Is there someone who sells a 'kit' or tools/connectors/wire to make your own Futaba extensions, 'Y's, etc.? Costs a small fortune to buy this stuff for each plane.

Various mail order outlets have all the stuff needed. Maxx Products, Cermark, and Radical R/C are but a few. I have ordered from all three at one time or another. My preferance is Radical R/C, as the connector sets are identical to OEM. The pins are gold plated all the way up to where the wire crimps. The prices aren't bad either, and the shipping is only $2.00.

http://members.aol.com/davthacker/radicalrcindex.htm

http://www.cermark.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?

http://www.maxxprod.com/

Vince

Thanks Vince, I just bought some made up only to realize I miscalculated and with shipping. $30+ for a few wires!

If you're going to make your own connectors, read this.


Assembling your own Servo connectors

I bought my crimper from Radio Shack and connectors from Dymond. Saved a bunch of money that way.

Your welcome, this is how we all learn.

Vince

Vince:

Radical RC has a new link with online ordering. You can pick up the link at their old site. Thanks, just ordered some connectors.

The LHS here has packages of wire with three wires twisted...
Most of the time I just cut the wires some where in the middle, between the plug and the servo, cut the wire the lenght needed plus an inch or two and solder everything together...heat shrink needs to be put on a ways back on the wire before soldering...
Expert makes a decent priced Y harnes that you can easily lengethen any way ya want it..
Buying the ends and the tool to crimp then are a pain...
Easier and usually cheeper to start out with something already made and 'customise it' to your needs...

Just two cents worth...

I read in a RCM article that after the author switched to 22 gauge wires for extensions all the noise problems he had with his giant scale model went away. Why I don't know but I always use 22 gauge for all my extensions just to be on the safe side.

Ditto

I never really understood why they cost so much. You would think you could get the male and female 6-packs for only a couple of dollars. It's amazing how the little things begin to add up when you put a plane together. Even with an ARF it seems like you are always buying a few things here and a few there. Pretty soon you look back and see that you've spent $100 on upgraded pushrods, clevises, servo extensions, screws, CA, trim sheets, etc. I guess it's just one of those unfortunate aspects of the hobby. But we wouldn't pay it if we didn't love doing it

[QUOTE]Originally posted by coomarlin
[B]I never really understood why they cost so much.

It's one of those things where they know where to buy it in bulk repackage it and jack the price of it up another 50 to 100%


You would think you could get the male and female 6-packs for only a couple of dollars.

Yup, but it's the law of supply and demand... plus being in a specific market area...


It's amazing how the little things begin to add up when you put a plane together. Even with an ARF it seems like you are always buying a few things here and a few there. Pretty soon you look back and see that you've spent $100 on upgraded pushrods, clevises, servo extensions, screws, CA, trim sheets, etc. I guess it's just one of those unfortunate aspects of the hobby. But we wouldn't pay it if we didn't love doing it

True....but IF I wasn't doing this I'd be out doing something else..and probably have nothing left to show for it....even though, I have to stop in front of the trashcan when I unload after a Baaaaaaaadd day...

Wow. I'm really glad I ran across this thread. I need a couple of servo extensions myself and just happen to have two or three pairs of RS232 crimpers for work (I do a lot with serial ports). I guess I never really looked hard at the plug to see what was involved. Thanks all!!!

I tried the connector sets from Dymond, and did not care for them. The main complaint I had was the oddball connector sleeve that didn't fit my charge jack on my switches.

Their pins are not as high quality as Maxx ad Radical R/C either.

ince

I guess I was comparing to the Custom Electronics connector sets. Dymond fared better. The plastic housings on the Custom Electronics was sparse.

I'll have to try RadicalRC next time I buy.

I made some battery connectors for checking the voltage on my rx batteries and for cycling. I think I used 20 gauge wire. They were far better than the Hobbico connectors. I guess for that purpose the Dymond were fine.

Albert

Another source for wires etc....

http://www.rcaccessory.com/

I once made my own servo extensions by splicing in 24" heavy gauge speaker wire between the male and female ends of a servo extension. Worked quite well. Did extensive testing to make sure I had no glitches. Did have to add an extra 3rd wire to the standard 2 wire speaker wire, but found this to be more cost effective than buying the extensions themselves.

Could there be a problem with doing this ?

Cary

mustangman177


No problem at all. I have done this many times in the past. I usually get the wire from Radio Shack.

I read your responses and I still can not decide who has the best housing and pins. Of course anything is better than HOBBICO and that is not the point ,but I have used custom electronic so far and they seems to be OK while you guys are giving me the impression that there are bigger and better stuff out there at lower price, but where ? please share your experience I would suggest to compare your pin and housing to original equipment manufacturer such as JR well that is what I use .thankx

My experience, as stated earlier is that Radical R/C has the highest quality, and most like OEM connectors. I have ordered connectors from a total of four places to date, and I prefer Radical R/C.

Vince