cables then I will be touch I do not like the look of the 26pin d-sub end! I have some of these crimp-on connectors but they are really easy to remove, unlike the blizzard ones that seem to have more holding them together? Cant find the right words to describe it, but knowing me I will mangle something trying to remove them.

 

[roy_bates]

the idc block with the d-sub's on the back arnt that hard to take apart.
they come apart in two stages the first is the crimp lock for the cable the second releases the assembly completely.there just fidly.

but like i said,if you dont want to, just send me a pm and all the parts and i'lll do it.
there no biggy.

you will only hit problems when it comes to making custom cables for blizzards etc(you will have to deal with all the strands,not just making sure pin one is in the right place they might be in randon order down the cable because its idc) or anything else with lots of pins on idc cable,you really need a point of reference for the wiring on at least one end or things might go horribly wrong.

like steve's farther has said to him check three times, before committing to where even one pin is wired(just like making a cut)

i dont want to scare anyone,but it is worth mentioning some cables have power fed down them sometimes.so just be careful lads.
even if the cables are relatively simple to make,i just dont want anyone to damage there equipment.
its really easy to make mistakes.

i know i have probably said this multiple times,but i'll say it again.the cable is cheap the hardware its connected to isnt or easy to get sometimes
so,be very careful and check your work at every single stage on all the pins multiple times..before and after you crimp it(i have seen simple crimps go bad were the pins were touching inside the lock where it cant be seen because it had been crimped with pliers,i jest you not. or stuff wired wrong and its fried the board or controller it was connected to)its not something anyone wants to learn the hard way.
but if people want to do it themselves,i dont have a problem with it
there are threads opened every day because of stuff like this,thats why im mentioning it.im just asking that people use a bit of common sense is all

 

[ElectroBlaster]

Some good advice there guys!

Plan ahead, do not rush and always measure 3 times... infact measure again and again lol! even if it borders on OCD! you will kick yourself if its wrong... you can never go back once you make your cuts!

Anyway I just had a quick nose at the D-sub on the blizzy cable I could quickly grab. I was over-thinking it as it seems to be in 3 parts. But a tiny little bit of force on the two outer tabs with my finger nails was enougth to get it moving. So later I shall fish out my brand new ribbon roll and sort these things out

Just need to clean the d-sub a bit! bit of brasso or something as its got tarnish on the outer metal bit. I really do have an OCD regarding old manky bits lol. Cleaning can do wonders with old kit.

 

[ptyerman]

Just for reference, Amigakit sell the Blizzard SCSI cables. Also http://www.cabledepot.co.uk/index.php sell all-sorts of SCSI cables and adaptors, I've purchased stuff from there a couple of times. Last off, 25 pin SCSI drives and stuff work fine with HD50 pin connections and vice versa, I have 25 to 50 pin cables on my 1200 and it's fine. You can also get adaptors from 25 and 50 pin to Centronics type SCSI connections and they all work without problems. I even have a LVD drive and adaptor in a external case and that works fine too, not all LVD drives do though, it's a bit pot luck.