Switched to a different pin crimper last month after 6 years on the same old one

I used to just use the basic crimper from the tool crib for everything, but after a batch of 20 pins failed continuity on a Cessna 172 harness, I grabbed a Daniels DMC crimper. Anyone else notice a big difference switching to a higher end crimper for those tiny gauge wires?

2 comments

2 Comments

richardknight8d agoMost Upvoted

Twelve years? Man, that's a long stretch to stick with the same tool. A Cessna 172 harness with a continuity fail is a nightmare scenario. Twenty pins failing at once makes me wonder if the old crimper was just worn out or if it was a bad batch of pins all along. I switched to a Daniels after my foreman threatened to send me back to training, and the difference is night and day on those tiny 20 and 22 gauge wires. The jaw alignment stays tight and the crimp depth is way more consistent. Some folks say it's all in the technique, but a good tool sure saves the headaches.

clark.iris8d ago

Twelve years is a long stretch" - is it though? I've got an old crimper my dad used in the 80s that still works fine for most jobs. Twenty pins failing sounds like something else was going on, maybe a bad batch of connectors or someone messed up the wire stripping. People jump to blame the tool way too quick when it's usually the operator or the parts.