Homebrew PCBs

If this is too far off-topic, let me know (and, if possible, point me 
to a more-appropriate group).

I am re-designing some pcbs, to make the equipment they're in easier 
to manufacture, and service or upgrade.

The pcbs currently have quite a few wires that are soldered directly 
to them, that go to front-panel controls (and to other pcbs).

The wires to all of the front-panel controls are also soldered 
directly to the solder lugs of the controls (switches, pots, etc).

To make manufacturing and service/maintenance/upgrading faster and 
easier, I think that ALL of the wire connections to the pcbs should 
use removable connectors, such as pin headers on the boards and crimp 
sockets on the wires.  Also, where desirable and logical, I think 
that sets of multiple individual wires should be replaced with ribbon 
cables, with appropriate headers and sockets.

To make this possible, I think that I will have to re-design the 
front panel controls, to use a pcb behind the front panel, changing 
all of the controls from solder-lug types to pcb-mount types. That 
way, I can use headers, sockets, ribbon cables, etc, to connect the 
existing pcbs to the front panel controls (via headers on the new 
front-panel-interface pcb).

Here's where I would like some help: 

I am not very familiar with the vast majority of the myriad different 
types of wire-to-board (and board-to-board) connector systems that 
are available. There seem to be *zillions* of different ones. And the 
catalogs, and even the manufacturers' websites, seem to assume that I 
already know how they're assembled and installed, etc. But THAT'S 
what I'm trying to find out, so I can decide which ones would be 
convenient and cost-effective to put into the design.

So: Does anybody have any "favorite" makes and models of wire-to-
board (or board-to-board) connectors? (They need to be able to handle 
at least 1.5 Amps and up to at least 15 V DC.  And they need to be 
easy and cheap to assemble.) Or any least favorites?

What I was also HOPING to find was someplace that sells ready-made 
ribbon-cable types of assemblies, in short lengths (4 to 6 inches), 
with versions having 2, 4, and 6 conductors, with connectors already 
installed on both ends. I have looked long and hard and can only find 
standard computer-type cables that are ready-made (i.e. either way 
too many conductors, or way too long).

Anybody?

Regards,

Tom Gootee

http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg

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