Jim, We soldered them. I think crimping those really small barrell type D-sub connectors requires a special tool, and I wasn't willing to rely on a "smashed-on" connection.
When soldering, we've developed a good technique: First, tin the wire. Then dip the end of the wire into a good paste flux, and insert 1/2 way into the barrel. Use a small pair of pliers or vise to hold the pin. Now (using a very fine tip on your soldering iron) heat the wire that's still exposed outside the pin body. Apply a very small amount of solder on the wire - it will immediately wick inside the barrel. Once you see that happen, gently slide the wire fully into the hole and remove the heat. Be careful not to use too much solder: doing that allows excess solder to get forced outside the little hole and it will then fill in the edge shown in the drawing below, and that's a problem.
If any solder is forced through the hole in the barrel body, it might get into the edge the locking tabs use to hold the pin in place inside the socket. That can interfere with the locking tabs, and the pin might not lock in place. We recommend making sure the edge shown is free of any solder.
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If solder does get into the edge shown, you can use solder wick to remove excess.
Good luck... and let me know if you find out what kind of crimping tool would work on these. I see little tools used on small pins like this routinely costing over $4000 (yes I did type three zeros!!).
I have no problem with anyone who wants to solder all their wires but it is WAY more work than just using a good crimper. With adequate support, both ways work just fine. When you use a good crimper, it is very easy to produce a very strong, well connected joint in less time than it takes to get all my soldering stuff out of the drawer and set up! This is particularly true when connecting up the EFIS to the engine monitor to the radios to the autopilot. There must be 200 wires that need pins.I do it this way. I get a piece of 2x4 and drill a hole in it about half the distance of the dsub, than I set the dsub in it. I clean the tip of the solder gun real good, tint it and than take a shop rag and wipe off all the solder, heated. Than I tint the wire, than I put a very small amount of solder in the dsub, than I put the wire up to the dsub and heat the dsub and as soon as the wire goes into the dsub, I remove the heat and hold things real still until things cool. done. The trick is to not let any solder come out the small hole in the dsub, if so, than either cut it off and do it again, or bring out a small file and file off the excess. You should have plenty of left over dsubs, so just putting another one on should be just fine.
I have no problem with anyone who wants to solder all their wires but it is WAY more work than just using a good crimper. With adequate support, both ways work just fine. When you use a good crimper, it is very easy to produce a very strong, well connected joint in less time than it takes to get all my soldering stuff out of the drawer and set up! This is particularly true when connecting up the EFIS to the engine monitor to the radios to the autopilot. There must be 200 wires that need pins.