I got that from them and thought the same thing, “Oh Lord, they’re a readin’ the forums!”
Actually, probably a coincidence… [:D]
JaRRell
Maybe if we talk about, say…despruing tweezers, MM will knock off 5 dollars or so on their asking price for them. [;)]
I have to say that if it wasn’t for these connectors I would have just given up any idea of building a big layout. I am amazed at how much wiring I can get done with them in a short amount of time. There is some skill to get them installed right every time, but I learned that a lot faster than I learned how to get a good solder joint, and I don’t have to mess around with trying to get the insulation off the wires to get it ready to solder. The only problem I have now is that the local Lowes does not have them and the Home Depots (we have 3 nearby, 6 in a short driving distance) will only get a couple of packs at a time.
I’ve been using a variety of crimp-on and snap-on connectors for the last 11 years and find them faster and more reliable than solder. I’ve experienced very few failures, mostly where I did not crush a crimp-on connector well because of working in an awkward position.
Our previous layout, built with my father in his basement, lasted from 1953 to 1995. This is enough time to show the shortcomings of soldered joints . Vibration from switch machines causes old solder to crack. Joints soldered with “non corrosive” flux do corrode after decades in a damp basement. Whatever tape covered the solder to insulate it from accidental contact with another joint dries and falls off.
They want 31 cents each - You can get them for 19-21 cents each from most electronic firms(line Mouser, Digikey, etc…)
Jim Bernier