wjbender

I want to make my own servo extension and battery extension cables. That way I can get the length exactly as I want it. Where can I buy the wire, crimping tool, connectors etc?

thanks

dirtybird

My Feedback: (5)

You can buy a cheap crimping tool but you will a lot better off buying premade units. They are made with a crimping tool that you would find too expensive.

Teachu2

My Feedback: (133)

http://www.rcaccessory.com/index.asp...TS&Category=22 has components and a starter kit. Evan Champkis owns and runs the place - always first class!

Teachu2

My Feedback: (133)

See also http://www.radicalrc.com/shop/?shop=...16&cart=792366 about halfway down the page.

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

You can buy the parts here.
http://www.maxxprod.com/mpi/mpi-4.html
I bought my crimper from Radio Shack for $9. Servo Cty and Radical R/C also sell parts and wire.

Four Stroker

dirtybird had it right the first time. A commercial quality crimper for these connectors is about $250 and produces at least 10 times the force on the crimp.

AIRPLANENUTS

My Feedback: (2)

Or, you can just buy servo wire and splice (solder) it between your servo or battery pack and it's connector. That's what I do. When I have to have an extension, I buy the male & female connectors and solder them, rather than crimp them, to the servo wire I already have. I bought the servo wire at a swap meet from an MPI vendor, and I buy the connectors from Tower. They also sell the wire.

Hope this helps.

Rick

Teachu2

My Feedback: (133)

dirtybird and four stroker - have either of you personally used the crimper being sold by RC Accessory or Radical RC? TEN times the force on the crimp - really? I am amazed the connectors and wire strands would hold up to such brutality!

I have a bit of experience with crimpers. At one time, I made my living building/assembling oil tools for logging and perforating oil wells. Many, many crimped connections in those, and when finished they would be subjected to some of the most hostile environments known to man. There are different crimping tools for different applications, and we didn't bat an eye at spending whatever it took to equip the shop properly - our tool budget was bigger than the shop foreman's salary.

If you were crimping a fully-sleeved connector (like the threaded connectors you solder onto Sullivan cabled, where the crimp portion is a tube) and it's going on a piece of solid wire (like a perforating gun for casing) you darn sure need a "professional" rotary crimper. They crimp the connection every 60 degrees or so, all the way around, all at once. They lock the sleeve onto SOLID wire.

OTOH, for a crimp like is used on our model connectors, where you are folding four "ears" back around and between STRANDS of wire - the ones shown on the above websites are more than adequate. The "professional" rotary won't do the job. Follow the directions and you'll produce crimps that will hold until the wire breaks. Dave Thacker at Radical RC uses the same ones to make custom extensions for himself and customers, and I'd bet Evan does, too.

Soldering is great if - big IF! - it is done correctly. It requires a considerable amount of knowledge and skill to solder that small stuff well. A monkey can learn to make acceptable crimps in five minutes.

da Rock

I had to make up an extension just this morning in order to swap out a bad aileron servo. The crimper and connector parts were sold by CUSTOM ELECTRONICS, 934 E. Houston Ave, Gilbert, AZ 85234 (888)584-6284
They were originally purchased from those people directly. But I've noticed that both my LHSs stock all the stuff. The crimper and parts look identical to the pictures that are in a couple of the posts above this one.

It isn't the simplest thing in modeling, but if you pay attention to detail and can handle TINY, tiny stuff, then it's easy enough to do. If you can't then it's a MAJOR pain and really not worth the effort.

Josey Wales

My Feedback: (61)

Thats the way I do it too--works great

Flylow

I solder too. Works great!

yakman

Soldered connections can be adversely affected by vibration. Just something to consider. I solder and crimp.

bruce88123

Teahu2 is absolutely correct about the dangers of OVER crimping. In the aircraft/aerospace industry our crimpers are routinely calibrated and are of the ratcheting type. Once a crimp is started it must go through a full cycle before the crimper will release the pin so no under-crimping. It also can NOT over-crimp and needs to be reset for each different wire size.

Four Stroker

It is understood that you have to use the correct (calibrated) crimper for the connectors and wire in question. The $8 Radio Shack or the popular $14 ~ $17 crimper isn't going to get the job done. Where do you get them calibrated ?

felker14

My Feedback: (50)

I use this crimper and it works very well.
http://ashtekelectronics.com/shop/se...ol-p29855.html

bruce88123

Most of the cheaper tools can not be calibrated. The operator must develop a feel for the process in that case based upon experience.

dirtybird

My Feedback: (5)

You have to send them in. Don't forget to send in your wrist as they need to be calibrated together.

Ken Cz

HI,
I want to make a few custom length servo extensions.
I have the Radio Shack tool and all the parts but before I start:

Can anyone provide me specific instructions on how to place the servo extension terminal in the jaws of the crimp tool?

A close-up photo would be fantastic but even a detail description of how to do it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Ken

carlosponti

My Feedback: (1)

sounds like Teachu2 might be more of an authority on the subject. fourstroker why do you say, in personal experience, that makes what you say plausible and or reasonably accurate? i would rather hear fact than opinion on the matter. is the 250 dollar tool really worth buying? or why do you believe the 18 dollar tool isn't going to get the job done?

silent flight

Hi all

I bought my wire ,connectors and crimper from CUSTOM ELECTRONICS. I have made dozens with no failures.
IMO you don't need calibration or hi tech tools. You do need good hands, good eyes, and patiance thats all.