Ferrule crimp tools part deux

[pc1966]

We often see folk asking about which crimp tool to buy/use so I decided to round up my collection and put them to the test. Ladies and gentlemen, here are the usual suspects:

Seems I cant post after the image? From the left we have:

• RS crimp tool, seems they no longer sell it but I think it is Bootlace Ferrule Crimping Plier 0.5 mm2 To 16 mm2 - https://www.maunindustries.com/pliers-tools/bootlace-ferrule-crimping-plier-0-5-mm2-to-16-mm2/
• SWA crimp tool that comes with this set 0.5mm²-4.0mm² Hand Ratchet Crimp Tool Kit and Insulated Bootlace Ferrules - https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/362745-0-5mm-4-0mm-hand-ratchet-crimp-tool-kit-and-insulated-bootlace-ferrules
• Engex crimp tool 660016 covering 10-35mm (even though described as 16-35) 16mm² - 35mm² Cord End Crimp Tool - https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/695868-16mm-35mm-cord-end-crimp-tool
• RS crimp tool for 10/16/25mm ferrules RS PRO Plier Crimping Tool for Bootlace Ferrule | RS Components - https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/crimp-tools/6831614/
• eBay special claims 0.25-10mm self-adjusting square die
• Pressmaster hex-die 0.14-10mm equivalent to RS PRO Plier Crimping Tool for Bootlace Ferrule | RS Components - https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/crimp-tools/1221791/

 

[pc1966]

First test was with 10mm tri-rated wire, fine stranded and all but the SWA tool could do this:

Results were:

1. For the simple Maun/RS tool it was easy but really needed two crimps for the 10mm ferrule.
2. N/A [SWA tool limited to 6mm]
3. The Engex crimp was tight, but lop-sided and stuck in the die
4. The RS tool did a great job for this size (also for 16 & 25 elsewhere)
5. The cheap Chinese tool work fine here
6. The Expensive hex-die did a good crimp, but needed quite a firm hand force to complete.

 

[pc1966]

Next we have 4mm 7-stranded conduit wire:

1. Again the old RS/Maun tool was simple and easy
2. The SWA tool over-crimped a bit, tight in jaw but otherwise tolerable
3. N/A (below Engex range)
4. N/A (below RS range)
5. Again the cheap tool was fine
6. Hex tool also fine, though firm force still needed

 

[pc1966]

Then same for 1.5mm 7-stranded conduit wire:

1. Old RS/Maun tool fine
2. SWA over-crimped a bit
3. N/A (below range)
4. N/A (beow range)
5. Fine with cheap square die
6. Fine with expensive hex die

 

[pc1966]

Then 0.5mm fine stranded wire:

This was the smallest for tools 1 & 2 and well within tools 5 & 6 rating

1. Old RS/Maun tool fine
2. SWA tool over-crimped, also getting easy to end up in gaps between correct crimp locations
3. N/A (below range)
4. N/A (below range)
5. OK, moved a bit when pulled but not easily coming out
6. Perfectly good

 

[pc1966]

Finally 0.25mm fine-stranded wire (violet ferrules, not obvious in photo):

This is within tools 5 & 6 range, but below tools 1 & 2

1. Old RS/Maun was OK, moved a bit if pulled but stayed in
2. SWA over-crimped significantly
3. N/A
4. N/A
5. Cheap eBay failed, crimp looks OK but wire pulled out easily
6. Expensive hex die was perfect

 

[SparkyChick]

Thanks for taking the time and putting this together

 

[pc1966]

Conclusions?

1. Well for all is basic appearance, the Maun tool is really good, but you need to get the right gap. However, adjacent gaps don't really lead to a stuck wire.
2. The SWA tool is pretty rubbish. Having tried it a few times I really would bin it.
3. Same for the Engex tool. While it does above the 16mm max of the Maun, it is not great.
4. The RS tool is very good for all 3 sizes (10-25mm), but expensive
5. The cheap eBay self-adjusting tool is great for 0.75-10mm and excellent value for money. Doubt it will last the 50,000 cycles RS/Pressmaster offer but at that price hardly worth complaining about. Not great at 0.5mm or below.
6. The Pressmaster is good, but harder to use for the upper range and also expensive. If you are doing a lot of small ferrules (e.g. instruments, some control panel signal wiring) it makes sense, but hard to justify the total cost.

Over to you ladies and gentlemen to share your own experience....

 

[GBDamo]

Cheers, I'll avoid using my cheap Chinese Amazon specials to bootlace my pubes.

A real service to humanity there PC1966.

 

[Moley]

I've got 2 cheap chinese ebay jobbies. Never had a problem with them. If you loose it you've not lost a lot of money.

 

[derek]

I've got a pressmaster one, but I work in the water industry where failure is not an option ( unless it is caused by poor design and lack of maintainance because they are/were too busy creaming off profit until they got hit by massive fines).

 

[pc1966]

I think the RS 10/16/25mm is also made by Pressmaster as it is Swedish.

 

[pirate]

Thanks for that pc1966...very interesting to see that trial.

I have a couple of decent ratchet crimpers for ferrules and terminals, but for fine wires, lighting etc I use a pair of CK plier-type crimpers for bootlace ferrules. They are ideal for the very small sizes, and being compact can be used in tight corners.

 

[edexlab]

I also use the knipex pliers type, and like most things you get used to them and making sure it's in the right slot becomes automatic
My last Firm lots of people frowned on them preferring various ratchet types,

There were some connection problems in panels and wiring connected to them.
One of the Company Engineers decided to test them without anyone knowing
He had some previous extensive experience testing and calibrating crimp tools and connections for the Railway industry.
He picked panels which had been wired by different people with different tools

Most people were surprised at his report which basically said the same as Pc1966 tests
The pliers type were very reliable as long as they were a good make, manufactured to a DIN standard, not excessively worn, they were used properly.

The ratchet types did vary between makes, however some of the cheaper company supplied ones equalled the more expensive, which led to them being banned as there was too much variation in crimp quality

 

[telectrix]

Thanks for taking the time and putting this together

methinks he needs to get out more. ??

 

[pc1966]

methinks he needs to get out more. ??

If only!

 

[MFS Electrical]

methinks he needs to get out more. ??

Dont we all?

 

[Soi disant]

Be still my beating heart. I looked at this topic as it popped up when I started to create one titled "Cheap tools aren't good, good tools aren't cheap", because I have a one-off need to do some cord-end crimping of 4mm² - 16mm² tri-rated for a personal project.

eBay is awash with cheap Chinese POS Knipex look-alikes and I was going to ask if anybody knew if they were a POS in that they just aren't going to work, or a POS in that they aren't going to work for very long.

Looks like you've been a great help to me!

 

[pc1966]

One thing to add is if you are using screw style terminals the crimp only needs to stop the ferrule easily coming off, as it gets further crushed by the termination. But if you use spring-loaded terminals like Wagos or some DIN rails, then you need a good crimp to get a good stable contact between the wire and the ferrule.

 

[pc1966]

@pc1966 Your set is not complete.??

Not yet!
I have a SWA-brand crimp tool like you large one, goes 6-50mm I think. Like this:

Crimp Tool Kit with Copper Tube Terminals

Kit comprising of:

www.cef.co.uk

Not got any hydraulic tools. Yet.

 

[telectrix]

@pc1966 Your set is not complete.??View attachment 84857

bloody poser. ?????

 

[Mike Johnson]

"Moi" ?

Don't think I am handsome enough to be a poser, but tool tart that's another matter.

 

[Soi disant]

[A photo with his name and address on]

You might like to remove/redact that....

 

[Mike Johnson]

You might like to remove/redact that....

Had not noticed.

 

[pc1966]

Had not noticed.

Neither had I. Too focused on the tool-----!

 

[Zerax]

Not got any hydraulic tools. Yet.

I picked up some Cembre HT51 cheap on eBay many years ago... mainly for some DC cabling I was doing on a boat. They'll go down as low as 6mm... but really meant for >25mm. I use them often for 10mm& 16mm... perfect crimps every time !