Does anyone have a Crimpace?

[StaleAle]

I'm looking to borrow a Crimpace to crimp a special terminal onto a #2 winch cable. The cable is already strung along the frame of my truck so I need the portability and idiot proofness of a Crimpace. Otherwise I need to rig some sort of vise/anvil device within 2 feet of my fender and have a go with a dull cold chisel. I don't really like using the chisel because I really need to hit it simultaneously from 3 sides to get a decent crimp due to the wall thickness of the terminal. I don't have any spare terminals to play with so I want to do this right the first time.

If you don't know what a Crimpace is, it is a simple 4 piece cable crimper that you hit with a BFH. It will handle battery cable sizes from #6 on up. Unfortunately, they cost $90 at West Marine. I'm told that Autozone will loan you one, but my local store didn't have one last time I checked.

If you can help, and are within reasonable striking distance of McLean, VA send me PM. Thanks!

 

[Blue77FJ40]

I tin my cable ends then solder the lug on with a propane torch.

 

[John Smith]

I used this tool when attaching the lugs to the welding cable I used to wire my winch. Hammer On Welding Cable Lug Crimper
I got the tool at TSC in a Hobart box along with the Hobart wire and lugs.

 

[kulangot]

Solder is no bueno

Use a hammer crimper.

A friend has one, let me see if I can borrow it.

 

[StaleAle]

Thanks for your offer to help, but I finished the job

Colangut -

Thanks for your offer to borrow one on my behalf.

I ended up rigging a crude jig and a small vise mounted to some scrap cribbage to start the crimp and finished with the dull chisel and BFH. It isn't pretty, but probably won't come apart. Although I got conflicting advice, I heated and wicked some solder into the terminal as extra insurance...which was probably a mistake. I got carried away and before I knew it solder had wicked a good 1" up into the cable, making it stiffer than a frozen mackeral. Fortunately, there is no great need for flexibility at that point in the cable so hopefully it won't breakdown over time due to vibration.

I used medium heatshrink tubing with adhesive to finish it off (and hide my ugh...crapsmanship). Unfortunately (I'm using that word a lot lately) I believed the specs and ordered what I thought was the correct size. It ended up not shrinking quite to the advertised diameter (and it wasn't cheap stuff!) so I'm not entirely trusting the seal. Hopefully, the adhesive will do its job!

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Blue77FJ40]

I've silver soldered cable ends for many decades and never had a problem with cable breakage. By concentrating the heat on the lug, and applying the solder when hot enough, very little creeps up the cable, most stays in the lug. I position the lug straight up to cup the solder. The whole point of soldering is about electrical conductivity and holding the lug on the cable. YMMV.

 

[kulangot]

Dan,

I don't think that soldering is bad, if you crimp it first. Although, huge current loads can easily melt solder. Silver solder is best though.

Stale Ale, if your in McLean you'll have to roll down to Great Falls sometime.

 

[76FJ40]

I used this tool when attaching the lugs to the welding cable I used to wire my winch. Hammer On Welding Cable Lug Crimper
I got the tool at TSC in a Hobart box along with the Hobart wire and lugs.

John - which TSC did you find this at? I checked in Warrenton and they only carry a few lug terminals but no crimper.

 

[Blue77FJ40]

Dan,

I don't think that soldering is bad, if you crimp it first. Although, huge current loads can easily melt solder. Silver solder is best though.

Ah, that's something I never thought of... Thanks for explaining that John.

 

[John Smith]

John - which TSC did you find this at? I checked in Warrenton and they only carry a few lug terminals but no crimper.

I think I bought it from the TSC up by me, I will keep a lookout if you want and pick one up for you.

 

[76FJ40]

John,

Please pick one up for me if you find one. I'll also check the TSC in Marshall.

Thanks,


Bob

 

[Jakes40]

I checked TSC in Winchester they do not carry one.

Chris

 

[76FJ40]

Thanks Bubba

 

[76FJ40]

I bought one on sale at Weldingsupply.com for ~$8.50. They also had good prices on cable and lugs.