Rant: Wasted $200 on a fancy crimper that couldn't handle basic RG6

Bought this high-end crimper off some website last month thinking it would speed up my jobs. First time I used it on a connector it bent the pin sideways and ruined three fittings in a row. Tried adjusting it for an hour before tossing it in the trash and grabbing my old $30 one from the van. Turns out the fancy one was made for some weird European coax size not common here. Anyone else fall for a tool that looked good but just didn't work?

3 comments

3 Comments

danielr9913d ago

A buddy of mine bought that same one and said it crushed his connectors like tin cans.

stellat4613d ago

Wait, are we talking about the same tool here @danielr99? I've used that crimper on hundreds of battery terminals and never had crushing issues. It's more likely your buddy was using the wrong die size for his gauge wire. Most of those kits come with multiple die sizes for 8 gauge down to 2/0. You gotta match the die to the connector diameter, not just the wire gauge. I've seen guys cram a 4 gauge connector into a 2/0 die and wonder why things get mangled. Make sure he checks the die markings before blaming the tool.

fiona_hunt7113d ago

And yeah @danielr99 I've seen that happen too, but more often it's the die not matching up right. For coax you gotta check the connector barrel diameter too, not just the cable type. I had the same issue once till I realized the die was meant for a different wall thickness.