Tighten my mini-firewire jack?

February 16, 2006 11:11 AM

I need to tighten the connection my mini-firewire cable makes in the jack to stop it from falling out. Unobtrusive suggestions favored; at least one duct tape-based solution expected.

Yeah, pretty basic question. It's loosened in the jack over time, so that now if I so much as bump it (or bump the laptop, or tap my fingers on the keyboard) the cable falls out and the connection is lost. Because it's connecting my external hard drive to my laptop, and because my external HDD holds most of my music and docs, this causes some XP ugliness and some annoyances at least twice a day.

posted by electric_counterpoint to Computers & Internet (6 answers total)

Have you tried replacing the cable? Would that do it, maybe?

I'm looking at a standard 6-pin firewire jack right now. All the action appears to be on the inside of the plug (which looks male but acts female). Looking at the inside of the socket (which looks female but acts male) there are clearly two strips on each side intended to hold the plug there with tension. It would be a fussy operation, but you might try taking a jeweler's screwdriver and gently prying on those strips to pull them out and create more tension.

Or, you know, you could wrap a little duct-tape around the plug to create a tighter fit.
posted by adamrice at 11:23 AM on February 16, 2006

Try plumbers tape. You can gauge the thickness better than with duct tape, and it looks nicer.
posted by jon_kill at 11:28 AM on February 16, 2006

jon_kill, you mean Teflon tape? I have always heard the term "Plumber's tape" to refer to the galvanized metal strapping used to suspend pipes from joists...
posted by misterbrandt at 11:58 AM on February 16, 2006

Ahh, tape is technological overkill, could require an actual purchase, and leaves a messy residue. I have successfully shimmed loose cables back into a tight-fit for a jack using a carved sliver of an expired gift card. Other random plastic flotsam will work; grab whatever's available. If it's a little too thick, just scape it across a rough surface until it's worn down to size. Paper or cardboard would probably work once, but they don't hold up to multiple insertions.
posted by mdevore at 12:10 PM on February 16, 2006

Best answer: As others said, you need to figure out if it's the cable or the socket. The socket can probably be poked at slightly with a flathead jeweler's screwdriver to bent it in and make it a little more snug. The cable head you can replace or squeeze slightly with some plyers to marginally deform it.
posted by phearlez at 12:17 PM on February 16, 2006

Maybe use a little sandpaper or a needle file to gently rough-up the metal on the plug (so it isn't so chromey anymore)? That might keep it in a bit better.

Also try another cable/brand of cable and see if it fits more snugly.
posted by BrandonAbell at 2:07 PM on February 16, 2006