[Elecraft] APP roll pins

[Don Wilhelm]

Tom and all,

That is quite contrary to my experience.  The APP housings that I have 
purchased (from both PowerWerks and West Mountain Radio) have dovetail 
matings that need quite a bit of force to slide completely together, and 
I lock them with a drop of SuperGlue.  I never had one come apart, and 
that includes the 3 of them that are in constant use on the workbench.  
The ones in the hamshack are more permanent - they are seldom changed.  
I have roll pins and use them only sometimes.  If I use the roll pins, I 
lock the pins in place with a drop of Superglue.

BTW - I just saw evidence that using the 'good' West Mountain crimper is 
not the entire answer.  The crimps this gentleman had made with that 
tool had distorted the connector barrel and tongue severely such that 
good contact was not made.  When we discussed the problem, I found that 
he was using the tool improperly.  So even the proper tool can produce a 
bad job if you do not know what a good crimped connection looks like.  
Unfortunately, West Mountain Radio does not provide any instructions 
with the tool.

73,
Don W3FPR

Tom Hammond wrote:
> I must admit that I have had less than stellar results with the roll pins
> myself... having a number fall out over time. Fortunately none fell into
> 'sensitive' electronic areas... they just fall out...
>
> I didn't have have all that good luck with Super Glues either... not sure
> why, but the several times I tried them did not end well, with the 
> connectors
> STILL coming apart.
>
> I think I like the idea of filling the 'roll pin hole' with hot glue. 
> That
> seems like a much more viable method.
>
> I currently use a short length of #12 solid copper wire, stuck thru 
> the hole
> and then bent (on both ends) around at least two sides of each of the APP
> connector shells. This method allows for a slight amount of movement 
> between
> the shells, but it does keep them together and in a manner which 
> allows for
> complete disassembly if necessary at a later time. It's not terribly 
> 'pretty',
> but it does work.
>
> 73,
>
> Tom Hammond   N0SS
>