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Affordable crimp tools for small connectors (Dupont, etc.)

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CaptainBucko:

--- Quote from: tooki on December 08, 2024, 09:50:54 am ---
What is odd is that you had better luck with an SN-58B, because that tool is just an SN-28B combined with an SN-48B (a tool for larger terminals). The smallest slot in the 28B and 58B should be identical, the 1.56/1.96mm. It’s conceivable that the observed difference is not due to slot sizes, but quality differences or tolerances.


--- End quote ---

On the smallest slot, I measure 1.43mm/1.87mm on the SN-28B and 1.42mm/1.96mm on the SN-58B.

Two notable differences are the depth of the slot being much greater on the 58B, and the polished tool steel finish.

pope:

--- Quote from: tooki on December 08, 2024, 10:29:38 am ---For the first time, Lidl in Switzerland had the crimp tool, so I picked one up.

Crimp quality and dies:
I would say it’s definitely better than the Toozo: a DuPont crimped with the Lidl tool truly passes a pull test, which the Toozo doesn’t always. It also did a great job on the included XH contacts. I tested using 24AWG fine-stranded wire. (Unfortunately all of my KK254 material is at work, so I couldn’t test it out now.)

The dies look as good as in the photos someone posted a year ago. Unlike the wire EDM jaws of the Toozo (and of the SN-28B and IWS-3220 I have), the inner surfaces are smooth. Not the high mirror shine of expensive tools, but still quite smooth. This means less effort when crimping, and better results, because the contact wings don’t have to slide along the rough surface the wire EDM process leaves behind.

Like all of the cheap tools seen to date, the crimp profiles are a bit flatter than in the original tools. I don’t know why the manufacturers of cheap tools do that. Just make the crimp narrower but taller. However, the Lidl tool does make crimps that are juuuust narrow enough to go into the housings. But there is absolutely no room to spare; the wire I tested with has very soft, slightly thick insulation, and after crimping on a contact, the squeezed insulation flares out a bit where the strip begins, and that flare was enough to frustrate insertion into the DuPont housing. It was easily trimmed off, though. It’s likely that thinner, less squishy insulation would cause no interference whatsoever.

What would also be helpful is if there were a broader “funnel” at the bottom of the upper dies, so that the insulation wings are better guided into the opening, like in the original Berg/DuPont tooling I showed in a reply above: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/affordable-crimp-tools-for-small-connectors-(dupont-etc-)/msg5338232/#msg5338232    (This applies to probably every inexpensive tool discussed in this thread.) I may see if one of the machinists at work can modify mine (or help me do it).

Verdict:
While it will never compete with a “real” tool costing 20-30x as much, it is probably the best cheap crimper I’ve tried for DuPont pins, and IMHO probably the one we should recommend for hobbyists.

This would be a killer $20 tool if it had a contact locator. That would eliminate probably 90% of user error and frustration. (I am still amazed that no low-cost crimp tool manufacturer has thought to differentiate themselves by offering a DuPont tool with locator.)

Given Lidl’s ubiquity, it might make sense for someone skilled in 3D modeling (i.e. absolutely not me, LOL) to design a locator people can add on.

--- End quote ---

Could you post a photo of the lidl crimp tool? Is it any of these?

https://www.lidl.pl/p/parkside-szczypce-zaciskowe-do-kabli-2012-elementow/p100367458

https://www.lidl.pl/p/parkside-szczypce-zaciskowe-do-kabli/p100381436

https://www.lidl.pl/p/parkside-zestaw-zaciskarek-5-w-1-pczs-181-a1-181-elementow/p100375545

Also, since you seem to have a fetish good knowledge with crimp tools  ;D do you know if any knipex die would do KK254?

tooki:

--- Quote from: CaptainBucko on December 09, 2024, 03:08:18 am ---
--- Quote from: tooki on December 08, 2024, 09:50:54 am ---
What is odd is that you had better luck with an SN-58B, because that tool is just an SN-28B combined with an SN-48B (a tool for larger terminals). The smallest slot in the 28B and 58B should be identical, the 1.56/1.96mm. It’s conceivable that the observed difference is not due to slot sizes, but quality differences or tolerances.


--- End quote ---

On the smallest slot, I measure 1.43mm/1.87mm on the SN-28B and 1.42mm/1.96mm on the SN-58B.

Two notable differences are the depth of the slot being much greater on the 58B, and the polished tool steel finish.

--- End quote ---
Thanks for taking the time to measure and photograph. This illustrates perfectly another issue with cheap tools: inconsistency between manufacturers (in addition to piece-to-piece inconsistency within a manufacturer).

The SN-28B I have (which has no manufacturer on it at all) happens to be one with wire EDM dies. I’ll try remember to take them to work to measure with my digital calipers there.

tooki:

--- Quote from: pope on December 09, 2024, 01:44:39 pm ---Could you post a photo of the lidl crimp tool? Is it any of these?

https://www.lidl.pl/p/parkside-szczypce-zaciskowe-do-kabli-2012-elementow/p100367458

https://www.lidl.pl/p/parkside-szczypce-zaciskowe-do-kabli/p100381436

https://www.lidl.pl/p/parkside-zestaw-zaciskarek-5-w-1-pczs-181-a1-181-elementow/p100375545

--- End quote ---
It’s the second one; I won’t bother taking pictures because someone else posted some great pictures earlier in this thread. :)


--- Quote from: pope on December 09, 2024, 01:44:39 pm ---Also, since you seem to have a fetish good knowledge with crimp tools  ;D do you know if any knipex die would do KK254?

--- End quote ---
;D
Given the insane amounts of free time I’ve spent (and enjoyed!) researching connectors, “fetish” probably is not far off the mark!

Anyway, I took my KK254 (well, KF2510-style KK clones, technically) stuff home and tried them with the Lidl crimpers and they did a great job at first glance. I still need to do a proper (no-insulation) pull test but the results look very promising. The KK254-style contacts are a very good dimensional match to the Lidl tool’s dies.

Before I took them home, I tried them in the only potentially compatible Knipex die I have, #24, which is for D-sub pins. It does work, but it’s not optimal. The jaws are a little bit too thin, so it’s quite difficult to align the contact in the die such that the whole conductor wings get crimped, but also in deep enough that the insulation crimp doesn’t get deformed. Chances are Knipex has another die that is a better match.


Also, the positions of the ratchet “clicks” on the Lidl tool are a better match than the Knipex to the KK254-style contacts to hold them in place while inserting the wire.


If necessary, I can do some tests with genuine KK254 contacts.

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