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I want to crimp these guys.

enter image description here

Is it better to just not use a ferrule at all if I cannot find the right crimping tool, and just fold the wire on two, or is there a good manual way to do it? I have googled suggestions, and some people suggested pilers, others were against, and so on. So I don't know what is a legit manual way to do it (if it exists).

Also I see there are a lot of tools with different types of mechanisms, which one do you prefer and why? And will a cheap one (that I think I got, but I can't find it), do the work?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Are you still working on your Schuko extension cables/AC power cables? If so, those are the wrong ferrules. You need Adernendhülsen like these.. You just slip an appropriately sized ferrule over the end of the wire, then stick the wire and ferrule together into the hole in the plug, and tighten the screw. \$\endgroup\$
    – JRE
    Jan 14, 2018 at 10:14
  • \$\begingroup\$ Yeah, but I want to learn to do them properly so questions come up! What is the difference between these and the others? These are insulated, but why is that bad? \$\endgroup\$
    – appwizcpl
    Jan 14, 2018 at 10:17
  • \$\begingroup\$ That's bad because you'll never get them into the plug housing. The ones I linked to fit entirely into the screw blocks. The ones you have stick out by several millimeters. The plugs have barely enough room for the wires, never mind the extra space for the insulators. \$\endgroup\$
    – JRE
    Jan 14, 2018 at 12:09
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    \$\begingroup\$ Use the right tool for the job. \$\endgroup\$
    – Andy aka
    Jan 14, 2018 at 12:28
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    \$\begingroup\$ The image you linked to is not the right tool for a bootlace ferrule. It's the sort of tool you'd use to crimp on a ring terminal or similar. \$\endgroup\$
    – Tom Carpenter
    Jan 14, 2018 at 18:15

2 Answers 2

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In a production environment, where you need some control over quality you need to get the correct tool for the job. The manufacturer of these connectors will tell you what you need to crimp it. Get that tool or put up with unreliable joints.

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    \$\begingroup\$ This sounds a bit like you are following the party line. Often there are alternate ways to achieve workable solutions. \$\endgroup\$
    – KalleMP
    Jan 17, 2018 at 9:17
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    \$\begingroup\$ @KalleMP No, I worked for many years in military engineering and crimps are one of the best connection methods if done properly. In my experience if they are not done properly they are very, very bad. As an amateur it is far to easy to do improper crimps using alternative methods. A "workable solution" has a very varied definition. \$\endgroup\$
    – RoyC
    Jan 17, 2018 at 9:29
  • \$\begingroup\$ Roy, the OP wanted to improve an uncrimped ferrule wire termination process by some additional low cost procedure to pre-crimp the ferrule. Suggesting there is no middle ground is not reasonable. A bootlace ferrule is not a crimped connection, it is a wire end protection from screw damage, it does not require the same level of mechanical strength that a typical crimped terminal requires, suggesting so is also misleading. Also suggesting that only military standards are of value is rather strange, I don't get what your end goal is with this line of reasoning wrt the OPs question. \$\endgroup\$
    – KalleMP
    Jan 17, 2018 at 18:01
  • \$\begingroup\$ @KalleMP Crimp terminals have particular size and shape as originally supplied. The crimp tool is designed to bend and fold the metal around the wire to give a tight and reliable connection for the size of wire used. The complexity of this process varies from connector to connector. Although these connectors are one of the simplest on the market I am not going to second guess the process the manufacturer had in mind when he designed the crimp. Believe me using a manufacturer recommended tool is no where near all that is required to do crimps to mil specifications. \$\endgroup\$
    – RoyC
    Jan 19, 2018 at 12:37
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The insulated and uninsulated ferrules are identical in all other ways except for the missing insulation and size colour key.

Using the terminal screw, pliers or a special tool all work if you are only going to terminate them once.

If you plan to re-terminate them a number of times then he special crimping tools are well worth using as they make the termination firmer and it does not deform as much when screwed down, then when later removed it will be in better condition to reinsert.

There are many 1, 4 and 6 jaw crimping tools that are specifically designed for the job and for light duty or occasional use the cheaper ones may be enough. In standards compliant production a good quality name brand crimper will be a sound investment and last for years.

EDIT:
There are also the bare brass U shaped roll crimp terminations that are usually machine crimped and fed from a bandolier. They are often found in large volume consumer devices and I find them to be more reliable as they are near impossible to pull out compared to the thinner wall tinned brass bootlace type ferrules. They are rarely used in small volume or prototype work though.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Do not reuse crimps they work by deforming the metal. reworking the metal causes it to get brittle and stress fractures. \$\endgroup\$
    – RoyC
    Jan 17, 2018 at 9:32
  • \$\begingroup\$ @RoyC Are you talking about a crimped on wire terminal or a bootlace ferrule? The wire end ferrules in question here are purpose designed to facilitate repeated termination with screw terminals as compared to bare wire ends. Screw terminals have their own failings but the ferrules alleviate some of them rather than adding to them. Screw terminals with tongues are another alternative to protect wire ends but selecting these is not always under control of the end user. \$\endgroup\$
    – KalleMP
    Jan 17, 2018 at 18:06

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