Honestly, I was crimping coax connectors wrong for like two years

Tbh, I was taught to just crimp until it felt tight, no torque wrench. Then I got sent to a week long class in Wichita and the instructor showed us a stripped connector under a scope. My crimps were deforming the center pin just enough to cause intermittent faults. The spec sheet said 18 inch-pounds, which is way less force than I was using. Now I keep a little torque screwdriver in my kit and check it every month. Anyone else have a tool they started using way later than they should have?

3 comments

3 Comments

kelly.charlie14d ago

Torque screwdriver made me finally buy a decent multimeter.

the_wyatt14d ago

@kelly.charlie that's the classic tool domino effect. You buy one nice thing and suddenly your whole cheap setup looks bad. Next you'll be getting calibrated calipers.

spencer78213d ago

My old Harbor Freight meter lasted 12 years before it gave up. Sometimes the cheap stuff works just fine.