Connectors and crimpers

[shade]

I forgot to check this guy's reviews before buying cable shears. I think German Tool Reviews offers some good information. He really tries to collect objective data, and is open about his opinions. Full written reviews on his site.

The ones I bought aren't included, but the brand is.

 

[shade]

A Jokari cable knife looks like a good way to go. This is a product video. The review videos I found were annoying, but positive.

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

There are several varieties of cable strippers all work on that same principle.

 

[shade]

There are several varieties of cable strippers all work on that same principle.

Any recommendations? I know they work on the same principle, but I'm sure it's possible to make a bad one.

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

Been years since I bought one. I have a cheap Ideal one in my box does all I need.

 

[shade]

Ideal 45-128.
If you are in US, its probably easiest one to find and good quality tool. About 25$.

Thanks.

I found a sea of them for around $25. They were all great, and they were all junk. I picked a yellow one because it's pretty and called it good.

 

[rho]

I love all the connector and crimp tool/die geekery in here. Its fantastic! Keep on crimping on! I myself just ordered a bunch of DT series stuff as I have the tools for those already. Weeee!

 

[kmacafee]

Harbor Freight makes a pretty decent hydraulic crimper that comes with various dies.

 

[shade]

Harbor Freight makes a pretty decent hydraulic crimper that comes with various dies.

I have one, or one of the many similar ones. It can work, but I can't say how well, since repeatability is suspect when manually gauging which die to use, and how far to crimp.

Being a tool geek and needing to do several crimps, I ordered an FTZ ratcheting crimper, which arrived today. It won't be used often, but I'll use it and share it with friends enough to justify the cost.

 

[94Discovery]

Please clarify this. Do you mean solder that works itself into the wire makes inflexible and potentially a place for the wire to crack? I know on sailboats solder has gone away in favor of crimp/heat shrink.

On one of my crimp/solder I can tell the solder wicked up the wire. I am not too concerned as this was only a proof of concept setup.

Wicking is accepted ,the maximum is 2 diameter of the wire, so it goes under the rubber and makes a solide mechanical fixture so if the wires vibrates it won’t brake the wire

 

[DaveInDenver]

Wicking is accepted ,the maximum is 2 diameter of the wire, so it goes under the rubber and makes a solide mechanical fixture so if the wires vibrates it won’t brake the wire

Where did you learn that? The acceptable criteria when I was taught was wicking must stop at the insulation. That's per NASA, though, so their workmanship standards were pretty specific and connectors are almost always crimped.

I'm just curious who recommends that since the underlying reason is you don't want to move the stress point up under the insulation, away from the support of the terminal and where it can't be inspected. It's bad if the wire fatigues and the insulation is holding it together.

 

[94Discovery]

Where did you learn that? The acceptable criteria when I was taught was wicking must stop at the insulation. That's per NASA, though, so their workmanship standards were pretty specific and connectors are almost always crimped.

I'm just curious who recommends that since the underlying reason is you don't want to move the stress point up under the insulation, away from the support of the terminal and where it can't be inspected. It's bad if the wire fatigues and the insulation is holding it together.

View attachment 526665

I do not about aerospace standards,i will check the ipc-620 tomorrow at work and will report back remember there is class 1/2/3 ,nothing is flying or going into space and it is not medical so it class 1.

 

[shade]

I do not about aerospace standards,i will check the ipc-620 tomorrow at work and will report back remember there is class 1/2/3 ,nothing is flying or going into space and it is not medical so it class 1.

Here's a 2002 edition. Chapter 4 shows a lot of ways for me to get it wrong. I'll stick with crimping.

http://www.hochien.com.tw/data/IPC-A-620.pdf

 

[john61ct]

Harbor Freight makes a pretty decent hydraulic crimper that comes with various dies.

Very low standards to call anywhere near decent.

Many AWG sizes aren't served at all by their metric dies not even close.

AWG sizes are simply not available, and would cost more than the tool. The NT and Amazon and eBay ones the same. Some even flat out lie and claim to support AWG. They don't.

Plus the hydraulics don't last long at all, make a mess.

So yes, hardly any money, but a waste for most that value their time.

 

[kmacafee]

Very low standards to call anywhere near decent.

Many AWG sizes aren't served at all by their metric dies not even close.

AWG sizes are simply not available, and would cost more than the tool. The NT and Amazon and eBay ones the same. Some even flat out lie and claim to support AWG. They don't.

Plus the hydraulics don't last long at all, make a mess.

So yes, hardly any money, but a waste for most that value their time.

I've had mine for 5 years and I've been able to crimp every size of cable I've ever needed. All of the dies are AWG and the hydraulics still work like new. Just lucky I guess.