Short transistor legs

[SillyOctpuss]

I've got some germanium transistors with some pretty short legs I'd like to use. I've been having a go tacking on some extensions to some rejects I'm not going to use. So far it's working fine but man they are ugly.

Has anyone got any tips for making this process a bit easier and less ugly looking?

 

[KR Sound]

The Omnifixo is perfect for that.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

The Omnifixo is perfect for that.

View attachment 65119

One of these arrived today and it's helped orient the component cut offs to the short leads on the transistors but my joins are still pretty fugly.

 

[VanWhy]

The Omnifixo is perfect for that.

View attachment 65119

This looks pretty handy. Thanks for sharing. I think I'm going to have to save up for it. Now I just use multiple clothes pins.

 

[Alan W]

I always do a thin tinning coat on both wires, then position them so they’re as tight as possible against each other and wave the soldering iron in the general vicinity. I just saw those Omnifixo clamps for the first time this morning—they look really nice.

 

[jwin615]

I've often wondered if Dupont pins could be used for such a task.
The trick would be crimping them. I'd still solder after.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I always do a thin tinning coat on both wires, then position them so they’re as tight as possible against each other and wave the soldering iron in the general vicinity. I just saw those Omnifixo clamps for the first time this morning—they look really nice.

This is what I've been trying but I'm ending up with some pretty ugly joints. I'm also concerned if I try and solder them onto a board that my joins will open.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I've often wondered if Dupont pins could be used for such a task.
The trick would be crimping them. I'd still solder after.

That's interesting

 

[Nostradoomus]

How short are we talkin here?

 

[SillyOctpuss]

How short are we talkin here?

I'll put some pics up later after I get home.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

How short are we talkin here?

This is probably the transistor with the shortest legs

 

[Barry]

This is probably the transistor with the shortest legs

View attachment 65216

Those must be reclaimed, snipped off an old board.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Those must be reclaimed, snipped off an old board.

Yeah that's my fault. I've bought a few non working radios and have been getting the transistors out with no problems until this particular radio. They were put in really close to the board, desoldering was a nightmare and I stupidly cut some of them out but then ended up with some stupidly short legs. I've managed to solder extensions onto a few and they work fine but the joints are pretty ugly.

 

[derevaun]

If you have control over the board layout, it works to use screw terminals that have 2.54mm spacing.

 

[chris.knudson]

Can you bend the legs and mount them onto an SMD adapter board, or are they too big for that?

 

[Nostradoomus]

First I would try and clean the paint off of them. Then take a resistor leg clipping and wrap it around them with a pair of needle nose pliers a few times. Pinch it for a better hold, Then solder it up and maybe heat shrink it to cover the joint. I can take pics of what I mean when I get home if it’s not making sense. I’ve definitely been able to fit transistors like that into the board by bending the legs out at right angles with pliers and no extensions necessary.

 

[jwin615]

Just remember that with any soldered on extension, use a heat sink like an alligator clip.
Otherwise, inevitably the last extension you solder to the board will melt and pop off...

 

[jwin615]

Really, thinking about it, I'd get a 2x3 or 3x3 chunk of stripboard and some male-male header pins.
You could even use right angle ones to bend the transistor over if you know where they're going and which way to bend them.

 

[Nostradoomus]

Just remember that with any soldered on extension, use a heat sink like an alligator clip.
Otherwise, inevitably the last extension you solder to the board will melt and pop off...

This is where the wire wrap/pinch method comes in handy

 

[SillyOctpuss]

This is where the wire wrap/pinch method comes in handy

I've wrapped a few round and then soldered them but the joins looked terrible which is why I started the thread in the first place. I'm going to have another go tonight now the helping hands has arrived. I'd just like to get them a little tighter and then I'll use some heat shrink to hide my sins.