Wirning harness pictorial needed

[Hoot]

I have tried to make my own wiring harness using the DB9 computer connector but my soldering skills are not that great. Anybody out there talented enough to build a wiring harness and post several pictures of the process so the rest of us can follow along?
I have a great computer parts store near my house. They have the DB9 plug without pins. You crimp the pins on the wire then shove the pins into the DB9 housing. Nobody at the store can tell me which crimping tool to buy or how to do the crimping. I bought a Custom electronic crimping tool years ago but I screwed up so many pins that I figured it was cheaper to go ahead and buy servo extensions made by pros.
S Gibson

[vintage1]

DB9's are a pain even if you ARE good at soldering!

I never liked the crimp on type..we used to solder wires to the pins and push them in..soldering wires to the already assembled ones is a bit of a nightmare. You have to insert the wire stripped just enough, then feed solder in from the side till it wicks down inside..and heatshrink each pin as you go.

[Bearded Flyer]

You could try to find an old computer device mouse/modem that has a DB9 cable attached. You could then cut off the cable and solder the wires to your project instead of to the connector. You could even buy a DB9 extension cable and use that.

Richard

[The Fonz]

Hoot,

I think you are getting frustrated................

1-use a 15 watt or smaller iron. These pins are small and take heat really well
2-measure the depth of the well on the pin(area you push the wire in)
3-pre tin the pin. This means you need something to hold the pin. A clothespeg or something will work. Don't worry about if you use some metal hemostats, these pins are so small they will heat up instantly.
4-strip the insulation off the wire............1/8" to 1/2". this makes it easier to tin and work with.
5-cut the tinned wire to length with good small pliers. The insulation should start immediately behind the pin when the wire is inserted into the pin.
6-With the iron on the backside of the pin, the solder will melt very quickly.
7.Push the tinned wire into the pin and see the solder liquify all over and quickly remove the iron.
8-Hold the wire momentarily and then it will be set


I know you have probably read tons on soldering but if you do a couple of more practice attempts youll get it.

Speed is critical. Too much and the wire insulation melts, too little and you can't push the wire in and the joint is poor.

The trick is to pre tin both pieces............the pin and the wire.

If you still need the pictures let me know and I will see what I can do to.

Ps1- if you are using a db9..............22awg would be the biggest wire size I would use. If you want to use larger wire ,ensure you have pins with the small vent hole. These are available but usually, around here, have to be ordered.

ps2-If you are fast enough, then you won't burn your fingers holding and pushing in the wire.

Good Luck

The Fonz

[Hoot]

I bought a Weller WLC 100 soldering station with an adjustable heat control. I also bought a small, flat nosed tip that is about 1/16th of an inch wide (#SB8) and an Optimizer brand magnifying headset.
I plan on doing some practice soldering this weekend.
Hoot