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Thoughts on this big crimper tool?

1001001

Well Known Member
I find myself in need of a big crimper for 2 gauge wire connections. I did a search and came up with this one:

https://smile.amazon.com/Toolwiz-Crimping-Terminal-Thickened-Reinforced/dp/B07QYTMPGP/

It looks similar to one Spruce sells for about 10x the price. Any thoughts on this? Has anyone used this tool? Frankly as long as it works about a dozen times, I don't care if it breaks afterward--$250 after shipping is pretty steep for a tool like this.

I guess I could go to the local FBO and borrow the guys' crimper, but this one might work out just as well and be a good tool to share around our EAA chapter.
 
Crimper

I have the hf one and found it works great for 4 gauge and smaller. I bought a heavier duty one for the larger wires.
 
I also have the Harbour Freight crimp tool. The only downside is it does not make pretty hex crimps like some of my smaller hex crimpers which have much wider dies.

I started out with one of these hammer/vise crimpers for battery cables/terminals. Works well if the cable work is not being done in place in the aircraft, otherwise you need something like the HF tool to get a good crimp in a tight space.

https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/805...4579397212853734&utm_content=Other Categories

John Salak
RV-12 N896HS
 
I thought solder is not recommended as it is too stiff and may cause the wire to break?
 
The solder stiffness is a vibration/flex thing on smaller gauge wires.

I don't think it would matter with a 2 gauge wire.
 
Steinair

Stein sells everything you need… wire, lugs, crimpers, etc. I’ve thought pricing of this stuff and shipping has always been reasonable at Stein.
 
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I made this simple fixture from a piece of 3/8 X 3/4 aluminum bar. It can be placed in a vise and squeezed to crimp. Or you can crimp it with a rounded bar and a hammer.

The small hole (now filled) is to feed solder into the crimped fitting. A small amount, just enough to capture the wire without going beyond the crimp.

The 1/16" cable end in the photo was crimped with simple non insulated crimper found on wire stripers. I tested that crimp to over 500#, the mfg. fail point of the cable. The first wire in the cable snapped at 534#. The end never moved.
 

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I borrowed

No experience with that tool, but I was also on the fence with buying one. The decision was made for me when I bought my 2 AWG lugs from the local electrical supply, Anixter in this case. They just loaned me their Burndy hydraulic crimper.

Bob
 
I bought one of the hydraulic crimpers from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZA2P3XM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It seems to work pretty well. I used it for some of my battery cables already. The dies are primarily for large wire, most are bigger than we would ever need but still I think its a pretty good tool for not too much money. It makes nice hex crimps. Buy some extra terminals so you can get it figured out before you start work on your real cables.
 
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