Old crimp tools beat new ones, change my mind

At the shop yesterday a younger tech was showing off his new battery powered crimper, saying it was way faster and more consistent than hand tools. I get it, speed matters on a line maintenance shift, but I've been using the same handheld ratchet crimper for 12 years across three different airlines and it has never let me down. That new unit costs around $2,800 and needs calibration every 6 months, while my old reliable was maybe $300 and I can recertify it myself in 20 minutes. I also feel like you get better feedback through your hands, you know when the barrel is fully seated before you even test it. Has anyone else stuck with manual tools for terminal connections, or am I just being stubborn about change?

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1 Comment

ryan_nelson17d ago

That feedback thing is the part people don't get until they've done it both ways. The new crimper just goes, you hear a click and you trust it, but you never really feel that slight give when the barrel seats perfect. Plus the battery dies at the worst time on a night shift and then you're stuck carrying a heavy tool that's useless. Manual tools also force you to slow down just enough to check your work as you go, not after you've done fifty connections. Your hands are the calibration, and that's worth more than any digital readout.