How to break "Break Away Headers"???

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george_graves
 
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Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:10 am

How to break "Break Away Headers"???

Post by george_graves »

Maybe it's the headers I am getting (made by 3M) but I'm having a heck of a time breaking these off cleanly. I'm using two pairs of pliers and then try for a quick snap. Problem is, they seem to like to crumble at that point, and not snap clean - leaving me a few pins too short or too long.

What am I doing wrong? Are you guys cutting these with something? 0.1" spacing doesn't really let you get in there with something to cut it with.

What are you guys doing?

Thanks - and sorry, I know it's a silly question....

eil
 
Posts: 440
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2008 11:09 pm

Re: How to break "Break Away Headers"???

Post by eil »

I use side cutters and just literally cut the headers. Once in awhile the plastic breaks in the wrong spot, but it's never been bad enough to lose pins.

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karlgg
 
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Re: How to break "Break Away Headers"???

Post by karlgg »

If that fails, try setting them flat on a cutting board (or anything sturdy you can cut on without ruining it) and use an X-Acto knife on them. Put the tip on the board and slowly lever it down, like a paper-cutter.

Just make sure to hold both sides down, so they don't fly away... And keep your fingers on the non-sharp side of the knife. You want to keep them out of harm's way! :)

jarv
 
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Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 5:48 pm

Re: How to break "Break Away Headers"???

Post by jarv »

i often have the same problem with female headers, for male headers i pretty much just use a diagonal cutter to snap them clean.

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ran talbott
 
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Re: How to break "Break Away Headers"???

Post by ran talbott »

A lot of the headers I've been getting lately seem to be made from a more-brittle plastic (probably in part because I've been getting some cheap Chinese parts, instead of the "industrial-grade" stuff I used to get at surplus stores when I lived in Silicon Valley), so I've been seeing more "unintended" breaks, too.

I've started using a BANNED saw to score them, even if they have some scoring molded in. Just a few strokes, not trying to cut all the way through. I may saw a little deeper if the pins are of a type that has given me trouble before. I use bent-nose needle-nosed pliers to hold the smaller piece, gripping close to the intended breaking point.

I get about 99% good breaks now.

Ran

mrtaylor
 
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Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 2:57 am

Re: How to break "Break Away Headers"???

Post by mrtaylor »

i use a dremel or tin snips if I am in a hurry.

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ran talbott
 
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Re: How to break "Break Away Headers"???

Post by ran talbott »

I use a BANNED saw (you can get BANNED saw blades for X-acto knife handles) to score female headers, and to deepen the scoring on male headers if I get a batch that doesn't always break cleanly.

Tallscreen
 
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Re: How to break "Break Away Headers"???

Post by Tallscreen »

Weirdly, I tend to find I get better results with a blunter pair of heavy duty cutters rather than a sharp pair of cutters.

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george_graves
 
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Re: How to break "Break Away Headers"???

Post by george_graves »

Thank Ran - I'll pick up some "saw" blades. Great tip.

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