OT Crimp tools & Cutter Re: DEC MMJ

[Chuck Guzis]

On 22 Jan 2007 at 11:05, Jay West wrote:

> Ahhh this makes sense. Example... trimming the excess from an IDC type 
> connector. This flush cutter would get right next to the wall of the 
> connector as my scissors won't. Gotcha.

I've never used them for that--I've always used a sharp Xacto knife 
held so it rides against the connector, but tilted slightly, so it 
doesn't dig into the connector body.  Makes a clean cut and is very 
fast.

There's a certain aesthetic purpose to using flush cutters on a PCB.  
Many of the cheap Asian boards that I've run into leave a couple of 
millimeters of component lead extending above the board surface.  
Heaven help you if you have to reach between two boards and manage to 
snag the back of your hand on the exposed leads.

It's like sharp edges on stamped metal parts--there's no reason other 
than economy to leave them that way.  I don't know how many times 
I've opened a finger on the edge of someone's PC case.  

Taking that last little step; cutting component leads flush and 
rounding off sharp edges is important to me--it looks good and is 
safer.

This week I'm finishing up the refurbishment of a tuba that bounced 
out of a moving pickup truck bed onto a freeway.  After disassembling 
the instrument, removing dents, brazing broken braces and then 
reassembly, I've got a horn that plays again.  Now, I'll spend the 
next couple of days cleaning up solder joins (so they don't show), 
buffing and lacquering.  These last days will add nothing to the 
functionality of the instrument, but the result will be something 
that is pleasing to see and touch.

Such things are important.

When electronics equipment used to be hand-wired in a chassis, the 
sign of a good builder was adequte use of tie strips and neatly 
placed (and laced) wires.  "Point to point" wiring with components 
flopping every which way among a rat's nest of wiring was the sign of 
a hack, even though both construction techniques produced a working 
device.

Cheers,
Chuck