tortoise switch machine 8 position terminal strip - where can i buy the terminal strip
Loy’s Toys (http://www.loystoys.com/loystoys/tortoise-conn-key.html)
Qnty Item Description Price Extended
10 Tort-con Card-edge connector $2.00 $20.00
These are 10-position (Torti have 8). The “Tort-keys” are to block off the extra 2 positions so you don’t plug it in the wrong way (which you CAN do with an 8-pos.conn!)
If you ordr on-line you may see a high shipping charge, but Loy’s only charges the minimum actual cost ($2 if I remember my order for 10).
Duh! Was not thinking. 10-position connectors can also be put on the wrong way.
Digi-Key http://www.digikey.com/
Any electronics/computer parts supply house, such as http://www.allelectronics.com or http://www.mouser.com or http://www.goldmine-elec.com by purchasing a standard card edge connector. Unused contacts can be blocked out by gluing a piece of plastic into one end of the socket. You can then paint the blocked out end of the socket and the side of your Tortoise a matching color such as red or yellow to indicate which way the socket has to go on.
For those of you who don’t read MR very carefully, check page 35 of the Jan. 2005 issue, top of the column. There are two sources listed.
Bob Hayes
I prefer to use either straight or right angle headers and housings with crimp pins. Solder the header onto the tortoises before instalation. After installing the tortoise and have wiring ready: strip, crimp, then insert. To remove the pin from the housing, pu***he tab and pull the wire.