modular plug crimper for rj45 cat 6/5e cable

[mdronic]

Has any one used a modular plug crimper. I am wanting to make a quantity of cat 6 and 5e cables to replace and extend the ever growing mycellium Forrest  of cables. I have calculated it will be cheaper to make them up myself and also means can repair ends if required. Unsure of what to get happy to get a good quality one if this means making the task faster and more reliable connections. Can get a ck 430028 or ck 430020(twice the price) modular crimper at a good price they are German made ones. Unsure if the extra and different way it crimps is of value having never used this type of crimped before. Has anyone else? Thanks.

[helius]

I wouldn't worry too much about quality for modular crimp tools. The $20 Taiwan versions are just fine and fairly durable.
What you will have to consider is whether you will be using AMP style or WE/SS (Western Electric/Steward Stamping) plugs, because the crimp tools for each are not compatible with the other. I believe both versions exist for Cat5, and Cat6 plugs (which are very similar except for the shape of the wire guides). You also should get a good cable scissor, the cutters that are built in to some crimp tools are useless because they don't bypass.

Edited to point out that the C.K 430020 is also made in Taiwan despite costing $200.

[mdronic]

Thanks. Especially for pointing out that there are two types of plugs. I don't think I understood the full differences and which to use. Do most cables use WE/SS  or AMP?  Or does it change with countries.?. The ck modular crimpers are 1/2 price at a clearance sale that why I thought I might get one. ? Are they both WE/SS compatable as description doesn't mention? . I don't seem to be able to tell the real difference between the two except that in one the entry is from the side and the other the tip and the price. As the ck 430020 is twice the price there must be something to account for the price difference but I can't seem to discern what that is from the description?.

[mdronic]

Have asked about the different styles of modular plugs seems may be not an issue here as they have the one style which seems to be the WE/SS ones. They really didn't know about the AMP .  Some pictures of the crimpers showing the different style heads. Which would be better?where the modular plug comes infrom the : Ck430028 from the side or Ck430020 from the tip.

Has anyone used either or both What do you think.

[RobertHolcombe]

Having used both styles, the 2nd is more comfortable to me personally. Unfortunate circumstances may see you terminating cable that has barely any slack or is in a cramped space and in those cases either one may be preferable

[mdronic]

Thanks for the advice and information. To follow up I ended up purchasing the front loading crimper ck430020 the second style. Despite being a little bit more in price,with the big discount, it seemed the better tool. It was significantly more comfortable, seems to have a very smooth action and well built. Being a front loading tool it is allowing me to get into some of the spaces and against other surfaces more easily, and that would have been difficult with the side loading crimper. I wouldn't have paid the rrp though, but being on  discount it was worth the extra and not that different to some of the cheaper brands in same style. Really nice to use for mmy size hands.

[tooki]

Honestly, I only crimp my own cables if I need a custom length. It's way too big of a hassle compared to the low cost of buying cables from monoprice.com and the like. If your time is worth anything at all, it's cheaper to buy.

[mariush]

The second version is better.

With the first version, you're exerting uneven pressure on the pins inside the connector, the ones closer to the end of the tool will be pressed a bit more. Also, when you squeeze the tool the metal "bars" that push those copper pins in the wires are ever so slightly pushed sideways, which can in some cases (low quality plastic) enlarge the channels where those pins reside inside the connector.

The second version is designed to push the metal bars straight down on the jack without uneven pressure or any other issues. It's also easier to use in some cases, if you don't have the strength to squeeze the tool you can use the side of the desk.

Years ago I've crimped about 200 cables for a small server room using two crimping tools (one of each kind), but the people who owned that building didn't do proper air conditioning and the room was hot and humid, at around 30-35c all the time. About 20% of the connectors made with the regular tool started to loosen up and had to be re-crimped after about 6-8 months, and only maybe 2-3% of the cables crimped with a tool similar to the 2nd picture failed.  Anyway, can't say the tool is 100% responsible for this, because air conditioning was not the only thing they cheapened out, they bought cheap connectors as well.

[andtfoot]

Another thing to keep in mind is that the connectors for solid and stranded core cables are different.
Connectors for solid core cables can usually be used on stranded cable (still not ideal), but not the other way. It will probably work to start with, but fail over time.

Easy way to tell is to look at the side of the connector. If the pins that go into the wire has 3 offset spiky bits, it's for solid core. If it's more of a solid, blunt looking thing it's for stranded.