bit-tech.net

xen0morph · 3rd May 2003, 19:55

How to make your own rounded cables!

This is just a quick guide on making your own rounded IDE cables. Apologies if this is a bit too brief, but I threw it together in a few minutes. Enjoy!

Thanks to zquack.net for the hosting.

Why would you want to round your IDE cables?

If you round your IDE cables, you can increase airflow through your system - which means better cooling

This is a fairly simple mod, so even a beginner can do it.

Good luck!

What you need

- A sharp craft knife - I use a utility knife.
- A cable - this speaks for itself! I have tried this with 40-conductor and 80-conductor IDE cables and FDD cables with success.
- Some tubing - I used a spare length of bloo washing machine hose (!) i had lying around. You may or may not need a hacksaw or other implement to cut this. (I did.)
- Some electrical tape - whatever colour you like. I suggest black or whatever contrasts with your chosen tubing colour.
- Some cable ties.

How to do it!

1. Put your cable on a hard surface. Please note that you probably will cause scratches in it, so don't put it on your veneered pine floor

2. Decide on an interval to cut to the cable. For 80-pin cables use 5 or 10, for 40-pin or FDD cables use 4.
3. Carve up your cable! Make a relatively wide incision every interval. Then pull the cable apart slowly at each incision. You should end up with a bunch of seperated wires.
If you make an incision in the insulation of any wire, just put a bit of tape on it.
4. Cut the tubing to size, then cut or hacksaw down one side of the tubing to make something similar to split loom. Then bundle up your wires and put them in here.
5. Put black electrical tape on the start and end pieces of your tubing. Finish off with cable ties down the length of the tubing, to stop it from coming apart.

You should now have your very own rounded cable!

Plasma · 3rd May 2003, 20:42

Just a side note: Just electrical tape can also be used. Either cut the wires up like leet_llama said, and then wrap it tight up in tape, or fold the cables: Take as many wires as you wish, fold it over, turn it upside down, fold, turn, fold ++++++ and then tape it tight.

Of course, these ways doesn't look as good...

Darkside · 16th May 2003, 21:17

Just a quick note to add to your guide.......

When cutting the 80 wire type of IDE cable that so many of us have, I reckon that it's best to make the cuts every 9 wires, which makes the cable formation square(ish) and will result in a tidier cable in the end.

I've done it myself, and used spiral wrap to keep the bundles together. Works really well, and will post a piccy in the next day or so... like when I shut down PC to remove said rounded(ish) cable.

Good guide anyway, and nice to see a diy rounded cable on the forum.

Darkside.

Smilodon · 17th May 2003, 12:58

remember that when cutting 80wire cables you must cut it so that you have the parity right... the whole point of the 80-cables is that each signal cable is just beside a grounded cable.. if you cut them wrong you will seperate the pairs...

ou7blaze · 17th May 2003, 13:21

Too bad my lian li hasn't got a "whole" to shove all the wires over onto the other side of the case :'( ...

dream caster · 22nd May 2003, 01:34

my electrical tape version:

http://www.theforumisdown.com/upload...103/cable1.jpg
(copy as address in another browser window and press enter, it seems forumisdown doesn't like this board,

)

both cables are done as I explain below but the one at the right was a little mishandled and got a little bumped and also there two cables at right and they kind of look as one and more irregular than what they really are.

I did this and i've had no problem:
i've taken apart IDE connectors using small screwdrivers to bend the tabs that hold its pieces together (some of this tabs have broken but i kept using those connectors without any difficulty).
Then i put the connectors where i want them (making sure they are in the same original orientation; also you cannot exchange middle and end connectors) pressing cable onto the insulation cutting connectors with a small wooden piece and finishing with my finger nails.
After replacing connectors I cut unneeded cable, then i rounded cables dividing 80 wire cables (i.e. ATA100 cables) in parts of 9 wires to make a square section cable. This gets a square cross section and each signal cable is surrounded by four earth wires, wich makes a shielding that's good for cable signal quality.

Then i had my wife hold that stretched and put thin vinyl electrical tape in spiral over it. I used US made 3M tape at 45º to cable overlapping turns 50%, and stretching it a little (I put down the brand and origin as tapes vary depending on both.) Finally I put small zip ties at the ends of vinyl tape cover.

Take care not twist cable on its own axis and you'll end with really nice looking cables that hold the shape you give to them.

[UHL]Tank · 23rd May 2003, 07:19

Long time reader and modder, but this is one of my first few posts, so go easy on me.

Not sure if anyone here has tried it, but me and a friend have started just twisting the 4 wire power cables. It makes them look a lot cleaner and take up less space. I haven't seen it have any negative affects or anything on the wiring so far, I've had them twisted for 3-4 months. Personally I like it because it makes my case look a lot cleaner. It helped my little Celeron 633mhz running at 1083mhz run a little cooler because of the better airflow. Well thats about it. Oh and btw, I love all the mods and cases you guys do, they're awesome.

Devil_H@ck · 11th Jun 2003, 21:35

I read an artikle on Blagged-Hardware on cable rounding and it's the best and most beautiful rounding I've ever seen.
The guy wasn't able to find tubing so he used a nylon wire (quite thick, 1.5cm diameter) in which he put all of his molex wires, ...

Since it's nylon it bends easily, you can get black wires, it's not expensive, ...
I want to do this do, but I didn't find any type of wire I could use last saturday, so I haven't started yet.
But what I did discover is that shoelaces are hollow (just like the nylon wires, there's a nylon "cover" and a white fillling in the wire).
I think that a shoelace should be thick enough to put 4 molex cables in, I'm going to try it with some Globe laces that I've got lying around here

.

lazychook · 30th Oct 2003, 00:45

Quote:

remember that when cutting 80wire cables you must cut it so that you have the parity right... the whole point of the 80-cables is that each signal cable is just beside a grounded cable.. if you cut them wrong you will seperate the pairs...

just wondering what the problem with serperating pairs is...they'll still be good if they end up in the right place wont they? or am i completly missing something...

does this pairs rule go for all the other cables too? do they need to be cut in certain ways? or doesnt it matter?

dream caster · 31st Oct 2003, 00:51

wires do not come in pairs in IDE cables they are just signal wires and ground wires; ground wires form the common return line for signal cables and shield signal cables from each other so signal from one signal cable does not induce itself in nearby wires.
You do not have to maintain wire pairs, you only need to keep each signal wire º surrounded by ground wires *:

º*º*º*º*º|*º*º*º*º*|º*º*º*º*º . . .

40 signal wires and between two of them a ground wire, cut them through | and pile them and get a stack where each signal wire is surrounded by four ground wires:

º * º * º * º * º
* º * º * º * º *
º * º * º * º * º
* º * º * º * º *
º * º * º * º * º
* º * º * º * º *
º * º * º * º * º
* º * º * º * º *
º * º * º * º *

BrandnameBandit · 31st Oct 2003, 02:19

I have made several attempts at rounding the IDE cables and have luck with just splitting them and wrapping them with tape like stated above by Plasma, but when i have tried to shorten the slack on the cables by removing the plug and cutting the excess off the ribbon I can never seem to crimp the plug back on so it works. Does anyone know where to purchase new plugs and a perhaps a crimper?? thnx

lazychook · 31st Oct 2003, 05:30

thank you so much dream caster! you save my life...ok, jsut my ide cables lives...but still! i owe ya one

dream caster · 31st Oct 2003, 20:44

BrandnameBandit:
I've been lucky just pushing cable hard onto connectors using my finger nails and a wood stick. I do not remember exactly if i used a hammer to strike gently on the other end of the stick to pass the connectors pins into the cable (putting the stick over the cable already partially pinned on connectors and getting together connector parts only after pins have completely gone through cable); some guys have used succesfully a small bench vise to press connector parts over the cable.

BrandnameBandit · 31st Oct 2003, 21:15

Thanks dream caster, I never thought of using a vise to slowly squeeze them back together. I will try it!

dream caster · 1st Nov 2003, 17:34

I feel kind of flattered by your thanks so, thanks.

Krog_Mod · 4th Nov 2003, 03:54

This says pt1... im anxious to read pt2 please post soon!

lazychook · 4th Nov 2003, 03:59

YAY!!! part two

my cables could use some more attention...what have you got in store for us oh great leet_llama?

xen0morph · 4th Nov 2003, 16:43

Not going to be a part 2, however I will be posting a PSU modding guide soon

Krog_Mod · 5th Nov 2003, 13:56

If you aren't going to do a part 2 why does the title even say part 1??
May i take over for part two????

xen0morph · 5th Nov 2003, 15:32

Quote:

Originally posted by Krog_Mod
If you aren't going to do a part 2 why does the title even say part 1??
May i take over for part two????

Of course

3rd May 2003, 19:55	#1
xen0morph Bargain wine connoisseur Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: UK Posts: 2,925	Tidying your cables pt. 1 - rounding your IDE cables! How to make your own rounded cables! This is just a quick guide on making your own rounded IDE cables. Apologies if this is a bit too brief, but I threw it together in a few minutes. Enjoy! Thanks to zquack.net for the hosting. Why would you want to round your IDE cables? If you round your IDE cables, you can increase airflow through your system - which means better cooling This is a fairly simple mod, so even a beginner can do it. Good luck! What you need - A sharp craft knife - I use a utility knife. - A cable - this speaks for itself! I have tried this with 40-conductor and 80-conductor IDE cables and FDD cables with success. - Some tubing - I used a spare length of bloo washing machine hose (!) i had lying around. You may or may not need a hacksaw or other implement to cut this. (I did.) - Some electrical tape - whatever colour you like. I suggest black or whatever contrasts with your chosen tubing colour. - Some cable ties. How to do it! 1. Put your cable on a hard surface. Please note that you probably will cause scratches in it, so don't put it on your veneered pine floor 2. Decide on an interval to cut to the cable. For 80-pin cables use 5 or 10, for 40-pin or FDD cables use 4. 3. Carve up your cable! Make a relatively wide incision every interval. Then pull the cable apart slowly at each incision. You should end up with a bunch of seperated wires. If you make an incision in the insulation of any wire, just put a bit of tape on it. 4. Cut the tubing to size, then cut or hacksaw down one side of the tubing to make something similar to split loom. Then bundle up your wires and put them in here. 5. Put black electrical tape on the start and end pieces of your tubing. Finish off with cable ties down the length of the tubing, to stop it from coming apart. You should now have your very own rounded cable!

3rd May 2003, 20:42	#2
Plasma Multimodder Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Norway Posts: 144	Just a side note: Just electrical tape can also be used. Either cut the wires up like leet_llama said, and then wrap it tight up in tape, or fold the cables: Take as many wires as you wish, fold it over, turn it upside down, fold, turn, fold ++++++ and then tape it tight. Of course, these ways doesn't look as good... __________________ To mod, or not to mod... - Plasma

16th May 2003, 21:17	#3
Darkside Supermodder Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Nr a BIG bridge Posts: 548	Just a quick note to add to your guide....... When cutting the 80 wire type of IDE cable that so many of us have, I reckon that it's best to make the cuts every 9 wires, which makes the cable formation square(ish) and will result in a tidier cable in the end. I've done it myself, and used spiral wrap to keep the bundles together. Works really well, and will post a piccy in the next day or so... like when I shut down PC to remove said rounded(ish) cable. Good guide anyway, and nice to see a diy rounded cable on the forum. Darkside. __________________ I'm not a complete idiot.... some parts are missing ASUS A7N8X-Deluxe : AMD 2400+ : ATI Radeon 9500 with softmod : 1Gb Corsair 2x Maxtor 250Gb SATA in RAID 0 : Cheapy DVD : NEC 3520 DVD-RW

17th May 2003, 12:58	#4
Smilodon The Antagonist Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norway Posts: 6,244	remember that when cutting 80wire cables you must cut it so that you have the parity right... the whole point of the 80-cables is that each signal cable is just beside a grounded cable.. if you cut them wrong you will seperate the pairs... __________________ "You have to wonder about a business plan based on the notion that people want to interact with a soda can." -Jeff Salkowski abot the :CueCat "City crematorium. You kill 'em, we grill 'em." -Rkiver

17th May 2003, 13:21	#5
ou7blaze sensational. Join Date: May 2003 Location: Kowloon, Hong Kong. Posts: 2,653	Too bad my lian li hasn't got a "whole" to shove all the wires over onto the other side of the case :'( ... __________________ █▓▒▒▓█▓▒▒▓█▓▒▒▓█▓▒▒▓ Originally Posted by Greeneyedguy advice to all u masturbators... its a good idea to keep a pringles can with the bottom cut out next to u so u can put it over ur wang when ur parents come and tell em u were enjoyong some delicious low-fat potato chips...

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22nd May 2003, 01:34	#6
dream caster just lurking from out there Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: the driest place on earth Posts: 194	my electrical tape version: http://www.theforumisdown.com/upload...103/cable1.jpg (copy as address in another browser window and press enter, it seems forumisdown doesn't like this board, ) both cables are done as I explain below but the one at the right was a little mishandled and got a little bumped and also there two cables at right and they kind of look as one and more irregular than what they really are. I did this and i've had no problem: i've taken apart IDE connectors using small screwdrivers to bend the tabs that hold its pieces together (some of this tabs have broken but i kept using those connectors without any difficulty). Then i put the connectors where i want them (making sure they are in the same original orientation; also you cannot exchange middle and end connectors) pressing cable onto the insulation cutting connectors with a small wooden piece and finishing with my finger nails. After replacing connectors I cut unneeded cable, then i rounded cables dividing 80 wire cables (i.e. ATA100 cables) in parts of 9 wires to make a square section cable. This gets a square cross section and each signal cable is surrounded by four earth wires, wich makes a shielding that's good for cable signal quality. Then i had my wife hold that stretched and put thin vinyl electrical tape in spiral over it. I used US made 3M tape at 45º to cable overlapping turns 50%, and stretching it a little (I put down the brand and origin as tapes vary depending on both.) Finally I put small zip ties at the ends of vinyl tape cover. Take care not twist cable on its own axis and you'll end with really nice looking cables that hold the shape you give to them.

23rd May 2003, 07:19	#7
[UHL]Tank What's a Dremel? Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 4	Tidying up cables... Long time reader and modder, but this is one of my first few posts, so go easy on me. Not sure if anyone here has tried it, but me and a friend have started just twisting the 4 wire power cables. It makes them look a lot cleaner and take up less space. I haven't seen it have any negative affects or anything on the wiring so far, I've had them twisted for 3-4 months. Personally I like it because it makes my case look a lot cleaner. It helped my little Celeron 633mhz running at 1083mhz run a little cooler because of the better airflow. Well thats about it. Oh and btw, I love all the mods and cases you guys do, they're awesome.

11th Jun 2003, 21:35	#8
Devil_H@ck Supermodder Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Belgium Posts: 295	I read an artikle on Blagged-Hardware on cable rounding and it's the best and most beautiful rounding I've ever seen. The guy wasn't able to find tubing so he used a nylon wire (quite thick, 1.5cm diameter) in which he put all of his molex wires, ... Since it's nylon it bends easily, you can get black wires, it's not expensive, ... I want to do this do, but I didn't find any type of wire I could use last saturday, so I haven't started yet. But what I did discover is that shoelaces are hollow (just like the nylon wires, there's a nylon "cover" and a white fillling in the wire). I think that a shoelace should be thick enough to put 4 molex cables in, I'm going to try it with some Globe laces that I've got lying around here . __________________ My website: http://members.lycos.nl/anthonyvh

31st Oct 2003, 00:51	#10
dream caster just lurking from out there Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: the driest place on earth Posts: 194	wires do not come in pairs in IDE cables they are just signal wires and ground wires; ground wires form the common return line for signal cables and shield signal cables from each other so signal from one signal cable does not induce itself in nearby wires. You do not have to maintain wire pairs, you only need to keep each signal wire º surrounded by ground wires : ººººº\|ºººº\|ººººº** . . . 40 signal wires and between two of them a ground wire, cut them through \| and pile them and get a stack where each signal wire is surrounded by four ground wires: º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º * º *

31st Oct 2003, 02:19	#11
BrandnameBandit What's a Dremel? Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: USA Posts: 10	I have made several attempts at rounding the IDE cables and have luck with just splitting them and wrapping them with tape like stated above by Plasma, but when i have tried to shorten the slack on the cables by removing the plug and cutting the excess off the ribbon I can never seem to crimp the plug back on so it works. Does anyone know where to purchase new plugs and a perhaps a crimper?? thnx __________________ Brandname Bandit

31st Oct 2003, 05:30	#12
lazychook Multimodder Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: the great land of OZ Posts: 128	thank you so much dream caster! you save my life...ok, jsut my ide cables lives...but still! i owe ya one

31st Oct 2003, 20:44	#13
dream caster just lurking from out there Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: the driest place on earth Posts: 194	BrandnameBandit: I've been lucky just pushing cable hard onto connectors using my finger nails and a wood stick. I do not remember exactly if i used a hammer to strike gently on the other end of the stick to pass the connectors pins into the cable (putting the stick over the cable already partially pinned on connectors and getting together connector parts only after pins have completely gone through cable); some guys have used succesfully a small bench vise to press connector parts over the cable.

31st Oct 2003, 21:15	#14
BrandnameBandit What's a Dremel? Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: USA Posts: 10	Thanks dream caster, I never thought of using a vise to slowly squeeze them back together. I will try it! __________________ Brandname Bandit

1st Nov 2003, 17:34	#15
dream caster just lurking from out there Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: the driest place on earth Posts: 194	I feel kind of flattered by your thanks so, thanks.

4th Nov 2003, 03:54	#16
Krog_Mod Supermodder Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Under there. Posts: 475	This says pt1... im anxious to read pt2 please post soon!

4th Nov 2003, 03:59	#17
lazychook Multimodder Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: the great land of OZ Posts: 128	YAY!!! part two my cables could use some more attention...what have you got in store for us oh great leet_llama?

4th Nov 2003, 16:43	#18
xen0morph Bargain wine connoisseur Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: UK Posts: 2,925	Not going to be a part 2, however I will be posting a PSU modding guide soon

5th Nov 2003, 13:56	#19
Krog_Mod Supermodder Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Under there. Posts: 475	If you aren't going to do a part 2 why does the title even say part 1?? May i take over for part two????

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