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Had to choose between a new multimeter or a better crimp tool for the shop budget. Went with the crimper. | Avionics Technicians - Vivisector

lilyhayes•6mo ago

Had to choose between a new multimeter or a better crimp tool for the shop budget. Went with the crimper.

The boss gave me a $400 allowance to get one new piece of kit for our bench. It was a tough call between a fancy new digital multimeter with more functions or a high-quality, ratcheting crimp tool set for D-sub pins. The old crimper we had was just a cheap hand tool, and I was tired of fighting with it on harness repairs. I figured a solid connection is the foundation of everything we do, so I ordered the crimp set from a brand called Erem. It showed up last Tuesday. Used it on a G1000 audio panel harness job, and wow, what a difference. The crimps are perfect every single time, no more cold joints to chase. Has anyone else made a similar choice? What's the one tool you'd pick if you could only get one?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_jessica6mo ago

Good call, right? My crimper was a game-changer too.

green.noah6mo ago

Wait, you still have a crimper? I thought those went out with butterfly clips and frosted lip gloss (no hate, I had those too). That's actually amazing you kept it all this time. Mine broke in like 2003 and I just gave up.

ericw936mo ago

Totally. Mine's a pink Hot Tools one from like 1999. Still works. I break it out for Halloween or a themed party sometimes. The look is so specific, you just can't get it with a curling iron. Feels like a time machine.

felixlane4mo ago

Ericw93 really nailed it with keeping that old crimper. Same thing happened to me - cheap hand tool that gave me nothing but trouble on Molex connectors for an old car stereo project. Once I finally got a good ratcheting one, every pin felt solid and consistent. It's wild how much of a difference the right tool makes on something that seems so simple.