Glossary & Terms

This is a living documentation of terms and definitions that may prove useful to folks who are commissioning a cable from VoxelMods, or for those who want to learn a bit more about cable terminology.

It is will updated occasionally.

MDPC-X

Noun. | Brand | MDPC-X is a German-made PET braided sleeving that I use instead of paracord. Its colors are vibrant and consistent, but the main drawback is the comparatively small color range. Its a significantly more expensive material than paracord, but it’s properties more than make that worth it to me. It melts very well using Utility Heatshrink, wont fray during use, and doesn’t have a pesky inner core to remove.

Techflex

Generic Noun. | Brand - Flexo | Techflex is a braided PET sleeve that is used as the outermost layer of the cable. It has a less dense weave pattern than MDPC-X, so it allows plenty of base color through, and can used to enhance or contrast the base color.

Detachable

Generic Noun. | A detachable is any connector that can attach and detach its two halves. Also called Push-pulls or quick disconnects

Heatshrink

Generic Noun. | Brand - Flexo, Electriduct, MDPC | Heatshrink is a Polyolefin material that is overexpanded to shrink when heated. It is used to cover the USB connectors of all cables, under aviators, as aviator accents, to insulate electrical contacts from the metal housings of connectors, including detachables.

1/2in 3:1 ratio heatshrink is the most common size used in keyboard cables, but I also utilize 1/4in and 3/8in 3:1 ratio heatshrink in different areas.

Heatshrink Accent

Noun. | The heatshrink accent is a small strip of heatshrink that is added to the detachable connector to add some pizzaz.

Weipu: One small strip is placed between the hex nut and the female barrel housing, covering the threads of the barrel in the spot where the waterproofing cap used to be attached.

Not-a-Lemo 1B: A slim strip is placed between the cap on each half. Note that the width is physically different on each half due to the design. See example below.

Not-a-Lemo 0B: Since the connector is smaller than 1B, no heatshrink accent is possible wih this size of connector

TRRS: A ~1 inch piece of heatshrink can cover the entire barrel of each TRRS connector.

Orientation

Noun. | In the context of cables, Orientation refers to the style of coil, namely how the leads “exit” the coil. It is determined based on where your USB port is located on your keyboard, where your computer is located, and the aesthetic that you are going for.

Examples include: Right-Rear exit, Left-parallel exit, straight exit, and their opposites.

Lead(s) or Legs

Noun. | The lead or leg is the section of sleeved cable that bridges the distance between the start/end of the coil and the USB connector and detachable.

I typically aim for 2-2.5 inches of sleeved cable before the exposed wires for soldering.

Diameter

Noun. | This is the diameter of the rod used when coiling. The most common size is 1/2in rods, with the popular alternative being a slimmer 3/8in rod. Both are offered with any coiled cable commission.

Host cable

Noun. | The host cable is the length of straight sleeved cable that connects your coil to your PC USB port. I offer lengths between 6 inches and 10ft. 5 feet is most popular.

Device lead

Noun. | This term refers to the coil or straight detachable lead that connects the host cable to your keyboard or macropad. It is used more commonly when referring to straight cables and their short device connectors.

Straight cable

Noun. | A straight cable is any cable that does not contain a coil. It may or may not have a detachable.

Straight Detachable cable

Noun. | In this context, a straight cable is a cable that 1. does not contain a coil and 2. does have any detachable.

Charge cable

Noun. | A charge cable is any USB cable that has neither a coil or a detachable. Just sleeved cable and USB connectors. Whether you use it as a charging cable for your phone or connect a keyboard or macropad is up to you!

Split keyboard cable

Noun. | A split keyboard cable does not have a detachable, but may have a coil. They can be USB C to C, or TRRS to TRRS, and their designs are often tailored to the exact ergonomic split keyboard that the client uses.

IEM cable

Noun. | This is an original cable style that uses 8-core braided wire that is generally used for IEM headphone cables, which I also craft!
Available in 6 colors and compatible with all detachables and USB hardware.