Twister™: a play on MIDI controllers

So, I learned the hard way that the connectors needed to attach to the pin headers on my circuit board have to be ordered in two parts, the plastic outer part and the metal bits that go inside. This doubled the cost of my connectors.

I also learned that the tool for crimping the connectors is $444! That seems kind of insane; I'd expect it to be more like $7...

Needless to say, that is right out. I'll try to crimp some with tools I already have and see how it works. But first I have to wait for the parts to arrive. Another delay in getting my project running...

All of the parts and headers are soldered, but I still need optocouplers for those sockets, and wire sockets for those headers. I found solder it all, but I wood like to be able to disassemble it later.

I regret not being able to find long pin headers for the long mega 2560 dual socket on the end. It would have been nice to support mega 2560 shields, but the aren't many of those, so I guess it isn't so bad.

I have already thought I'd lots of ways these could be better. But I had to order 5 at a time, so the first 5 will be like this...

I ordered boats from PCBway and they arrived within a week!

After trying to get friends and acquaintances to mill them for me for nearly a year, having them in my hand is very satisfying. Now I just need the test of the parts to build them!