GARTHWILSON wrote:
...About getting good performance with wire-wrapped boards:
viewtopic.php?p=8074#8074 (and page 1 of that topic shows some wire-wrap tools)...
When I got
back into WireWrapping a couple years ago, I remember looking for a WW gun. One similar to the one I'd used over 20 years ago (my dad had one lying around). Most prices of 120V guns were and still are $150+ if one does a simple Google search. I refused to pay that. So I decided to dig up some info now and share the model that I had bought for <$30. I was very happy with what I got and wonder to this day how some of these other mainstream distributors get away with charging so much more for the same product.
For those interested in starting to prototype their projects in Wire Wrap, Search EBay for: Gardner Denver wire wrap
You'll see some guns for cheap...
You'll also have to buy some appropriate gauge sleeves for the size wire you're using, not to mention the wire. I would also recommend a pair of fine tipped wire cutters, and an un-wirewrap tool.
If any of you have started out your projects using soldering/breadboard methods
and switch to WW, you will see why more than one of us recommend wirewrapping for high speed prototyping!
Here's
another thread worth reading through about WW adapters if you get deep enough into a WW project and you have to use today's SMT technology.
EDIT: I almost forgot to mention the wire strippers. Since it's not to easy to manually strip off insulation from 30AWG wire, they make automatic ones and they're not too expensive. The one I bought a couple years ago off of Ebay is called a Stripmaster, and precisely removes about 1 inch of insulation from 22,24,26,28,30AWG WW wire. It does not 'dig' into the conductor.