Making Interconnects

[Alex2507]

So I got my hands on the Parts Express toy for stripping RG-6 Quad, a mess of connectors and the compression tool. I could use some tips on setting up the stripper blades and dimensions needed for the compression connectors. My real problem is that I'm crunched for time. I need to set up my sister's HT in a few short days before I go back home.

 

[adk highlander]

Hey Alex.

The tool I received from them had an extra piece of paper in the actual package that had the dimensions on it. It looked like it was put in as an after thought and maybe yours did not have it. I'm at work now but I can send you the specs when I get home.

Are you doing RCA and F-Type connections?

 

[Alex2507]

Hey Alex.

The tool I received from them had an extra piece of paper in the actual package that had the dimensions on it. It looked like it was put in as an after thought and maybe yours did not have it. I'm at work now but I can send you the specs when I get home.

Are you doing RCA and F-Type connections?

Yep, I'm doing both. I appreciate the help. After reading the back of the packages for the stripper and compression tool I kind of have an idea of what to do. One thing I am wondering about is whether or not the RG-6 needs to have the shielding left on the dielectric after the blade cuts off the exterior jacket. It seems like the stripper comes pre-adjusted for exactly what I need it for. I'll snoop around a little more before I start compressing connectors.

 

[adk highlander]

I did not leave the sheilding on. The one thing that is a pain is how far you will need to push the RCA compression connectors onto the wire. I had to really force it to get it on far enough. The first one I did I did not push it on far enough and when I compressed the connector it stayed in the tool and the wire dropped to the floor.

 

[Alex2507]

I found this and am posting it here just to be able to find it again.

http://www.swhowto.com/CoaxStrip.htm

The link in the first article shows the PE stripper in action but for a crimp fitting. I'm off to see how it goes.

 

[adk highlander]

Ok I have the sheet. I wish I had a scanner and I'd just post it with the drawings but oh well.

Cable prep for compression design connectors.

Expose 6.5mm center conductor for F connector and 5mm for RCA or BNC. Remove 6mm of jacket to expose 6mm of braid and dielectric. (Do not cut braid (whoops ) or score center conductor)

Fold exposed braid back over jack. Leave foil attached to dielectric.

For Quad shield cable: Fold outer braid back over jacket, rimove outer foil, fold inner braid back over jacket.

RCA/BNC are blind entry connectors that require a mark on the cable to insure proper cable insertion. The onnector itself can be used as a guide length. Mark at 16mm back on the jacket.

Show some pics of what you made when you are done.

Cheers,

Craig

 

[Alex2507]

I've got pic's but can't post them till I get home.
I have more pic's of the wires than I do of my relatives.

 

[highfigh]

I did not leave the sheilding on. The one thing that is a pain is how far you will need to push the RCA compression connectors onto the wire. I had to really force it to get it on far enough. The first one I did I did not push it on far enough and when I compressed the connector it stayed in the tool and the wire dropped to the floor.

If your coax is RG-6 Quad Shield, it's definitely going to be hard to insert. If it's regular RG-6, make sure the ends aren't for RG-59. If you're using BNC, make sure they aren't for RG-58, although I don't think PE sells anything for computer networks, other than Cat5e/6.

 

[Alex2507]

1. It starts like this:

I had the cable pass the nib on the cutter housing by an 1/8" but by the time I spun the cutter it ended up 1/4" past the nib.

After pulling off the cut material and folding back the shielding it looks like this:

I didn't worry much about the shielding as the connector has a ferule looking piece that jams up in between the jacket and dielectric making what I would think would be a very reliable connection. Lots of the braid ends up breaking off.

2. The little piece of duct tape is a reference to show where the different parts end up when I push the cable in the connector.

3. This is before and after compression. Notice the thickness of the blue band. This is an F connector in here but it's the same deal. You use a different adapter supplied with the compression tool for RCA connectors.

4. With the F connector I jammed the dielectric up until it was even with the end of that little tunnel.

Then I cut the center conductor off.

The RCA connectors are a done deal after the crimp.

5. Custom lengths are something else and the RG-6 Quadshield is fantastic because it doesn't droop. I'm only posting this last pic to show off. I wish that my system at home looked like this: (See next post)

 

[Alex2507]

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Dang, that is a clean install. Please head to my house to fix my mess.

 

[adk highlander]

Everything looks great. Nicely done with the step-by-step pics.

Now that you are home you will have to do all of yours like that now.

What was the gear list your sister ended up with?

 

[Alex2507]

Dang, that is a clean install. Please head to my house to fix my mess.

I would if I could. I'm proud as a peacock of that job. One thing I just thought of with the RG-6 Quadshield is that it would not do well in an enclosed space. It's too stiff to be bent sharply. RG-59 would be much better. I'm pretty sure it's okay for video and digital coax connections but I would read up on it again over at BJC. However that's not an issue if you use HDMI and fiber optic.

Everything looks great. Nicely done with the step-by-step pics.

Now that you are home you will have to do all of yours like that now.

What was the gear list your sister ended up with?

Thanks Craig. My stuff already works and I'm fine with the quality of the cables so it stays as is. All the tools and cable stayed down in OK just in case her two grown sons decide they want to take their HDTV's to the next level.

My sister got the Panny TH-50PZ85U because of bandphan and annunaki.

Yammy 663 and polk RTi-6 L&R with matching center from Speakerman 39 with some pretty nice Sanus stands that he recommended.

4 Behringer B2030P's for surrounds and a couple of Dayton 12" subs based on what WmAx has had to say about them.

A PS3 from Walmart that came with a $100 gift card thanks to j_garcia being on top of all things Blu-ray.

It all gets plugged into an APC H-10 that she saved I think $80 on due to Adam being wicked good at finding deals.

Major looser gets the credit for the cable solution. The devices I hooked up with that are her old players just in case somebody wants to play a VHS or a CD-R which the PS3 doesn't seem to do.

A jacket stripper and automatic wire stippers really helped on the speaker wires.

 

[jamie2112]

Damn the monkey did a great job on that Alex. How did you train him to build cables? Amazing just amazing what you can teach a monkey these days. And to think the only job they used to do was dancing with a cup for money....

 

[highfigh]

One thing I just thought of with the RG-6 Quadshield is that it would not do well in an enclosed space. It's too stiff to be bent sharply. RG-59 would be much better. I'm pretty sure it's okay for video and digital coax connections but I would read up on it again over at BJC. However that's not an issue if you use HDMI and fiber optic.

RG-6 Quad is generally needed only when there's a lot of RF interference, but it works in most normal applications, with the stiffness being the only real downside. I, and others who use them all day in large jobs, have found that the gray stripper you have works best for RG-59 and non-Quad shield because it has two blades. Ideal makes a slightly larger one with three blades, which makes inserting the wire much easier because it cuts the dielectric, braid and cover separately. The braid is folded back, over the cover and then the connector goes on.

Here's a photo:
http://www.twacomm.com/catalog/model_45-520.htm?sid=0A6AA9E798C2F34A5411764D505C5FB0

DO NOT pay this much. Home Depot sells them for much less but make sure it's the 3 blade version if you buy one.

Cable stiffness is a real problem in some racks and makes concealment difficult in open racks. Nice job.

 

[Alex2507]

Thanks highfigh. I got the one I got because I PE carried it. Major Looser was my inspiration but he now has other ideas which I will leave to him to share. Cost effectiveness and not being aware of all the options is why I chose to go the way that I did. Should I need to gear up again to do anything like that at home I would have to re-evaluate the costs and weigh them against ease of assembly. Knowing which wire-connector-compression tool-stripper combo is one thing but having to figure it all out and then make an order is kind of tough. Especially when you're doing it for the first time, on somebody else's dime and don't want to look like a monkey.

 

[highfigh]

Thanks highfigh. I got the one I got because I PE carried it. Major Looser was my inspiration but he now has other ideas which I will leave to him to share. Cost effectiveness and not being aware of all the options is why I chose to go the way that I did. Should I need to gear up again to do anything like that at home I would have to re-evaluate the costs and weigh them against ease of assembly. Knowing which wire-connector-compression tool-stripper combo is one thing but having to figure it all out and then make an order is kind of tough. Especially when you're doing it for the first time, on somebody else's dime and don't want to look like a monkey.

I bought my gray stripper at Radio Shack, mainly because I needed it in a hurry and was working with RG-59 and RG-6, non-Quad shield, but I ended up trying to use it for Quad, and that's when I found out how hard it is to insert the cable. Unfortunately, I found out on a job that needed close to 100 ends in a structured wire enclosure, so after killing my hands, I ended up using someone else's for part of it.

 

[Alex2507]

so after killing my hands

Uh, yeah.
Even though I have monster paws my widdle fingies were smarting pretty good.
I wasn't gonna say anything about that cause I didn't want the other kids to think I was a pussy.