Longer-handled crimpers sought

[guy48065]

As I get older and the arthritus in my hands gets worse, one of the things that is getting more difficult is crimping electrical terminals. I have standard multi-purpose crimpers from T&B, Klein and Greenlee, and ratcheting crimpers & dies of various makes. What I've been looking for but can't find in stores is a pair of multi-purpose crimpers with long handles. They're all about the same--quite short & needs a lot of effort to close completely.
Only looking for a tool to mash up to 10ga, insulated & bare.

Maybe I'm not looking in the right places...help?

 

[iScream]

I think you want to search for "high leverage crimpers".

 

[zkling]

Would you be willing to spend for a hydraulic unit?

 

[rlitman]

Forget the "multi-purpose". Just get crimping pliers and use something else for the wire stripping:

 

[larry_g]

I would suggest that you consider making some handle extensions out of pipe or conduit for the ones you already own.

lg
no neat sigline

 

[guy48065]

Forget the "multi-purpose". Just get crimping pliers and use something else for the wire stripping:

While I agree the effort may be easier, I wonder if the "one-size-fits-all" dies in those gives as good a crimp as the sized ones in the multi-purpose version?

 

[zkling]

Forget the "multi-purpose". Just get crimping pliers and use something else for the wire stripping:

Even those aren't all that easy on the hands, especially in the lower gauges. The op should really be looking at a hydraulic unit, IMHO.

 

[rlitman]

While I agree the effort may be easier, I wonder if the "one-size-fits-all" dies in those gives as good a crimp as the sized ones in the multi-purpose version?

If you're talking about the red, yellow and blue color coded insulated parts, yes, it gives a FAR better crimp than anything made from stamped sheet metal. These (and their kind; because Channellock and Ideal also make decent pairs) are the only single pivot hand held crimpers that can achieve the pressure required to cold flow the copper wire inside the crimp for a successful permanent oxygen free crimp. Yes, double pivot crimpers (like you find in a Nicopress) are capable of making good crimps. But IMNSHO, nothing else with a single pivot (i.e. the typical **** with yellow grips) can get close.

Even those aren't all that easy on the hands, especially in the lower gauges. The op should really be looking at a hydraulic unit, IMHO.

No, these are not easy on the hands. But as I said above, I have not seen anything else hand powered that can achieve equivalent crimping pressure.

Hydraulic crimpers (especially hand held ones) are a great choice. The HF unit for example is quite affordable, and requires surprisingly little effort. It is however a slow process of multiple pumps.

 

[woody 73]

I suffer from arthritis in my hands also, like larry said if you put some extra length pvc type pipe or conduit that added leverage alone should do the trick.

The HF pliers still look hard on the hands but I am only seeing the pictures...

http://www.harborfreight.com/hydraulic-wire-crimping-tool-66150.html

 

[rlitman]

The HF pliers still look hard on the hands but I am only seeing the pictures...

http://www.harborfreight.com/hydraulic-wire-crimping-tool-66150.html

They're hydraulic. You don't get the crimp dies to close with just one squeeze of the handle (like you would with pliers). It takes a bunch of pumps, like jacking up a car (by the pumpkin...). The force required for each pump is pretty low, but you can still achieve crushing forces of multiple tons.

Also that crimper is much bigger than it looks in the pictures.

 

[knobby]

Don't know if it would be good for your type of work but a bench mount crimper would be the easiest on the hands and wrists.

 

[pozidriv]

Or battery powered?
http://www.klauke.com/katalog/en/el...cutting-tools/battery-powered-crimping-tools/

 

[skruft]

I think the pliers-type pictured above are far easier to squeeze than the smaller stamped metal ones. I don't know of any models with longer handles, for connectors on wire that small.

There are various types of powered ones but probably they would be overkill. I have an air-hydraulic one with a foot pedal that takes no effort, good if there is a lot of work to do.

 

[iScream]

Depending on what you're wiring, you might also consider soldering and covering with heat shrink rather than crimping. Unless I know I'll be disconnecting and reconnecting something that's what I usually do.