Crocodile clips from Lidl.

[G6Tanuki]

Box of 80 for £3.99 which isn't too bad!! They appear to be of quite good quality, not in the same league as the Hirschmann ones I have used in the past but that £3.99 wouldn't buy you two of those...

The Lidl ones have the wire entry part covered by a rubber sleeve and the hole underneath takes a 4mm bananana plug just fine.

Now when it's cold and wet and dark outside I will stay indoors and make up croc-clip leads!!

[McMurdo]

Good spot! Here's a pic from 'middle of lidl'.

Also a few nice tools, a digital caliper (I have one and use it alot!), a dremel clone, cable ties, set square, auto scotchlok clones etc.

[DrStrangelove]

No sign of the croc clips or the scotchlok clones at either of the Lidls in walking distance.

Couldn't be ad to go to Swansea to see if there are any in stock there.

That's another occasion Lidl have let me down, it was bargain string the last time.

[G6Tanuki]

Lidl always say "When it's gone, it's gone" for these things. My local Lidl [Devizes] had loads of the croc-clip packs, along with packs of heat-shrink sleeving - but I have no need of that because I have a good stash of it [as well as adhesive-lined heatshrink which is great for waterproofing outdoor coaxial-cable connectors] from a radio rally I attended in the summer.

[Audio1950]

Just bought a box of these, and am at a complete loss as to how to connect the wire. The securing screw seems to be on the wrong side! Can someone please advise this thicko?

Barry

[G6Tanuki]

You push the little 'web' of metal between the two stamped perforations down and thread the cable through the gap.

Alternatively, as I do, forget the screw: solder the cable to the bit-by-the-perforations and then crimp the tubular bit down onto the insulation using a proper crimp-tool so the soldered joint never sees any flexure or tension.

[Audio1950]

Here's some pics.

[DrStrangelove]

Originally Posted by G6Tanuki

Lidl always say "When it's gone, it's gone" for these things. My local Lidl [Devizes] had loads of the croc-clip packs, along with packs of heat-shrink sleeving - but I have no need of that because I have a good stash of it [as well as adhesive-lined heatshrink which is great for waterproofing outdoor coaxial-cable connectors] from a radio rally I attended in the summer.

I'm not altogether convinced that the inhabitants of Neath are so keen on croc clips as to buy them all in the 5 hours the shop had been open, or the reels of string that failed to appear previously.

I might wander off to Swansea tomorrow if the fancy takes me.

I bought some feeler gauges today, and some of those crimp terminals with heatshrink, goodness knows why, after all the house if nearly falling down with Lidl spanners already.

[Audio1950]

Originally Posted by G6Tanuki

You push the little 'web' of metal between the two stamped perforations down and thread the cable through the gap.

Thanks for that. I don't have crimping tool, so will use the first method.

Barry

[G6Tanuki]

Originally Posted by Audio1950

Here's some pics.

Yes the wire comes through the insulated part, goes through either/both of the slatted bit with the cross-web, and then on to the screw terminal.

Or you solder it to the bit with the slat and crimp the metal of the barrel under the insulation, before pulling the insulation back over.

[stevehertz]

Good call, bought a box.

[DrStrangelove]

Rather reminds me of the struggle to get hold of the first Lidl satellite box back in the early 2000s: box from Pontardawe, LNB from Neath, dish from Port Talbot.

Having stopped driving & having put my back out this morning, I think I'll call it quits.

[Malcolm G6ANZ]

On the subject of croc clips, I bought a pack of ready made ones from Amazon. In the photo they looked good quality, fairly thick wire and decent clips. Beware, the actual wire was only a few strands in a fat insulation. I only found this out when i was using them to supply heater current to four valves. The leads were getting warm and the valves were not lit the volt drop along the lead was a few volts, all converted to heat.
The leads work OK for small signal applications but for higher current they're useless.

[stevehertz]

You mean croc clip links, not croc clips.

[Reelman]

Bought some of their “alligator” clips yesterday and just to be aware that they are £3.99 a box or 2 of the electrical kits for £6. So I bought a box of the shrink tubing as well. Not bad, £6 the pair.

Peter

[G6Tanuki]

Pre-made leads are a lottery. When they were still in operation I bought some from Maplin.

Horrible construction quality, the wire was attached to the clip by stripping the insulation, folding the bare end back over the insulation and then crimping the clip to the result.

Of course after a few weeks the insulation experienced cold flow and the contact between the wire and the clip became marginal.

Proper soldering and some heatshrink reinforcement solved the problem.

[stevehertz]

Yes I had the same problem G6.

[winston_1]

Bought a (metric) micrometer in Lidl Shanklin today for £6.99. Gosh back in the ‘60s after I left school I dreamed of one day owning a micrometer but never thought I could afford one. How times have changed.

[DrStrangelove]

I bought several micrometers back in the 80s.

Have I ever used them? Of course not.

The vernier caliper (non electronic) comes in handy when the LR44 is flat in the electric one.

I was ever so pleased that I managed to resist the Lidl(tm) TIG welder (and the gasless MIG).

[mole42uk]

Originally Posted by DrStrangelove

I was ever so pleased that I managed to resist the Lidl(tm) TIG welder (and the gasless MIG).

Well done! It’s often a challenge……