Stupid Molex Question

[FrizzleFried]

Amazingly enough,  I've never built a Molex connector.  I recently purchased a connector rebuild kit for my Stern rectifier board (one of my current connectors is actually completely black at one end)...

Is it a matter of just crimping the little metal contacts to wire and slipping them in to the holes of the connector in the proper orientation?   Do I need a special tool?   I realized when I tried to use a screw driver to pull one of the current connectors out that it's not gunna be that easy to remove them and a pin-removal tool is likely needed,  but building them seems like it should be straight forward,  no?

[ChadTower]

It can be done with little screwdrivers and such but will be a lot harder than it has to be.  Since you own so many games it is worth the investment to get a reliable crimper and pin puller.  An occasional use crimper should be fine for you, something in the $20 range.  The pin pullers are only a couple bucks each and can usually be had from the same source.  This is one of those tasks that can take you all afternoon with the wrong tools and 15 minutes with the right tools. 

[Ken Layton]

Pinball connectors and crimping all explained with pictures here:

http://marvin3m.com/connect/index.htm

[shardian]

Are you meaning edge connectors, or the male/female molex plugs. Edge connectors are an impossible and messy PITA without the right tools. Get an inexpensive crimping tool. A true molex crimping tool kicks ass. As to pulling old edge connector pins, the tool is kind of worthless. I use a very small Jewelers flat blade, with the shaft ground down to fit better.

When I first started, I was using a half-ass crimper tool + solder. To remove pins I was using a modified safety pin. It took me like an hour per pin!

[FrizzleFried]

No...molex connectors for my Lightning's rectified board.

[RichSorr]

A cheap pair of crimpers from radio shack will do you just fine. I really like the Sargeants crimping tool from Happ. http://www.happcontrols.com/electrical_supplies/92003200.htm

Radio shacks pin extractors with the thumb press are great. I always just use a razor or a small flathead to extract KK pins though

[GPE]

Good choices for 0.156" crimpers for these contacts are:

W-HT-1919 -- typically about $15 each

Sargent 1028-CT -- which run in the $25 to $30 range (GPE has these at $25)

and

Sargent 3136-CT (AKA Molex HTR-2445A) -- which runs in the $95 to $125 range.

Ease of use is in this same range with the 3136-CT being 'wonderful'.  Holds pins in proper orientation and depth for you, crimps contact and insulation in same crimp.

Make sure to always buy a few extra pins to pratice with.  After a few crimps, it's a fairly easy skill to master.

--- Ed