Looking for advice on fashioning a connector...

[vttom]

My apologies in advance if this is only tangentially related to PICAXE...

I have a PICAXE project (in fact, it uses a pair of PICAXEs) that interfaces to a SEIKO timer. Unfortunately, the data port I'm interfacing with has a proprietary connector. I have searched high and low, far and wide, and cannot find anyone that carries this connector. I'm also thinking that it is so rare that if I did eventually find it, it would be prohibitively expensive.

So, I've resolved to the fact that I'll need to build my own. I'm wondering if anyone on this forum has any advice or can point me to any resources.

Basically, I'm thinking along the lines of creating a mold, sticking in some pins soldered to wires, and then injecting some kind of liquid plastic or resin that will harden.

Take a look at the attached for the connector I am trying to duplicate. Take a note of the standard DB9 which is also in the same picture to get a sense of scale. It is small, and the pins are fine-pitch.

 

[xnederlandx]

That seems rather hard.

Is it possible to open up the seiko timer and either solder in a different connector or just run wires directly from the Picaxe to SEIKO timer PCB?

 

[papaof2]

There are a couple of molding products that might work for making your own connector.

Shapelock http://shapelock.com/ melts in hot water and can be formed to almost any shape. Their website offers a 35 gram sample for $4.95US for shipping - probably enough to make the connector you need.

Magic-Sculp is $15US plus shipping for one pound:
http://www.sculpt.com/catalog_98/CastingMaterials/magicsculp0001.htm

In any case, check that the molding material will not stick to the original connector while it hardens (check package directions for proper release agents to use) and be sure that the pins you embed in the molding material have some type of collar or barb to keep them from sliding out of the connector when they have been connected/disconnected enough times to loosen them from the molding material.

John

 

[Technical]

Can you just attach to the 9 way D end and use the cable you already have?

 

[BeanieBots]

Could it be one of these
http://cgi.ebay.com/8-Pin-Mini-DIN-S-Video-Y-Adapter-Splitter-Cable-1M-/-2F_W0QQitemZ270329678890QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090113?IMSfp=TL090113113005r32866

Or the other sex of one of these
http://www.planetomni.com/CABLE_SCART_scart46.shtml

Looks very much like a video connector.
Maybe try searching under video or maybe get mini-din-s-video plug and "modify" with a little butchery.

 

[vttom]

Can you just attach to the 9 way D end and use the cable you already have?

I don't have the actual connector, just a picture of it. Although I do have the device it "mates" to, which is the whole reason for this project. That round 8-pin plug is the one I'm trying to duplicate.

 

[vttom]

Could it be one of these
http://cgi.ebay.com/8-Pin-Mini-DIN-S-Video-Y-Adapter-Splitter-Cable-1M-/-2F_W0QQitemZ270329678890QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090113?IMSfp=TL090113113005r32866

It's definitely not a standard DIN connector.

Or the other sex of one of these
http://www.planetomni.com/CABLE_SCART_scart46.shtml

Looks very much like a video connector.
Maybe try searching under video or maybe get mini-din-s-video plug and "modify" with a little butchery.

Interesting. This looks promising.

 

[vttom]

There are a couple of molding products that might work for making your own connector.

Shapelock http://shapelock.com/ melts in hot water and can be formed to almost any shape. Their website offers a 35 gram sample for $4.95US for shipping - probably enough to make the connector you need.

Magic-Sculp is $15US plus shipping for one pound:
http://www.sculpt.com/catalog_98/CastingMaterials/magicsculp0001.htm

In any case, check that the molding material will not stick to the original connector while it hardens (check package directions for proper release agents to use) and be sure that the pins you embed in the molding material have some type of collar or barb to keep them from sliding out of the connector when they have been connected/disconnected enough times to loosen them from the molding material.

John

I've been to my local arts & crafts store and they have a couple of products like this, so I plan to try 1 or 2 out once I get my hands on some electrical contacts which mate properly with the pins.

 

[Dippy]

You said that the small end in the picture is the thing you're trying to duplicate. And you said "pins". That image looks female to me. i.e. 8 receptacles in the holes?
Or is it just the shine that makes them look like that? (Or my eyes?).

 

[manuka]

Nothing to it! Over the years I've rustled up all manner of plugs & adapters using hot melt glue, IC header pins & even sockets "chomped" to size. A hot air gun allows easy remoulding. Epoxy is often too tricky for prototypes, & hot melt glue can be readily worked while still very warm too - near impossible with epoxy of course.

In this case 8 snapped off header pins (or IC socket pins if female needed),positioned suitably then hot melt glued into a final cluster,should readily do the trick. If spacing too tight use fine insulating heatshrink, & cover the final job with wider heat shrink for a professional finish. See my buddy Kahu making an early (2002!) PICAXE programming leading this way => http://www.picaxe.orconhosting.net.nz/pickahu.jpg