Here is how you do it with NiMh or NiCd cells - it takes an attachment to a soldering iron these guys call a hammerhead. The article shows you how.

http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pro...d=ose-38hammer

I don't think that is how you're supposed to do a123's however. Thats why I asked, I knew you were asking that too. Maybe someone will enlighten us??

I see a lot of them used as stick pacs and suspect they're just bending them back on each other using the dewalt connectors that come out of the pack. Neil was telling how the end to end pairs were connected.