electrical crimping tools

What tool do you use to crimp the D-Subminiature connector pins to the wires? The only one I found cost $120. Do I really need this special tool?

I used the "B Crimp Open Barrel Tool" from B&C Specialty Products. It will do the D Sub pins and also the larger open barrel connectors including Molex connectors. Complete instructions are on their web site. Cost $32. If you want to do a real good job on the D sub pins, flow a little solder into the crimp after you have crimped it.

Fin
9A Australia

Ditto on what Finley said. A word of wisdom learned the hard way........Don't scrimp on electrical tools.

Item # is SAT-004 @SteinAir and it costs $31.00. works great.

NEVER SOLDER A CRIMPED CONNECTION!!!!! This is taboo. Solder causes the wire to become brittle and break at the end of the solder wick. My wife & I both have done mil-spec wiring for over 40 years each. If you are determined to solder a connection, make sure you have a VERY good strain relief. It will help.

Whys does Van say to solder the capacitive fuel sender terminals that attach to the plates after crimping them? I also know of a couple products that go on 747's, 767's and 777's and C-17's that also get crimped and soldered. The question only applies to ring terminals. I have never heard of crimping and soldering connector pins, you do one or the other. Stress/Strain Relief is mandatory for any soldered connection.

Mel said:

NEVER SOLDER A CRIMPED CONNECTION!!!!!

Click to expand...

Mel. Good point, makes sense. Seems there are some different opinions here. The only D sub pins I have used are on the connectors for my VM1000C. The instructions in the VM1000C manual are "Crimp pins onto each wire and carefully solder only the area of the crimp and wire". The other thought that occurred to me is that in some cases wires have to be soldered on to terminals (eg, the terminals on small switches and solder type D sub pins). Why would this be any more acceptable than a crimped and soldered terminal?


Fin
9A Australia

The idea is to avoid solder whenever possible. The solder wicks up the wire and leaves a very weak point (brittle) at the end of the solder. Sometimes soldering is required such as with "solder cup" connectors. If a connector is crimped properly, solder does NOT make it better. When you are forced to use solder, be very sure that a very good strain relief is used.