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sidwelle
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Terminal Crimpers

What type of crimpers do I need to crimp the terminals on a piece of wire and make it look like it came from the factory that way ?

Terminals 16.png
Networking* Electronics* electrical engineeringHardware

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d-glitch

8/22/2022 - Mon
David Johnson, CD

most garden variety crimpers will do what you want.
sidwelle

ASKER
Couldn't get the link to resolve.  Changed the domain from 'CA' to 'COM' and it worked.  
So I can probably pick something like this up at Menards or HD ?



Dr. Klahn

Side note:  Crimping a connection properly means applying quite a lot of force very precisely and the common, garden-variety crimpers coming out of China are not good enough.  A professional quality tool may cost $100 but it will have replaceable jaws, interchangeable jaws for different connectors, precise machining, and probably compound leverage so that you don't have to lean on the tool to crimp.

There is very little so annoying as trying to locate and prove problems caused by almost-good-enough crimped connections, and chasing those problems requires expensive equipment.

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William Peck
sidwelle

ASKER
Here is a set ?

d-glitch

The crimps you have shown in the photo are look like uninsulated male tabs and mating female receptacles.  

Common tab sizes are  0.250 or  0.187 in width by  0.032 thick.  They are made by AMP, Amphenol, Thomas & Betts, Molex, ...

If you want to make factory quality crimps, get the proper terminal for your wire size, and the tool recommended by the manufacturer.  It may be several hundred dollars.  

The tool used for the crimps in your photo has stepped jaws:
  1. One set to crimp the terminal to the stripped wire.
  2.  A second set to crimp the strain relief tabs onto the insulation.
  3.  A short section of heat-shrink sleeve (perhaps with an inner layer that melts and encapsulates the connection) is installed with a heat gun as the finishing touch.


sidwelle

ASKER
Yes; the nylon sleeves are two pieces that slide up and join, no heat gun needed.

I don't have a project where I need a crimper more than a couple of times per year.
I usually end up with a poor looking connection that I end up soldering on.
That's why I posted the question here. I am starting to like Dave's suggestion of going with an inexpensive pair from a local DIY center.

If you can recommend a pair, that would help.
Thank you.

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David Johnson, CD

Ive used the kits from the local hardware stores crimper, and a selection of connectors.  The biggest thing is use the right sized connector for the wire.  .. helps if you have some hand strength... Soldering  is better but crimps do whell in a pinch.
For a while I worked in antenna construction and soldering silver solder up 200 ft with a butane soldering iron was an excursive in patience.   guess being a CBer and then HAM helped me learn how to solder PL-259's and Type-N's  Was the only one on the crew that the boss would allow to do this.
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d-glitch

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