Making connectors - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

GMB · 7th Jan 2011, 4:38 pm

Does anyone have any good ideas for sorcing materials that might be suitable for making connectors?

What I am thinking about here is, for example, the problem of sourcing one of those smaller Jones connectors (the big ones are still obtainable, the small ones not it seems).

The plug is just a load of blades, so not so hard to make.
The socket must engage with this, so needs some kind of springy thingies to make contact with the blades of the plug. (They are annoyingly not quite the size of the Lucar type blades).
I have never had much luck with this. It seems hard to find materials with the right degree of springiness.
I had wondered if anyone had found some available thing that can be gutted to obtain a kit of suitable contacts. Or any other ideas on this problem?

7th Jan 2011, 7:48 pm

I tend to bite the bullet and replace both sides with some contact inserts. A bit of drilling and epoxy works wonders.

Geoff 555 · 8th Jan 2011, 12:25 pm

Hello I dont know the size of the pins etc. that you want but have a look at Vehicle Wiring Products Ltd. (Google.) in particular the connector blocks/housings section. Pt. numbers. 192174 and 5962. If these are of no use then could you kindly put up the measurements please, that would help and voltage/current needs.
Thank you.
Cheers.
Geoff.

7th Jan 2011, 4:38 pm	#1
GMB Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: near Reading (and sometimes Torquay) Posts: 3,100	Making connectors Does anyone have any good ideas for sorcing materials that might be suitable for making connectors? What I am thinking about here is, for example, the problem of sourcing one of those smaller Jones connectors (the big ones are still obtainable, the small ones not it seems). The plug is just a load of blades, so not so hard to make. The socket must engage with this, so needs some kind of springy thingies to make contact with the blades of the plug. (They are annoyingly not quite the size of the Lucar type blades). I have never had much luck with this. It seems hard to find materials with the right degree of springiness. I had wondered if anyone had found some available thing that can be gutted to obtain a kit of suitable contacts. Or any other ideas on this problem?

7th Jan 2011, 7:48 pm	#2
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Making connectors I tend to bite the bullet and replace both sides with some contact inserts. A bit of drilling and epoxy works wonders.

8th Jan 2011, 12:25 pm	#3
Geoff 555 Heptode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 981	Re: Making connectors Hello I dont know the size of the pins etc. that you want but have a look at Vehicle Wiring Products Ltd. (Google.) in particular the connector blocks/housings section. Pt. numbers. 192174 and 5962. If these are of no use then could you kindly put up the measurements please, that would help and voltage/current needs. Thank you. Cheers. Geoff.