Changed my mind about those cheap crimpers from the online marketplace

I bought a set for $45 thinking I'd save cash on a quick job... ended up with a bad crimp on a D-sub connector that took me three hours to trace and redo. The tool just didn't hold the pin right, and I had to eat the labor cost. What's a solid crimper brand you guys actually trust for avionics work?

3 comments

3 Comments

leelewis1mo ago

Forty-five bucks for a D-sub crimper that failed is brutal (and honestly, scary for avionics). I've been burned like that before. For that kind of work, I only use Daniels tools now, the M22520/1-01. The upfront cost hurts, but it's a buy-once-cry-once thing.

emmaj331mo ago

Wait, forty-five dollars for a tool that just failed? leelewis, that's terrifying when you're talking about plane wiring. How is that even allowed to be sold for that kind of work? A bad crimp could cause a real problem. That's exactly why the cheap stuff isn't worth the risk. You're totally right to just get the good tool first and save the headache later.

tyler_wilson1mo ago

Yeah but here's the thing, forty five bucks is basically the "I want to feel like I bought the real deal but I can't afford it yet" price point. It's right in that sweet spot where you think you're being smart with your money but all you're really doing is paying for a future headache. I swear there's some guy in a garage somewhere just stamping those things out and laughing all the way to the bank while we're out here finding out the hard way. You really can't beat the advice of just skipping right to the good stuff, even if it makes your wallet cry for a minute.