SOLDER LINKS

[W2PFY]

Years ago when I was working repairing electronic organs we had some neat little solder links. They were coiled wire coated with solder. If you had a tight space to work and need to replace a resistor or a capacitor. All you did was leave a pig tail, slide the solder link onto the pigtail and then the cap or resistor onto the other end and heat.


Does anyone know what these things were called and where to get them.  They sure would be handy to anyone in a repair or restoration project.

[W7TFO]

Made by Sprague, called "Queegs".  Used to come with their small caps in the little flat plastic boxes.

Dunno about where to get them nowadays.

73DG

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I think you can still buy solder plated wire, or you can plate your own wire, and make your own links.

[W1RKW]

We use solder sleeves at work which are solder with shrink tubing. They work nicely.  Just need a heat gun.

[WA1GFZ]

Bob,
Make your own with wire wrap wire or small bus wire. Then just solder them.
Those blue solder sleeves are kind of big for a resistor or cap lead.

[W1RKW]

we mostly use them for wiring in a box.  Definitely no good for small PCB type work.

[KA8WTK]

If I am replacing an old wax/paper cap with a new one, I cut the lead near the solder lug leaving a 1/4" or so. I then coil the lead of the new cap around the lead left on the old cap. The coiled lead then slips over the lead left at the solder lug. They fit good and solder easily.

BTW, I have some of those old Sprague coils around here.

KA8WTK

[W2PFY]

Wow, glad to hear that some of you knew exactly what I was talking about. I Google-ed them every way I could think of and came up empty. I think I'll get a steal rod and wrap #24 tinned wire around it and try dipping them into a solder vat. What would be better than steel so the solder would not stick to it? Maybe form them and then dip?

[Ed/KB1HYS]

That's what I do when recapping or replacing old components. I put some 'piano' wire into a dowel to form a handle, then I form the new components lead around that making a tight coil.  Cut out the old cap leaving as much lead as possible, slip the coil over and solder. Trim. done, neat and quick, and I don't have to desolder a 50yr old joint with 5 or 6 wires in it.   

We use those solder sleeves (heat gun type) at work. They're ok for wire splicing and such, but on components... just too dang big. Not to mention that the heat gun needs to get the wires and all hot enough to melt solder, but it also is heating up everything around it as well.

[KA0HCP]

I picked up a great tnip from a 1995 AWA radio restoration workshop on YouTube.

Cut out the old component leaving a short stub.

Use a 'pin vise' which is a handle with a collet for very small drill bits.  Take a small bit that is a tad larger than the wire leads and place it backwards into the collet leaving you a smooth cylinder to wrap on.

Place the end of the new component lead into the crack of the collet; just enough to provide a grip.  Then pull the wire at 90deg and wrap the lead two or three times around the bit.  Remove from the pin vise; trim the small tab.

This gives you a very professional look.

[Ralph W3GL]

   That is a great way to make the new connection without screwing
   with cleaning the original soldered joint...  Thanks for passing it on.

[W2VW]

Captain Queeg: Ahh, but the strawberries that's... that's where I had them. They laughed at me and made jokes but I proved beyond the shadow of a doubt and with... geometric logic... that a duplicate key to the wardroom icebox DID exist, and I'd have produced that key if they hadn't of pulled the Caine out of action. I, I, I know now they were only trying to protect some fellow officers...