You will need:
Epoxy packge
Syringe and flat-end needle
Wipes
Inexpensive scissors - not the ones used to cut the aramid yarns
Other Types of Adhesives
Besides the heat-cured or room temperature epoxies, there are a number of other types of adhesives used for fiber optic connectors:
"Hot Melt" is a 3M trademark for their connector that has a hot melt adhesive already inserted into the connector. These connectors are heated to soften the adhesive, then the stripped fiber is inserted. After cooling to set the adhesive, the connector is polished normally.
Quick curing adhesives can be anything from crazy glue to thread lockers. Some work too fast for the novice who often finds the fiber stuck halfway into the connector. They also are more difficult to get a good hard bead on the end of the ferrule, making them harder to cleave and polish. After you master the epoxy connectors, try an anaerobic solution which solves these problems!
UV cures use expensive lights and have special transparent ferrules. Rare.
Contents
Step 1 - Getting Ready
Step 2 - Examine Connector Construction
Step 3 - Stripping the Cable
Step 5 - Applying the Connector to the Fiber
Step 6 - Scribe and Polish
Step 7 - Visual Inspection - Microscope
Step 8 - Test the Connector
Step 9 - The Quiz
Open the epoxy package and remove the syringe and the two part epoxy mix. Assemble the syringe.
Remove the divider that separates the epoxy and hardener in the plastic bag. Lay the bag flat and mix the two ingredients by sliding a flat object back and forth over the surface of the bag . The plastic divider works fine for this. A popsicle stick is another good choce. You can also mix the epoxy by kneading with your fingers
Make sure the epoxy is thoroughly mixed. You will have to turn the bag over and mix it on both sides. It will take a couple of minutes to mix the epoxy properly. Once it is mixed, it will be useable for just over a half hour. Hold the bag up and the mixture will settle to one end.
The epoxy is very sticky and hard to remove from anything it gets on. Be aware of this as you prepare to cut the bag open.
Using an inexpensive pair of scissors (NOT the good Kevlar scissors!), snip off one corner of the bag to make an opening about 1/16 inch (1mm) across.
Do not use the same scissors that you used to cut the aramid yarns - you don't want to get any epoxy on those - they will be ruined!
Remove the plunger from the syringe, and pour the epoxy into the syringe. Have Kim wipes handy.
Put the plunger back into the syringe, just enough to hold it in place - don't push it in yet.
Hold syringe vertically with the needle up. Let the epoxy run to the bottom. Slowly move the plunger up, forcing out the air.
Wipe the epoxy that squirts out of the needle with a wipe.
Set the syringe aside, and put the cover on the needle if it has one or lay the needle on a clean wipe.
You now have about a half hour to do terminations.
