I have a little Dremel vice I used for IDC connectors…but a few months ago gave in and got one of those handheld crimpers…totally worth it! So much quicker and easier to use I wish I had got it years ago!
Though I must admit over the past year my crimper collection has grown frighteningly quick. I spent years improvising with tiny needle nose pliers and a magnifier or with cheap non ratcheting crimpers with poorly made stamped dies. I finally decided it was worth it to invest in proper crimpers:
It started a few years ago with the iwiss SN-2549 (2nd from the right) that sounded like the best option for dupont and jst connectors. But I quickly got frustrated with them and set them aside - I was able to make better quicker crimps by hand still. But about a year ago I tried them again and finally found the trick. They aren’t perfect for duponts…but with a bit of practice they do work.
Then all last year the rest joined the family. A set of iwiss crimpers for automotive style heat shrink covered connectors I got to help with updating the wiring on my sandrail. Then the iwiss anderson powerpole connectors for a few radio projects that used power poles, then the funky square crimper for wire ferules I got when re-wiring my CO2 laser to re-create the nice ferules it had from the factory (and which I’ve since found is incredibly useful for other special crimps as well.) and finally the IDC crimper.
I think there may be one or two others laying around as well…but these were within arms reach
And I have to admit. After years of improvising it’s so much nicer to have proper tools. But…I’m still looking for a better affordable dupont crimper…the SN-2549 that started this connection is serviceable…but far from perfect. I’ve heard the Engineers PA-09 are supposed to be really nice…but $40 for non-ratcheting crimpers with cast but not machined dies just doesn’t seem promising.
@d42kn355@analogoutput
From what I discovered Emilie only created these module testers as a DIY project. They were available as kits on the MI site back when they were just a DIY company. She updated the schematic to v2 in 2018 (I believe that was the year) to convert the output to DC because people were having a hard time finding AC adapaters. The case template I had started with had not been updated, which I didn’t know at the time, and still had it listed as a 12V AC jack output. Unfortunately I realized this after I had my case made. I also discovered that there should be a couple of changes to the case design for the MIDI and audio outs in the back and two holes should be drilled on the top for two trimmers that you can adjust for scale and offset.
I had ponoko.com make my case for me. If enough people are interested in building this tester, which can also be a synth source, and they want to get a case made then the price will drop significantly per case and it becomes extremely affordable.
I’m happy to update the case design and post the files if anyone wants to get one made. Or if people want to do a group buy on the cases I’m happy to coordinate that as well. The module is all through hole parts.
wheyyy!!! yeah you’ll never look back with that thing!!! speeds up the whole ordile quite a chunk too :D. I glued the bottom yellow thing down to it mind! cus only ever needed one side and every time I went to grab it the yellow thing had fallen off and disappeared somewhere!
Just saw that someone has a MI Module Tester on Reverb that was functioning but is no longer. If anyone is up for fixing it you can pick it up for pretty cheap.
i’ve just build my stripboard version of it and it’s a very fun module, you can use it like a classic Envelope Generator, but with his 7 wave form and delay … a lot of ways to experiment
