In article .com,
Mad Scientist Jr wrote:
I am looking for a way to make certain components (such as pots &
trimmers, 1/4" phono jacks, switches, or other sub-circuits) "plug and
play" for various prototypes + experiments. Similar to the breadboard
concept but more permanent. Headers like those found on computer
motherboards for connecting power LEDs are small enough where the
leads match the components I'm using and the pins on the motherboard
are just the right size to plug into a solderless breadboard, but are
more durable than breadboard jumper wires.

Rick suggested "daisy chain jumper wire" (see below for a description)
and I did some searching on various sites, but no luck. Can anyone say
what else this might be listed under or where it might be found?

Newsgroups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt,sci.electronics.misc,
rec.radio.amateur.homebrew
From: Rick Frazier
Date: Wed, 30 May 2007 17:34:56 -1000
Local: Wed, May 30 2007 11:34 pm
Subject: motherboard LED connectors and posts?

I think you might be looking for something that was called "daisy
chain
jumper wire" way back in my wire-wrap days. It came as a spool of
flexible, stranded insulated wire about 24 guage or so, with an
insulated single pin socket every 5 inches or so. You just counted
off
the number of jumpers you wanted to interconnect, and snip them off of
the roll. The sockets fit over standard .025" square posts quite
nicely
and allowed testing minor modifications without wrapping on new wires.

They had a multitude of uses. I still have some leds and other things
with single 5" wires attached to each leg (each with it's own socket
at
the end).

I haven't even looked for this stuff for years, and know I hava a half
roll tucked away in a box somewhere. If I could only find it I'd at
least have a part number and manufacturer to provide. I'll see if I
can
dig it out sometime in the next couple of days...

Good Luck
--Rick


As I remember, it was from one of those "if you have to ask the price,
you probably can't afford it" breadboard manufacturers. Augat, or Cambion,
or the like.

Dig, Dig, Dig. Ah, no. It was Berg (part of DuPont). In an old (1994)
Newark catalog I keep for reference, it's "Daisy Chain Jumpers", $215.72
for a chain of 250, either 2.5 or 5 inch spacing.

We used the same crimp terminals at a place I worked at in the '80s.
The hand crimp tool cost about $900. The contact is self contained and
doesn't need any plastic shell to make the contact spring action work.
So the terminals can fit into a shell (like we used them), or work by
themselves, insulated with shrink tubing.

But things aren't that bad, now. They use(/used?) very similar crimp
terminals in the header connectors for PCs, like the plug to hook the
reset button or speaker to the mother board.

Jameco sells this stuff as ".100" Non-Polarized Connector Housings and Crimp
Pins". IMHO, try part 100766. Page 155 in the May 2007 catalog. 12 cents
a terminal and the crimper is only $10.95. Add a little bit of wire and
shrink tube. What a difference 25 years makes...

Mark Zenier
Googleproofaddress(account:mzenier provider:eskimo domain:com)