[Elecraft] K2 power cables source

[AJSOENKE at aol.com]

The tool you are referring to was a design originally made by T&B  (Thomas 
and Betts) and for many years it has been an industrial standard. It  works bets 
with T&B crimp terminals and it provides crimping by embossing a  deep 
impression on the back side of the terminal port. It is important to know  which 
side of the terminal to emboss. On terminals made by T&B they use a  zig-zag 
pattern to form the joint along the barrel. That seam is along the top  side of 
the terminal, and you don't want to breach it by crimping on that side.  So the 
dimple on the tool is placed along the back side which is smooth. There  are 
definite advantages to this method. I still have my T&B crimper that was  given 
to me by a company that made traffic signals and controls. I still use it  
frequently being that T&B used hardened steel that hasn't dulled or lost its  
shape after 40 years. The best thing was that I never had one of those crimps  
pull  loose. The cheap kinds that cross crimp the wires can all be pulled  
loose before the wire breaks, and this is because they actually weaken the wire  
where they squeeze it cross-wise along a narrow gap. Using a tool that crimps  
longitudinally will give a superior crimp because it applies pressure to the  
wire over a large area and distributes that force along the entire inner  
surface of the barrel.  T&Bs zig-zag seam is welded to maintain the  integrity of 
the terminal. The West Mountain tool works in reverse, applying a  uniform 
(Hex) force from the outside inward. These are both superior methods to  
squeezing a couple "nicks" in a  thin folded barrel.
 
Al WA6VNN



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