Wire Wrap electronics construction

[@TheDradge]

I worked at a Marconi semiconductor plant in the 80s. We used wire wrapping on loads of prototype boards. Good to see this old tech resurrected!

[@falsedragon33]

This brings a lot of memories back. I wired-wrapped thousands of DSX panels. Although I had the electric gun. Wire wrap and lacing.

[@aviandragon1390]

Thank you for demonstrating. It is always good to have more techniques at one's disposal. This would seem to be a good way to connect remote indicator LEDs where soldering is tedious and there is usually a fair bit of plastic in close proximity.

[@jsmythib]

I have been a electronics hobbyist for 30+ years...I was only vaguely aware this technique existed. I am surprised not to see it more with circuit diy'ers. My bet is, the discovery of the technique hasnt been made. Very cool share. A very old, but very useful potential method.

[@andrewwatts1997]

I Use it for more of my prototypes! Saves soldering. And the end result is pretty good.

[@jsmythib]

I also learned that the pressure of the wire against the post is enough to surface weld itself together over time. So thats something :)

[@AndrewShevchuk]

It is easier to make a printed circuit board using photoresist and a photomask. It takes me about 20 minutes from start to finished double-sided printed circuit board (without drilling).

[@MrWaalkman]

The cost of the wire-wrap sockets is part of the problem. And any goof is usually a painful thing to fix. That said, I have everything but motivation to do my own WW boards. :)

[@edgars53]

Really nice high-resolution video on the subject. Thank you!

[@RJTC]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@borisj4054]

Good when the signal speeds were not too high. Lots of Inductance and stray capacitances. Remember this from the Eighties at work. Never used it for hobby, making a pcb was easier. Wire rap worked by forming a cold weld on each corner of the pin. Very reliable connection.

[@RJTC]

Capacitance should be lower than with a PCB? (Or at least a ground plane one, which I always use for such as this). I've used it with 160MHz digital circuits without problems. From Wikipedia: "Wire wrap was used for assembly of high frequency prototypes and small production runs, including gigahertz microwave circuits and supercomputers. It is unique among automated prototyping techniques in that wire lengths can be exactly controlled, and twisted pairs or magnetically shielded twisted quads can be routed together."

[@timc3600]

I'm a big fan off Wire Wrap, I've built many complex boards with it and it was a great way to builds prototypes with DIL devices, but now, with the cost of PCB's being so cheap and with surface mount being so common, its just easier to build a PCB. I now find that I'm using old wire-wrap wire for bodge wires on prototype PCB's.

[@MikeKotsagrelos]

picked up a pistol style wrapper at a fleamarket last week for 10 bucks ....super nice tool....kicking myself for not getting one sooner

[@RJTC]

They are definitely nice tools

[@vitharana1996]

Thanks a lot for sharing your experience

[@viditibi]

Nice video, can you make a video showing the full process from the ground up? I see sockets are solded at some pins, I suppose it's for fixing the socket structurally

[@RJTC]

I usually solder the corner pins just for fixing - though they are often power & ground as well. Also, I solder any pins that will have direct component connections, as it's simpler to do that than have link wires, where it is avoidable. I'll see what I can do for a full construction video, at some point?

[@viditibi]

@@RJTC I never used wire wrapping construction technique so I would like to see the full process, from planing the chips distribution and "backplanes" or buses to making traces (are all made of wires or some are made with solder or even with air soldering?) and also if components must be prepared in any way . Thank you very much for your videos.

[@mitsuruyamada]

I use that same strip tool. It is easy to use and I like it!

[@jamesharris8951]

Yikes! My nightmare!! Was my first job as an engineering aid at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography (SIO) back in the early 80's. I'll say some prayers for you if you're doing rework on that thing lol.

[@RJTC]

They are my construction, so no problem!

[@briancarruthers1738]

This is what is used for electronics bay junction box in Boeing 747-400 onward. Bloody annoying if you need to access the lowest wrap

[@gerykis]

nice video . What is the type , model of that stripper tool ? I would like to get one .

[@RJTC]

It's an "OK Industries" ST100-30 I've had this one for decades.. A quick look shows the price new at anything from around 60- to £132 / $150+; Zoro tools is about the cheapest I could see. Or from about $20 on ebay etc.

[@gerykis]

@@RJTC Thanks , I found on mouser for 73,39 € under a name ST-100-2830 Jonard Industries

[@jett888]

They are now charging between 36-42+ us dollars for those wire wrapper

[@RJTC]

They are silly prices at some electronics suppliers, but you can still get them for around £10 - £12 if you search different sites - eg. Aliexpress

[@bullygram]

Can we use wire that falls between 30 and 26 AWG?

[@RJTC]

You could, if you got a wrapping tool or bit intended for that gauge, and it was not so thick that it distorted or twisted the pin rather than wrap properly. The original full-size wire wrap system used 26WG if I remember right, but with rather larger connecting pins; the newer "miniwrap" standard as most parts are now for, is intended to be used with 30AWG wire.

[@ChandrashekarCN]

💖💖💖💖

[@davidfalconer8913]

But an absolute ( nightmare ) to reuse the components ( ? ) ................ DAVE™🛑

[@RJTC]

It un-wraps as easily as it wraps, leaving the pins ready for re-use. You only need new wire! I generally just solder the corner pins to hold the sockets in place, unless they need conventional components connected to them as well.