Can anyone recommend a decent crimping tool?

[MotherSky]

I have been meaning to smarten up my speaker cabling arrangements for ages, and have settled on these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300845713892?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 - I have decided to try crimping rather than soldering, and would like to buy a decent quality tool for the purpose - I would far rather buy something at the lower end of the professional use spectrum, rather than the likes of Rolson etc - can any body with the relevant expertise suggest a suitable make/model? I''m happy to spend £30/40 or so

thanks in advance

MH

 

[awkwardbydesign]

Can't help with tooling, but I have some of the non plated CMC spades and they are REALLY tough! None of my cheap crimping tools would touch them.

 

[Beobloke]

Can anyone recommend a decent crimping tool?

I''m happy to spend £30/40 or so

Sorry, but these two things are mutually exclusive. You can either buy a £30/40 jack-of-all-trades crimp tool that, at best, won't do a very good job and, at worst, will mangle/damage the terminal and/or wire. Or you can stump up a fortune on the proper tool which will do a good job but is extremely unlikely to be used very often, unless you're particularly keen on re-terminating your speaker cables every week.

 

[toobhead]

! None of my cheap crimping tools would touch them.

Yep ! Nothing beats the Vidal Sassoon convertible... :^

 

[MotherSky]

Thanks for your thoughts chaps - I did wonder if I was being a bit optimistic - thinking about it, £40 just about buys a decent pair of pliers - I think some refinement of Keith's suggestion of using a vice is the way forward - I could easily knock up a small die of suitable form at work.

- those crimpers in the final post remind me of my goth phase back in the eighties... what was I thinking? (probably about getting laid tbh)

 

[awkwardbydesign]

I tried the vice method, but that just flattened the sides, didn't curve the ends around and grip the cable properly. And even my big bench vise struggled! In the end I used a BIG soldering iron and a heat gun to get enough heat into the joint. Not ideal, but I didn't want to spend a fortune on a tool I would rarely use.

 

[Tony_J]

I tried the vice method, but that just flattened the sides, didn't curve the ends around and grip the cable properly. And even my big bench vise struggled! In the end I used a BIG soldering iron and a heat gun to get enough heat into the joint. Not ideal, but I didn't want to spend a fortune on a tool I would rarely use.

You obviously need a bigger vice...how about one of these? http://photos.phpwerx.net/cars/Legacy/Swap/2008-03-24_Bushings/800x600/DSCF2290.JPG

 

[rockmeister]

these look ok...should last the home crimper a good number of years and not hundreds of pounds!??

http://www.amazon.co.uk/0-25-6mm²-Mini-type-Self-adjustable-Crimping-End-Sleeves/dp/B00AE0W3WE/ref=sr_1_79?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1373535661&sr=1-79&keywords=crimping+tool

Mind you, I'm not an expert crimper by any means. I use a £3 draper wire cutter.crimper that works fine! :shock:

 

[alexh]

Try: www.surplus-electronics.co.uk

I have bought the odd part from them and they have things laying around but not on their web site, so give them a call to see if they have what you want. ;-)

 

[Audio Al]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-70mm-COPPER-TUBE-TERMINALS-CRIMPER-CRIMPING-CABLE-LUGS-BATTERY-WIRE-TOOL-/290747223199?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item43b1e28c9f

any good ?

 

[MotherSky]

Fixt.Keith, bless him, wouldn't know which end of a soldering iron was the burny bit

Sorry about that - I failed to notice your orientation as it were..

 

[MotherSky]

these look ok...should last the home crimper a good number of years and not hundreds of pounds!??http://www.amazon.co.uk/0-25-6mm²-Mini-type-Self-adjustable-Crimping-End-Sleeves/dp/B00AE0W3WE/ref=sr_1_79?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1373535661&sr=1-79&keywords=crimping+tool

Mind you, I'm not an expert crimper by any means. I use a £3 draper wire cutter.crimper that works fine! :shock:

hmm - interesting that the same seller is offering this sent direct from China for £18 inc postage (see bottom of page) - might be worth a punt - thanks