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Warning: cheap crimpers wrecked 3 cannon plug pins before I switched to a ratcheting set
I was redoing a connector on a King Air last Tuesday and the bargain crimpers kept mashing the pins out of round, so I grabbed the ratcheting pair our lead keeps in the top drawer. Night and day difference, the ratchet stops before you over squeeze and every pin seated clean on the first try. Anyone got a brand they trust for the tiny 22 gauge contacts, or is it all about technique?
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the_lily6d ago
Curious what wire gauge you were actually running through those cheap ones, because I had the same mashed pin problem until I figured out mine were stamped for a range that didn't match the contact size I was using. The tool said 20 to 24 but the die geometry was sloppy on the small end, so anything 22 and under just folded over. Did you check the crimp height with a gauge after switching to the ratcheting set, or did you just go by feel and pull test? The reason I ask is that even good ratcheting tools can be off if the die is worn, and a King Air connector is not where you want a pin backing out at altitude.
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