4032E Build

[matt]

Hi Anthony,

thx for your opinion.
I came across lacing when I first touched some equipment from the 60s or 70s.
First thing I thought was : "hey that's the way they've done it back then".

But I see your points and would agree, especially regarding the cable tie locks that scratched my skin a lot and it doesn't look good if there's blood spread over the cables and connectors 

What did you actually use for lacing ?

Cheers,
Matt

[horizonsound]

This is the lacing I used.

https://au.element14.com/pro-power/81400000/lacing-cord-0-9mm-25m-black/dp/3058669?CMP=i-55c5-00001622

SSL used the flat waxed variety. Jim wrote a great piece on it here :

http://forum.sslmixed.com/index.php?topic=154.msg355#msg355

Anthony

[walrus]

Yes, you definitely need a very good pair of Flush Cutters to snip the cable tie ends off smooth.
The other way to avoid snagging is to put Pliosil sleeving over the cable for a meter or so, then you don't need ties or lacing.
Then it is (relatively) easy to pull out just one row of patch from the middle of the bay.

[jimlfixit]

Yes Walrus (Kevin)
If you use cable ties (black is best as SSL used!), use a pair of FULLY close cut cutters to cut them otherwise you could suffer from bloody hands!
I also agree with using cable sheathing for the patchbay to DL looms and have done a few of these from new in the past. SSL used Megamide which is a French made closer weave sheathing version and has a higher melting temperature than the more commonly used cheaper Pliosil type but is harder to find (I am still looking but you may need to order it in 50 or 100 metre lengths). I am gradually using up my stocks of this here but will get some more in at some point.
The picture shows an example of me using Megamide sheathing on a 2 x 24 way GPO patch. Notice the velcro ties to hold the service loop in place which can easily be undone.
SSL type lacing twine on the patch plus some cable ties and then, after going into two looms (one top and one bottom so the bulk of cable coming out doesn't exceed 1u ... 1.75"), the sheathing is used.
The cable is 24 pair Van Damme (x 2) but with the blue insulation cut off to lessen the weight (5kgs for 7 patchbays with 14 x 24 pair cables!) and also to make it more flexible to remove and service or change later on.

[jimlfixit]

Yes Anthony (did you receive my DL31, 32,33 and Mrac layouts by the way, sent to you via email?).

Referring to your post about using lacing rather than cable ties.

Pulling cable tied looms through the console is not a good idea as they do snag as you stated. SSL always used the black flat waxed bigger twine for this and had large 3-4 metre wooden looming jigs with various pins in the right places for the individual patch points to make the looms for the patchbays to various channel bays (unfortunately no pictures seem to exist).
At their peek about December 1984 I think (I counted the consoles going out then) they were making 13 consoles a Month which means each one had about six long looms from the patch to the channels, yet alone the two 104 way MRAC connectors to the patch, DL's or other points.
Making 13 consoles a month, this meant over 78 big looms constructed on a looming board so, a way to do fast looming with lacing twine proved very useful.

[horizonsound]

Hi all,

We went in to hard lockdown 10 days ago, so the time was right to disassemble the console and do the expansion.

For what I thought would be an easy exercise, it turned in to a complete rewire of all the patch bays. There was a lot of focus on getting the wiring neat, and using lacing, which I now love!

Here's the last 10 days in a montage....

[oyanliz]

OMG!!

Amazing job Anthony!!

You are the best!!

Waiting for computer renewal project updates!

Best regards!!

Oihan

[horizonsound]

Well, what has been going on?
A month later, we're still locked down, with at least two weeks to go.
If you don't know how strict it is, we can't leave the house for anything but food and medical care, and can only go 5km maximum. No one allowed over to your house, and a 9pm - 5am curfew.

Got a bit done though.
-Shifted the virtual tape in to it's own external box
-Converted my Otari so that Pin 2 is now hot (a early oddity of XLR having no standard for this)
-Added EDACs to the Otari.
-All new cabling to the computer, outboard gear etc...
-Purchased 16x SL611V modules.
-Now cleaning modules. They are the filthiest I have ever come across. Someone smoked heavily in their old studio. Lucky the electronics are all good. I pity Peter Higgs who is now deep cleaning 32 of these modules from the remainder of that console.

[waltzingbear]

now that  is all making life too easy    :-)

cheers
Alan