I will teach you four ways to connect a wire without soldering. Soldering can be tricky and it heats up the room, so why not just skip it completely if you can? Another annoying thing about soldering is that it takes a while to heat up, solder a joint, and then, hopefully without getting burned, hang the iron back on a stand or hook. If you want to save time and be able to make quick and simple joints, then read this Instructable and learn the different methods to connect a wire without soldering.
The methods described use a variety of materials and tools, so, if you don't have all the materials for one method you can just look at a different method. If you are having trouble finding supplies and tools, a stop at your local hardware or electronics store should supply the necessary tools. In this Instructable I have rated the different methods' strength according to the scale low, medium, and high strength. If you are making a temporary circuit or project, the low category methods would probably be best to use because they allow easy disconnecting after you have made a joint. However, if you are making a permanent circuit or a project that moves around a lot, the medium or high strengths would probably be best so that you don't have joints coming apart in the middle of an experiment.
Before you begin, you need to learn a few basics when connecting wires. Most wires are coated in a plastic insulator. An insulator is something that protects the wire from heat and prevents other wires from touching. When you are connecting wires you need to have a bare end without insulation. The term for removing insulation from a wire is called "stripping the wire." You will need a pair of wire strippers/cutters, a pair of pliers, and a spool of stranded wire. First, look at your wire strippers and look for the holes that have a number labeled next to them. The number represents the hole's gauge or width. The smaller the gauge number the wider the wire. Look on your spool of wire and find out what gauge your wire is. Next, cut off a small piece of wire from the spool (start with 4", this wire will just be for practice). Insert 3/4" of the wire into the hole in the wire strippers with the appropriate gauge. Grip the other end of the wire with pliers or very strong fingers and pull the wire strippers towards the closest end of the wire. After a little pressure the plastic insulation should slide off, revealing the stranded wire underneath.
Another thing you need to know before we get started is how to twist two wires together. In all the methods described except for the "crimping method" and the "alligator clip method" you will need to start with the wires twisted together. To twist two wires together, you first need to strip the insulation off the wires. Next, hold the wires side by side and twist them together with your thumb and forefinger. The resulting connection should be fairly strong and hold together when a small tug is applied. Now that you have learned these skills you are ready to learn four ways to connect a wire without soldering.
I will teach you four ways to connect a wire without soldering. Soldering can be tricky and it heats up the room, so why not just skip it completely if you can? Another annoying thing about soldering is that it takes a while to heat up, solder a joint, and then, hopefully without getting burned, hang the iron back on a stand or hook. If you want to save time and be able to make quick and simple joints, then read this Instructable and learn the different methods to connect a wire without soldering.
The methods described use a variety of materials and tools, so, if you don't have all the materials for one method you can just look at a different method. If you are having trouble finding supplies and tools, a stop at your local hardware or electronics store should supply the necessary tools. In this Instructable I have rated the different methods' strength according to the scale low, medium, and high strength. If you are making a temporary circuit or project, the low category methods would probably be best to use because they allow easy disconnecting after you have made a joint. However, if you are making a permanent circuit or a project that moves around a lot, the medium or high strengths would probably be best so that you don't have joints coming apart in the middle of an experiment.
Before you begin, you need to learn a few basics when connecting wires. Most wires are coated in a plastic insulator. An insulator is something that protects the wire from heat and prevents other wires from touching. When you are connecting wires you need to have a bare end without insulation. The term for removing insulation from a wire is called "stripping the wire." You will need a pair of wire strippers/cutters, a pair of pliers, and a spool of stranded wire. First, look at your wire strippers and look for the holes that have a number labeled next to them. The number represents the hole's gauge or width. The smaller the gauge number the wider the wire. Look on your spool of wire and find out what gauge your wire is. Next, cut off a small piece of wire from the spool (start with 4", this wire will just be for practice). Insert 3/4" of the wire into the hole in the wire strippers with the appropriate gauge. Grip the other end of the wire with pliers or very strong fingers and pull the wire strippers towards the closest end of the wire. After a little pressure the plastic insulation should slide off, revealing the stranded wire underneath.
Another thing you need to know before we get started is how to twist two wires together. In all the methods described except for the "crimping method" and the "alligator clip method" you will need to start with the wires twisted together. To twist two wires together, you first need to strip the insulation off the wires. Next, hold the wires side by side and twist them together with your thumb and forefinger. The resulting connection should be fairly strong and hold together when a small tug is applied. Now that you have learned these skills you are ready to learn four ways to connect a wire without soldering.
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