Cutting IDE cables?

[Aaron]

Following ebuyer's recent offer of free postage, I bought a butt-load of rounded IDE cables from them (£1.80 each ).

The problem is that they're all double drive cables and I only really need single drive cables. Is there any reason why I can't cut the cable in half and gaffer tape over the wires where I've cut? Is it dangerous or fine?

Thanks!

[directhex]

it's fine.

[Richie]

Of course you know what will happen.... The moment you cut em all you find yourself needing a double

[malfunction]

Yep - have done this a few times now. Sharp scissors are actually the best thing for a clean cut (as opposed to pliers or a knife). I've never bothered putting insulating tape over the cut end - you just need to make sure you haven't got anything connecting from one pin to the next.

[Aaron]

Of course you know what will happen.... The moment you cut em all you find yourself needing a double

Aye, it's always the way. Luckily I've got 4 IDE RAID connectors + 2 regular IDE connectors on my motherboard so I should be OK for a while.

Thanks for the info guys.

[petrefax]

shame you can't buy proper single device IDE cables in the UK, all mine are cut ones for this very reason

if you cut close enough to the IDE connector with a stanley / craft knife theres no need for tape, it looks fairly tidy (well - tidy enough for me )

i spose you could colour the small remaining bit of cable with a marker, but i cba

[Aaron]

That looks very neat.

You can buy single device cables in the UK, I think I saw them on overclockers.co.uk. However, they were £15+. I'd rather pay £1.80 for a double device cable and cut it than £15 and not have to cut it though.

[oshta]

its a shame the you dont get two singles when you cut a double

but it will be fine, and theres no need for any tape.

you can even open up the conector and shortent the cable, but its a pain (and all but imposable with rounded cables)

[Korky]

yo Aaron before you cut them, remember u can also rip of the middle IDE connection pretty easily and means u have a long one... one :S anyway u get the idea