>> Plan A: Find a short length of very fine uninsulated wire. A single >> strand from some stranded wire is what I use. Wrap it around the >> insulation about 2 times, and then continue wrapping around the tinsel >> wire. Clip off the excess at the end. Solder the wrapped wire to the >> replacement connector. >> Jeff L.> Problem is that it will break almost instantly at the transition point from > stiff to flexible. > > The technique mentioned above seems to be an excellent solution to that > problem. > MikeI don't understand the technique. The wire is enameled (insulated). Do I prepare the wire by burning (or sanding) off some of the enamel first? I start wrapping back a way and wrap toward the end of the wire? Then I solder not the tinsel wire but only the wrapping wire beyond the end of the tinsel wire? This looks like there is no actual soldering of the tinsel at all (which is intentional, I presume, to avoid stress points).
How to solder very thin stranded wire?
Started by ●February 21, 2013
Reply by ●February 21, 20132013-02-21
Reply by ●February 21, 20132013-02-21
> Then I solder not the tinsel wire but only the wrapping wire beyond the end > of the tinsel wire? This looks like there is no actual soldering of the > tinsel at all (which is intentional, I presume, to avoid stress points).No, I think the wrapping wire creates a strain relief for a way back from the point where you solder both the wrapping wire, the tinsel wires, and the mating wire. I think...
Reply by ●February 21, 20132013-02-21
On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:25:48 -0800, notme <notme@notme.org> wrote:>I don't understand the technique.Sorry. I couldn't tell if it was coated or bare tinsel.>The wire is enameled (insulated). Do I prepare the wire by burning (or >sanding) off some of the enamel first?Take a knife and scrape off some of the insulation. You don't need to remove all of it or completely, just enough to make at least one connection to the wrapping wire.>I start wrapping back a way and wrap toward the end of the wire?Yes. The part that goes over the insulation acts as a mechanical support to prevent breakage where the insulation ends. It's not necessary to tightly pack the windings together. A loose spiral is sufficient as long as there are multiple points of contact with the tinsel.>Then I solder not the tinsel wire but only the wrapping wire beyond the end >of the tinsel wire?Correct.>This looks like there is no actual soldering of the >tinsel at all (which is intentional, I presume, to avoid stress points).Correct. You just need a mechanical connection. If this were some device that carried some current, such a method would not be suitable. However, since EP/Mic audio is very low power, a simple mechanical connection is sufficient. Incidentally, I learned this method back in the 1960's during my phone phreaking days, when fixing tinsel telephone coil cords was became a side business because nobody had cheap replacement coil cords or insulation piercing spade lugs. -- Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com 150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
Reply by ●February 21, 20132013-02-21
On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:16:08 -0700, Jim Thompson <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote:>On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:05:25 -0800, etpm@whidbey.com wrote: > >>On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 06:41:32 -0800 (PST), George Herold >><gherold@teachspin.com> wrote: >> >>>On Feb 21, 2:06�am, DaveC <inva...@invalid.net> wrote: >>>> This is one conductor in a cable from some iPod earphones: >>>> >>>> http://www.tinyuploads.com/images/mizPu4.jpg >>>> >>>> What is the best way to deal with the fibre strands and to tin the wire? >>>> >>>> Thanks, >>>> Dave >>> >>>I did something like that... I just teased the wire away from the >>>fibers, cut the fibers, and the enamel on the wire burned off from the >>>heat of the soldering iron. >>> >>>George H. >>I don't even bother to try to tease the fibers away. I just get a good >>blob of solder on the tip of the iron and push the wire into it. In my >>experience everything burns away except the wire. >>Eric > >That works for "SolderEze" coated wire. Regular Formvar doesn't >dissolve in solder. > > ...Jim Thompson--- None of it dissolves in solder, it just ablates when the temp gets high enough. -- JF
Reply by ●February 21, 20132013-02-21
On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:45:42 -0600, John Fields <jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote:>On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:16:08 -0700, Jim Thompson ><To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote: > >>On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:05:25 -0800, etpm@whidbey.com wrote: >> >>>On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 06:41:32 -0800 (PST), George Herold >>><gherold@teachspin.com> wrote: >>> >>>>On Feb 21, 2:06�am, DaveC <inva...@invalid.net> wrote: >>>>> This is one conductor in a cable from some iPod earphones: >>>>> >>>>> http://www.tinyuploads.com/images/mizPu4.jpg >>>>> >>>>> What is the best way to deal with the fibre strands and to tin the wire? >>>>> >>>>> Thanks, >>>>> Dave >>>> >>>>I did something like that... I just teased the wire away from the >>>>fibers, cut the fibers, and the enamel on the wire burned off from the >>>>heat of the soldering iron. >>>> >>>>George H. >>>I don't even bother to try to tease the fibers away. I just get a good >>>blob of solder on the tip of the iron and push the wire into it. In my >>>experience everything burns away except the wire. >>>Eric >> >>That works for "SolderEze" coated wire. Regular Formvar doesn't >>dissolve in solder. >> >> ...Jim Thompson > >--- >None of it dissolves in solder, it just ablates when the temp gets >high enough.What does "ablating" look like ?>:-| ...Jim Thompson -- | James E.Thompson | mens | | Analog Innovations | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Reply by ●February 22, 20132013-02-22
On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 00:50:00 -0800, DaveC <invalid@invalid.net> wrote:>> Plan A: Find a short length of very fine uninsulated wire. A single >> strand from some stranded wire is what I use. Wrap it around the >> insulation about 2 times, and then continue wrapping around the tinsel >> wire. Clip off the excess at the end. Solder the wrapped wire to the >> replacement connector. > >Sounds good. > >> Plan B: Buy a new iPod earphone. They're cheaper than the replacment >> connector. > >Not using it as earbuds. Just re-purposing the cord for a corded >single-earphone-with-mic unit. Have both, and am an avid "not to the landfill >will you go" kind of guy... > >And beside, I'll learn something new (ie, soldering tinsel wire).My kind of guy/>Dave
Reply by ●February 22, 20132013-02-22
On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 06:41:32 -0800 (PST), George Herold <gherold@teachspin.com> wrote:>On Feb 21, 2:06�am, DaveC <inva...@invalid.net> wrote: >> This is one conductor in a cable from some iPod earphones: >> >> http://www.tinyuploads.com/images/mizPu4.jpg >> >> What is the best way to deal with the fibre strands and to tin the wire? >> >> Thanks, >> Dave > >I did something like that... I just teased the wire away from the >fibers, cut the fibers, and the enamel on the wire burned off from the >heat of the soldering iron.Yes, even before I r ead your post, I remembed reading that enamel insulation burned off during soldering. I've never relied on that, but I guess I should have, since trying to scrape off the insulation is enough to break the metal fibers.> >George H.
Reply by ●February 22, 20132013-02-22
On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:34:57 -0700, Jim Thompson <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote:>On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:45:42 -0600, John Fields ><jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote: > >>On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:16:08 -0700, Jim Thompson >><To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote: >> >>>On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:05:25 -0800, etpm@whidbey.com wrote: >>> >>>>On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 06:41:32 -0800 (PST), George Herold >>>><gherold@teachspin.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>>On Feb 21, 2:06�am, DaveC <inva...@invalid.net> wrote: >>>>>> This is one conductor in a cable from some iPod earphones: >>>>>> >>>>>> http://www.tinyuploads.com/images/mizPu4.jpg >>>>>> >>>>>> What is the best way to deal with the fibre strands and to tin the wire? >>>>>> >>>>>> Thanks, >>>>>> Dave >>>>> >>>>>I did something like that... I just teased the wire away from the >>>>>fibers, cut the fibers, and the enamel on the wire burned off from the >>>>>heat of the soldering iron. >>>>> >>>>>George H. >>>>I don't even bother to try to tease the fibers away. I just get a good >>>>blob of solder on the tip of the iron and push the wire into it. In my >>>>experience everything burns away except the wire. >>>>Eric >>> >>>That works for "SolderEze" coated wire. Regular Formvar doesn't >>>dissolve in solder. >>> >>> ...Jim Thompson >> >>--- >>None of it dissolves in solder, it just ablates when the temp gets >>high enough. > >What does "ablating" look like ?>:-| > > ...Jim Thompson--- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ablation -- JF
Reply by ●February 22, 20132013-02-22
On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 00:50:00 -0800, DaveC <invalid@invalid.net> wrote:>> Plan A: Find a short length of very fine uninsulated wire. A single >> strand from some stranded wire is what I use. Wrap it around the >> insulation about 2 times, and then continue wrapping around the tinsel >> wire. Clip off the excess at the end. Solder the wrapped wire to the >> replacement connector. > >Sounds good. > >> Plan B: Buy a new iPod earphone. They're cheaper than the replacment >> connector. > >Not using it as earbuds. Just re-purposing the cord for a corded >single-earphone-with-mic unit. Have both, and am an avid "not to the landfill >will you go" kind of guy... > >And beside, I'll learn something new (ie, soldering tinsel wire). > >DaveAnother problem with very fine wire is that it dissolves in solder. They do make/sell solders with high copper content to deal with that. Ersin "savebit" is one such (sold with the idea that soldering iron bits will dissolve or erode more slowly if the solder already contains copper.
Reply by ●February 22, 20132013-02-22
On Feb 21, 1:07=A0pm, DaveC <inva...@invalid.net> wrote:> > Regular Formvar doesn't > > dissolve in solder. > > ...Jim Thompson > > For which you would recommend...?They make 'nasty' chemicals that will strip the enamel. But for relatively big wires I just burn it off with a butane torch/ lighter. For the fine wire the burn method is a bit dodgy, 'cause you can melt the copper too... turns into a little copper ball on the end of the wire. Goerge H.
