I'm often the first to complain about low quality tools manufactured in China but I have to admit, this crimper works quite well. I used this tool to make literally dozens of crimps to assemble three dual-battery systems with solar tie-ins and inverters on 4WD expedition vehicles. I used marine-grade ANCO tinned-copper fine-stranded wire from 2 AWG to 1/0 AWG with ANCO tinned copper lugs. I was impressed with this tool's operation and the appearance of the crimps.
The biggest disadvantage of this type of crimper is that it usually cannot be used where the wire will be located - say, in the engine bay of your vehicle, because you need to get the wire down to a solid surface to make your crimps. This also makes it more difficult to crimp the lug for the best orientation to the terminal to which it will be attached, so the wire isn't twisting inside the lug when it is bolted to the terminal stud. My solution was to position the wire in its intended location, cut the wire to length, strip the end and then position the lug on the stripped end. Then, I carefully place the loose lug on the terminal, turning the lug on the wire so it naturally falls over the terminal stud without any strain or twisting. Then I use masking tape over the lug and wire insulation to keep the lug in position while I remove the wire and make the crimp. You can leave the tape on while crimping, making the job easier . . . but it's still a hassle. If I did more of this kind of work professionally, I would definitely invest in the professional tool. But for hundreds of dollars less, the hammer crimper is a good option.
After having to discard a few of the crimps due to wiring-plan changes, I got curious and used a hacksaw to cut through the middle of one of my crimps to see how well the tool performed. See the photos of my project: now I understand the term "cold-weld"!
I would advise setting up your crimping connection carefully, keeping the wire pushed firmly into the lug and using a solid surface. I used the concrete steps on my patio. I also used a solid 20 LB steel dumbbell (with some serious force) to come down on the crimping tool. If the lugs you are using have long enough sleeves, you can go the extra mile and crimp near the open end of the sleeve and then reposition the square bosses on the press closer to the ring end of the lug, effectively double-crimping your connection. This is easy and seems to work very well. Don't forget to use heavy adhesive-lined shrink tubing and terminal boots on all of your high-amperage positive leads (at least)!
Far from elegant in appearance and operation, this tool does the job at a fraction of the cost of a professional tool!
| Manufacturer | Forney |
|---|---|
| Part Number | 57637 |
| Item Weight | 5 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 2.75 x 3 x 3.63 inches |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | 57637 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Size | No |
| Color | Blue |
| Material | Metal |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Handle Material | Metal |
| Measurement System | Standard |
| Special Features | Crimps cable lugs from 6 to 3/0 American Wire Gauge |
| Included Components | Lug Crimping Tool |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
| Warranty Description | 90 day warranty against manufacturer defects |
