What do you do when you do not have a connector?

Electronics
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You make one!

I have a Zebra printer that uses a serial cable. I am wanting to play with it with an Arduino. The cable averages $40.00. Since I only paid $5.00 for the printer and not sure what I will do with it, I decided to make my own. The connector is not standard and the closest one I think would work is $6.00 quantity one and would be gamble.

Here is the connector

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The first hurdle was finding pins that would work. I found a few connectors in my junk drawer that the pins fit. I removed the pins from the connectors and soldered them onto wires.

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I then covered the connector in the printer with blue tape.

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Used a pin to poke holes

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Used a piece of overhead projector transparency to outline the socket. (remember those?!)
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Added the pins

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Filled in around the pins with lots of hot glue and then removed.
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Since it will not be inserted and removed often, it should hold up for what I need.

5 Likes
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Nice hack. :slightly_smiling_face:. Maybe add a piece of heat shrink?

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That is on the to do list. I was just excited that it worked!

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Nice solution. I did the same for some hard to get special connectors a few times.

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Use epoxy or acrylic for the body.
I had the same problem with the slide projector project but gave up and solved it another way (wired in directly).
Your clever use of tape to close off the connectors bottom and space the pins is brilliant.

Thanks; This will go into my arsenal of DIY hacks…

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OMG, overhead transparency?!? How long have you had that lying around?!? :rofl: :nerd_face: :+1:

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A pack has lasted me a lifetime it seems!

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Such a good idea! I wonder if something like Sugru would do similar (just cos I love the feeling of it!)