Is it possible to buy an old ribbon bus cable? I’d like to build a 4.X Zynthian as a gift for a friend using old spare parts and the only cable i have is broken. It’s not available in the shop but is there some remaining in the warehouse?
Alternatively, any user have one unused ribbon cable to sell?
Thanks!
You could use an old IDE cable. Or make one. It is easy.
Yes, i’m now considering the DIY solution 
You can, at a pinch, do them with a small vice.
Very careful measurement. Make sure it’s all square and possibly purchase enough connectors and cable for a couple of attempts.
The 45 Degree bends can be done in a vice effectively as well.
I used to do that in a vice but you have to be very careful to avoid breaking the connectors but to apply sufficient pressure to make the joint. I bought a hand held tool which works well but can be a bit challenging on larger connectors like this 40-way.
A vice is perfectly fine, if it has not too much play/backlash and if the connector is closed slowly with the cable aligning the raster notches and being almost perpendicular to the connector. It is better to leave a bit of overhang and cut that off later with a sharp knife than to crimp the connector too close to the end and risk tearing the strands or breaking the contacts. I’ve never broken a connector and never bought one of these tools.
Yes excellent point, about the cable overhang. I found a decent pair of scissors trimmed it nicely.
Make sure to check them with a multimeter and a good visual inspection after you do them. It only needs a little sprig of conductor to muck things up.
It’s good to know they all work before you try it in anger.
