Post #2482096

2026-05-12 15:08 UTC

I recently learned about wire wrap connections. They&#39;re fast, easy, strong, and make good contact. Developed by Bell Labs for early phone switching, by they 50&#39;s it was a standard in electronics, and was later used by Apple and IBM in their early computer prototypes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_wrap This seems totally ideal for #diy #electronics projects and prototypes. Plus, no soldering iron required!

Replies (8)

@tomootes@pixelfed.social 2026-05-12 15:15

simple yet effective!

Open ##3143470
@klausman@mas.to 2026-05-12 15:25

@n8foo@macaw.social ...until come repair time, when you have to undo it, and the find that a) someone put solder on it b) the wire has gone brittle, so you're left with fragments c) the other end is directly connected to a transformer winding, and you don't have enough cable to re-strip, but the "wrap" part is all bent and mangled from the first wrap and can't be reused. Granted, one can unsolder the post rather than unwrap, but for maintainability and during diag, nothing beats a good header+connector.

Open ##3143471
@secretasianman@types.pl 2026-05-12 15:27

@n8foo@macaw.social *makes wire wrap gun sounds*

Open ##3143473
@beeftacos@famichiki.jp 2026-05-12 15:44

@n8foo@macaw.social For small. little prototype projects, I actually prefer wire-wrap over soldering. I'm surprised that it has died out.

Open ##3143474
@vikingperson@hachyderm.io 2026-05-12 16:14

@n8foo@macaw.social I used wago nuts recently, pretty cool https://www.wago.com/us/f/221-series-levernuts#product

Open ##3143475
@13pt8plus@mastodon.social 2026-05-12 18:54

@n8foo@macaw.social Yes! I have used these for projects, but not for a while. I still have the little hand-wrapper tool thingy around there somewhere. I love how wiki even has a picture of the horror-show that was the original production-use of wrapping. I am so glad I didn't have to do that much of it myself!

Open ##3143477
@cda@macaw.social 2026-05-12 22:50

@n8foo@macaw.social If you went to a CSU for computer engineering in the late 90s/early 00s, several of your projects were wire wrapped. There was also Roadrunner which was soldered but was this kind of awesome point-to-point enameled wire routing pen (with a connected spool). The system included these slick wire-ways.

Open ##3143478
@vk2tty@mastodon.radio 2026-05-13 22:41

@n8foo@macaw.social yay, wire wrap! I’ve tried wire wrap a few times to chain modules with 0.1” square headers. Electrically solid, quick, and reversible. Only gripe so far: the connections are mechanically weak. The 30AWG single core fatigues and snaps at the joint. On my next attempt, I reckon I’ll 3D print a module socket to provide strain relief for the wires and cover the pins.

Open ##3143480