Maintenance Work Today. Building New Cables.

[ahoustondj]

Today I decided to pull apart my cable harness in my rack and make some shorter custom made Balanced cables for the Mics.
The Tools:
Soldering Jig, Wire Strippers.



Cable ready to be soldered to XLR Connector




Finished cable:




I have to install some cross rails in the back of the rack so this Harness is temporary: Cable Harnessing:


With Speaker Cables attached to Amp. rolled and ready for setup:




With ID Labels:

 

[USDJ]

Canute....where did you get that nice tool that's holding the connector? 2nd row of pics on my monitor, far right?


I want one!

Best,

Paul

 

[ahoustondj]

Canute....where did you get that nice tool that's holding the connector? 2nd row of pics on my monitor, far right?


I want one!

Best,

Paul

It is a spring loaded wire Stripper but I used the tension jaws to hold the connector in place. I used to use that when I worked at the Johnson Space Center. It was the only one authorized for wire stripping. Here is a better picture of it here. http://ourdjtalk.com/threads/41961-Repair-Job?highlight=wire stripper



One of the screws was coming loose and QA at NASA rejected it so I got it and repaired it. LOL
I don't believe they are sold anywhere, I have never seen it but you can get one close to it here.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/WESTWARD-Wire-Stripper-1YMZ8?Pid=search

http://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=301378&eventPage=1

 

[steve149]

Nice and clean .. Excellent job!

 

[DJ SVO]

I use these with a rubber rectangle as to not damage the connector and not tightening them too much. Works like a charm.

http://www.irwin.com/tools/locking-tools/fast-release-curved-jaw-locking-pliers

 

[drzinc]

Great to see people are still making custom patch cords! I make my own also as Canute and others here know. Like Canute I also dabble in speaker design and building. Most dj's are plug and play we are make and play!

 

[ahoustondj]

Great to see people are still making custom patch cords! I make my own also as Canute and others here know. Like Canute I also dabble in speaker design and building. Most dj's are plug and play we are make and play!

I still have not completed a project that I put on hold since last year. A Sound Engineer gave me a design for a single cabinet to house Midrange and tweeter section for my three way system Right now I have separate cabinets for Tweeters and Midrange each powered by a separate amp. I was going to build two cabinets, one for each side. Each cabinet will house two 10" speakers for Midrange and a tweeter Horn. They will have separate inputs for the cables from their corresponding amps.
Here are the Components
In each cabinet:
2 X Eminence Kappa Pro-10A 10" Cast Frame Driver http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=290-426&FTR=10" kappa

1 X Eminence H295 1" Constant Directivity Horn 90x40 2/3-Bolt http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=290-550 With an EV DH 1506 or equivalent Driver

For Cabinet I will use this after I take out all the components with the exception of the Terminal Connectors :http://www.seismicaudiospeakers.com...ftrk=gdfV21217_a_7c446_a_7c1319_a_7cSA_d_100T It is cheaper to use those instead of building from scratch.

 

[drzinc]

Canute SA makes some fine boxes, even the stock boxes sound decent. a lot of people buy their white cabinets to use for weddings.

 

[ahoustondj]

May Test First

Canute SA makes some fine boxes, even the stock boxes sound decent. a lot of people buy their white cabinets to use for weddings.

Part of me wants to see how the speakers minus the passive crossovers perform first. I will have to rewire it plus remove the passive onboard crossover so that I can bi amp the two 10" as midrange (In series) and the Horn as tweeter, again with two separate amps. I have a feeling that I will at least have to replace the horn. I doubt that it is high powered. If it sounds good all I would need is a Horn since I have a pair of EV DH 1506 Drivers.

 

[Steve LeBlanc]

I used to use that when I worked at the Johnson Space Center. It was the only one authorized for wire stripping.

They must have been a great employer, allowing you to take tools home.....LOL

 

[Precisionpower]

Why would you make seperate inputs on the back of the speakers for the mid and hi's Canute? Neutrik makes some wonderful modern connectors called NL4's
And with some nice 4 wire cable, you just run 1 cable to each top and your done

 

[ahoustondj]

Why would you make seperate inputs on the back of the speakers for the mid and hi's Canute? Neutrik makes some wonderful modern connectors called NL4's
And with some nice 4 wire cable, you just run 1 cable to each top and your done

That is true but I will have to buy that new connector, for both ends plus the cable. It is a good idea though. As it is, I have loads of speaker cables 6 x 25', 6 x 50', 6 x 100' with a female end that can connect to the 50' or 25'. The cables are numbered on each end for Identification. Again, you bring up a good point to be considered. Thanks!

 

[bizzyb53]

You Bro ,are the master at wiring up rigs.Those pictures are a work of art.:yoBiggrin:

 

[Audio One]

Nice work Canute, but whats up with the connector labled "Elvis"?

 

[ahoustondj]

Nice work Canute, but whats up with the connector labled "Elvis"?

That Label is marked for this Mic.
View attachment 25642

 

[ahoustondj]

For Jon & Paul

Here are a few better shots of the Auto Stripper:

View attachment 25644View attachment 25645View attachment 25646

 

[ahoustondj]

I made these two adjustable Right Angle Connector Cables today (Upper right), They are set at about a 50 degree angle. If I had used the Standard Store bought Right Angle Connectors/Cables the cable would have exited to the left and over some of my Input jacks making them unusable. This way I had them exit to the right instead but pointed slightly downwards to allow the case cover to close.

These Connectors have 7 positions View attachment 25647

The finished Project:
View attachment 25648 View attachment 25649 View attachment 25650

 

[Thomas]

I took a small block of 2x4 and drilled it about halfway through so it's a nice tight fit. Hold the connectors great. Thought about making another one with two holes so I could do both ends at the same time.

 

[ahoustondj]

I took a small block of 2x4 and drilled it about halfway through so it's a nice tight fit. Hold the connectors great. Thought about making another one with two holes so I could do both ends at the same time.

I have all kind of Jigs and small electronic vises to hold things in place but I guess whatever works will do.

 

[shanefrom302]

Houston where do you buy your connectors and cable? I usually go with partsexpress or markertek, just wondering if you know of any other good places to check out for that stuff.