ebay hydraulic elec crimpers

[steveo3002]

i see from the £25 tool thread some of us own the ebay hyd crimpers

are you all thrilled with the die selection?

ive had a few instances where theyre not perfect , either not pinching them up enough or overdoing it so the sides squish out

i wondered if anyone has any thoughts on making up a few alternate dies ? thinking maybe one like the photo , and do you think a plain circle would be any use as a crimp or what?

thoughts and ideas welcome ...ive got plenty of time to tinker

 

[armalites]

I get them flatten the side too, I think it generally depends on the fit of the cable in the crimp. I always make sure they line up in the same plane as the crimp itself and I actually like the way they look with the sides flattened. For me the issue with the picture above is the fact it looks like it was done by someone who didn't have access to a proper tool and potentially won't be contatcting the cable as well as a hex crimp

 

[steveo3002]

http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php/battery-cable-crimping-152282.html

this fella just using a rounded end and seems to make a nice crimp

i would use the hex ones where my cable /lug all matches up , but like i say ive grabbed the odd one and it doenst always work great

 

[123hotchef]

I have not tried mine out yet but we will see it has got to be better than the vice!

 

[steveo3002]

if you was using them all day you could match up the wire and ends , i think some cable is fatter than others that claim to be the same , then some crimps have thicker walls than others

 

[HughF]

I've used the hand-help ebay crimpers for years - my experience is that you always need to use one die size smaller for a decent crimp. The markings are all incorrect from my experience. They do crimp well though. I use tinned copper tube lugs and welding cable normally.

 

[8ob]

I got the hand held set with hex dies for about £35 a few years ago, its a decent bit of kit. I think if you bolted one end to a car you could tow with it knowing it wont come off.

Bob

 

[p0689109]

I bought that one and have found that the crimp that should be the correct size does not crimp correctly. I have had to go to the next size down which is a might too small and squishes but at least it is not loose. That is on the lower end size. I have not tried the larger ones yet.
I thought it was me that was using it wrong but this thread sort of puts my mind at rest.

 

[steveo3002]

whats the bet theyre sized to monkey chinese made starter lugs made from tin foil lol

no one else feeling a set of custom dies then? ordered a bit of bar today

 

[8ob]

I think some of the problems here must be lug diameter vs cable od. I wont try and crimp unless the cable core has completely filled the lug, if its a sloppy fit I stuff bits of sliced down copper tube in the lug and then crimp. It really does need to be a snug fit, done like this you wont have any issues.

Bob

 

[123hotchef]

u could always run a bead of weld around the dies

 

[123hotchef]

I think some of the problems here must be lug diameter vs cable od. I wont try and crimp unless the cable core has completely filled the lug, if its a sloppy fit I stuff bits of sliced down copper tube in the lug and then crimp. It really does need to be a snug fit, done like this you wont have any issues.

Bob

thats a good idea too, I have melted solder into them before now because i was not happy with the fit

 

[steveo3002]

u could always run a bead of weld around the dies

i figured tack weld 2x new blank dies together and drill a hole at the join, then file to a hex shape ? cant see them needing to be super hard for diy use

 

[barracuda816]

I have a one of these and the dies are pretty poor to be honest. It does crimp tight but mine allways leaves crushed "ears" on the lugs.

It would be intersting to make custom dies.

 

[123hotchef]

8 sided would work better i think

 

[brightspark]

get a set off these. proper ones http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10mm-120m...LUGS-BATTERY-WIRE-CRIMPING-TOOL-/300744492834

 

[steveo3002]

get a set off these. proper ones http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10mm-120m...LUGS-BATTERY-WIRE-CRIMPING-TOOL-/300744492834

well thats what im getting at ..quids worth of scrap could fashion the dies to do the same

 

[brightspark]

not me I got my bicc crimps for nothing

 

[Robotstar5]

get a set off these. proper ones http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10mm-120m...LUGS-BATTERY-WIRE-CRIMPING-TOOL-/300744492834

Proper crimpers I like the cast in "blade" so you can hold them in a vice.

 

[langy]

This is mine