Wirewrap

Wire-wrapping is a method of wiring through-hole components together on a board. It is usually used only for prototyping.

A manual wire-wrap tool is cylindrical with one large on-axis hole (for the pin to be connected) and an off-axis hole (for the wire - usually 30 gauge). Rotating this tool leaves a tightly-wound helix of wire on the pin. There are also powered tools with motors that work the same way.

Wirewrap is one of several circuit construction techniques.

Wire wrap sockets have long, square pins. There are 2 ways to attach them a board:

• make the socket face "up" so the pins point "down", and push the pins down through holes in a perforated board. Put wires on the pins, on the side of the board opposite the components.
• make the socket face "up", and bend the pins to also point "up. hot-glue the sockets to a blank, non-perforated board. A wire wrap pencil is exactly the right size for bending the pins. Put wires on the pins. Since the wire wrapping is on the same side as the components, it's harder to get lost. (described in "One-sided view of wire wrap sockets" article by Ira Rampil in "Byte" magazine 1977 Sept).