I need 230VDC at 18 amps for an electromagnet

[TimFox]

Dang. For the OP's purposes (for simply testing the damn thing for sure), any of the above will work:
crimp, solder, crimp + solder (the latter my preference).
Stop trying to gild the lily here, for chrissakes.
The OP didn't ask for a bulletproof milspec solution.

The quotation is "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily" from Shakespeare King John Act IV, Scene 2.
If you look at each verb and object, this version makes more sense than the later misquotations.

Omigod, Tim.
You dinged me here, so don't be surprised that I'm dinging you right back.
So you have encyclopedic knowledge of all this stuff: goody for you.
Are you actually suggesting that we should carefully check our references every time we use a well-known and often used metaphor (like "gild the lily")? Really?
Have you no knowledge of what's called "colloquialisms"? Which are often inaccurate, misattributed, misquoted, mish-mashed and otherwise mangled, seeing that we hue-mons are not automatons or computers that always accurately come up with a proper, grammatically-correct statement?
In short, do you have some kind of stick up your ass that compels you to correct everyone here on every little thing?

Yes, I realize that I sometimes find myself correcting spelling or misusage errors here on people's posts. But I try to take care not to do it in the manner of some scolding schoolmarm. I do it without editorializing.

If you think you're somehow being faintly ironic or even funny by posting that crap, you're not, buddy.

Friendly advice:  do not take offense when none is given!
However, you gave offense here and I take it.
I merely pointed out the original version of that statement, and that it makes more sense than the later misquotation thereof.
My careful statement of fact did not criticize you for using the common version;  not everything is about you.
My statement:  "The quotation is 'To gild refined gold, to paint the lily' from Shakespeare King John Act IV, Scene 2.' is not a personal insult.
Your statement: "do you have some kind of stick up your ass that compels you to correct everyone" can be construed as a personal insult.

[Zero999]

Dang. For the OP's purposes (for simply testing the damn thing for sure), any of the above will work:
crimp, solder, crimp + solder (the latter my preference).
Stop trying to gild the lily here, for chrissakes.
The OP didn't ask for a bulletproof milspec solution.

The quotation is "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily" from Shakespeare King John Act IV, Scene 2.
If you look at each verb and object, this version makes more sense than the later misquotations.

Omigod, Tim.
You dinged me here, so don't be surprised that I'm dinging you right back.
So you have encyclopedic knowledge of all this stuff: goody for you.
Are you actually suggesting that we should carefully check our references every time we use a well-known and often used metaphor (like "gild the lily")? Really?
Have you no knowledge of what's called "colloquialisms"? Which are often inaccurate, misattributed, misquoted, mish-mashed and otherwise mangled, seeing that we hue-mons are not automatons or computers that always accurately come up with a proper, grammatically-correct statement?
In short, do you have some kind of stick up your ass that compels you to correct everyone here on every little thing?

Yes, I realize that I sometimes find myself correcting spelling or misusage errors here on people's posts. But I try to take care not to do it in the manner of some scolding schoolmarm. I do it without editorializing.

If you think you're somehow being faintly ironic or even funny by posting that crap, you're not, buddy.

Friendly advice:  do not take offense when none is given!
However, you gave offense here and I take it.
I merely pointed out the original version of that statement, and that it makes more sense than the later misquotation thereof.
My careful statement of fact did not criticize you for using the common version;  not everything is about you.
My statement:  "The quotation is 'To gild refined gold, to paint the lily' from Shakespeare King John Act IV, Scene 2.' is not a personal insult.
Your statement: "do you have some kind of stick up your ass that compels you to correct everyone" can be construed as a personal insult.

I found AK's response to you amusing. I've learned not to take him too seriously. A bit like someone else, who I won't mention, because it'll cause trouble.

[TimFox]

He who must be taken seriously, but not literally?

[Analog Kid]

He who must be taken seriously, but not literally?

What, do you take everything you read here literally? I sure don't. That's part of the point I was trying to make; "gilding the lily" is in no way a literal phrase.

Look; if I had misused a phrase, like, say I had written "we should hone in on x" (which should be "home in on", which is an all-too-common error that bugs me), I wouldn't have minded if you corrected it; you'd be well within your rights.

I'll accept that you meant no offense by your comment, but that's not clear at all in that post. You seem to have some Asperger's-ish thing going on there where you don't get the tone of what you post; you seem to revel in your voluminous knowledge, which not all of us hue-mons take kindly to. It's just the way we are.

Anyhow, this is getting stupid now, so let's just drop it, OK?

[TimFox]

My reply to Zero999 did not refer to you, but to "someone else".

[Analog Kid]

OK.

So when are we going to hear back from the OP? I hope they're able to finish all their other projects because the popcorn is getting cold! 

[Cyclotron]

He who must be taken seriously, but not literally?

Secrete squirrel. Is it a "he"?  I mean is that the pronouns claimed?  I get caught up in the the minutia due to being autistic but I blame my mother for taking acetaminophen while pregnant with me.

[MrAl]

Dang. For the OP's purposes (for simply testing the damn thing for sure), any of the above will work:
crimp, solder, crimp + solder (the latter my preference).
Stop trying to gild the lily here, for chrissakes.
The OP didn't ask for a bulletproof milspec solution.

The quotation is "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily" from Shakespeare King John Act IV, Scene 2.
If you look at each verb and object, this version makes more sense than the later misquotations.

Omigod, Tim.
You dinged me here, so don't be surprised that I'm dinging you right back.
So you have encyclopedic knowledge of all this stuff: goody for you.
Are you actually suggesting that we should carefully check our references every time we use a well-known and often used metaphor (like "gild the lily")? Really?
Have you no knowledge of what's called "colloquialisms"? Which are often inaccurate, misattributed, misquoted, mish-mashed and otherwise mangled, seeing that we hue-mons are not automatons or computers that always accurately come up with a proper, grammatically-correct statement?
In short, do you have some kind of stick up your ass that compels you to correct everyone here on every little thing?

Yes, I realize that I sometimes find myself correcting spelling or misusage errors here on people's posts. But I try to take care not to do it in the manner of some scolding schoolmarm. I do it without editorializing.

If you think you're somehow being faintly ironic or even funny by posting that crap, you're not, buddy.

Hi,

The phrase you used is interesting in itself.  We as humans tend to shorten things and with time they become identical to the longer versions.
"Don't gild the lily", I think is such a case; the modern version of the original full text.  I doubt you are the first to use that wording.  It's a shorter way to say not to embellish something that is already complete, or that it is not necessary to do that.  I think it happens to be a more direct way of saying it.
It is a little interesting to read about the background too though to see where it originated, but I would think it is not 'wrong' to say it that way.
Probably also "Don't paint the lily" would be acceptable but maybe not as clear.  These days we paint a lot more than gild, but it usually still embellishes to some extent.

[Analog Kid]

"Don't gild the lily", I think is such a case; the modern version of the original full text.  I doubt you are the first to use that wording.

Of course I'm not; are you kidding? It's a very well known phrase. Haven't you heard it before?
Almost nobody knows about the Shakespeare version that Tim posted. I certainly didn't.

[tooki]

Here is the thing.  If you are pro or con crimping vs soldered, here is something to think about...

Would you rather go to the moon in a vehicle that had all the connections done with crimping or with soldered terminals?
Would you rather go thousands of feet deep into the ocean in a vehicle that had all the connections done with crimping or with soldered terminals?

Remember your life is at stake now.

Assuming they were assembled competently (i.e. all done to spec using the correct tooling and procedures), crimped.

Of course, either method is reliable if done to spec using the correct tooling and procedures. But soldered connections for those high-reliability applications require more work to plan, more work to build, etc. because of the need to provide better vibration protection.

[tooki]

crimp, solder, crimp + solder (the latter my preference).

Well from your own description…

(I just crimp them with a pair of dikes, carefully.)

… you’re not really crimping, you’re just smushing on a connector to retain it a bit, but it’s really a soldered connection.

[Analog Kid]

crimp, solder, crimp + solder (the latter my preference).

Well from your own description…

(I just crimp them with a pair of dikes, carefully.)

… you’re not really crimping, you’re just smushing on a connector to retain it a bit, but it’s really a soldered connection.

I'll accept that technical description: "smushed & soldered". Has a nice ring to it.
Point is, these connections have always worked just fine for me.

Disclaimer: None of my connections are used on heavy-duty construction equipment, diesel-powered rigs or other high-vibration units. They have withstood flexing over the years and still work well.

[tooki]

crimp, solder, crimp + solder (the latter my preference).

Well from your own description…

(I just crimp them with a pair of dikes, carefully.)

… you’re not really crimping, you’re just smushing on a connector to retain it a bit, but it’s really a soldered connection.

I'll accept that technical description: "smushed & soldered". Has a nice ring to it.
Point is, these connections have always worked just fine for me.

Honestly, I think a lot of the criticism (not all, but a lot) is from people who have been smushing, not crimping-for-real*. And in that situation, adding solder can really help. But only because it was never a good crimp to begin with. (Whereas I absolutely stand by the position that a good crimp is never improved by the addition of solder, only worsened.)

So maybe we should try to get the term “smushed” to catch on, to contrast with crimps made with proper tooling.

*I know, it sounds like the “true Scotsman” fallacy, but there really are huge differences between a smush and a crimp.

[Analog Kid]

I dunno; you crimp advocates may be right, but it's hard for me to imagine that such a mechanically-squozen connection could 1) be better than "smushed + soldered" and 2) actually be degraded by soldering.

Crimping two things together simply deforms one against the other, or deforms both against each other, correct?
Now someone here mentioned that this actually kind of welds the two things together, but I have a hard time believing that this is anything like a real weld (you know, with heat and all), where the two things actually get melted into each other.

And if the "smush" is well-embedded in solder, wouldn't that provide a superior mechanical as well as electrical connection, since the two things are completely surrounded by once-molten metal (well, at least that's what's hoped for)?

I'll leave off here, as this is veering into expert territory where I'm unqualified to comment further.

[golden_labels]

I’m going to interrupt you, folks!

Softdown, don’t feel guilty for ignoring the half of this thread hijacked for the crimping discussion. I totally agree with the message and you should be aware of the differences, but for your project this will be of very little importance.

If you can do good crimps, prefer them over solder joints for cable connectors? Yes.
Worry about either solution failing in a project you intend to be something more than a toy? Yes.

Spend time worrying you did something wrong for this small project, because half of the thread discusses it? No.
After making your first dozen crimps, lie to yourself that they excel over soldered connections? No.