Foil two prong dimensions

[Pepster]

Two quick ones:

1) What is the standard distance between plugs on a foil/sabre two-prong connection?

2) Is there an easy way to make a standard banana plug fit the small plug on a two prong socket?

-Pep
- Who is fiddlin' with testers...

[DHCJr]

1) 15 mm, the same as the distance between the A-B in Epee.

2) The usual way is to take a standard plug, fill with solder and drill making sure you are at the center.

[EricS]

#1 has been answered thoroughly. BTW, you might want to increase the distance just slightly so the body cord fits in firmly without slipping out.

#2 is easier if you insert a small length of brass tubing into the banana jack, and solder in place by putting the iron on the terminal lug. The diameter change is just about perfect and it is in the exact center of the banana jack.

[DHCJr]

Eric suggestion does work and I never mentioned the size you need to drill, which brings out the theory of testing. The diameter is 3mm which would give you a nice tight fit.

This is taking the thread a little off-line. You were asking about creating a guard connector. If you were creating a test box you would want to do things a little different. In that case, you want a loose fit, since what are you trying to do? You are determining if the body cord will work in the worse possible situation, like suppose you have a work plug. In that case, I would use a 1/8" drill or tube, which works with a good connector, but not with a prong that has colapsed.

If this is for foil, make sure to insulate the plug.

Eric, that is an interesting idea I will have to try. If you can't find a 3mm, I would go with 7/64".

[EricS]

It's been a while, but 7/64" sounds about right. I use brass tubing stock from the local hobby shop. The trick with the soldering is to heat the terminal end enough to allow solder to be applied to the other end, without melting the plastic insulator. The banana jacks by Johnson (available from Mouser and Digi-Key) work quite well and come in a variety of colors (for some reason, colorful test boxes really appeal to me now; it must be Dan's influence...)

[Pepster]

Okay, This is helpful. Although I think there's a mis-understanding, So I'll give some much-needed detail.

I'm working on test boxes and buzz boxes, and I came across this company which makes a box with two banana plugs mounted to the side. So I naturally wondered if they'd be the correct distance, but I'm not that lucky. They're the standard 3/4" banana spacing.

My other question referred to if I actually MADE one with the proper spacing, how would I make a banana plug thinner so it would fit a standard socket small hole. Plan B is to simply use a three prng connection, and plug the box in via body cord.

-Pete