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Pro tip: I used to solder every single coax connector by hand until a hangar lead in Phoenix showed me a crimp tool.

He said 'you're adding 20 minutes per job for no gain' and handed me his ratcheting crimper. The crimps pass every spec check and I haven't had a cold joint in two years. Anyone else made a switch like that and stuck with it?
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4 Comments
xenam84
xenam842mo ago
I was a solder-only guy for years, but a similar tip from an old broadcast engineer made me a total convert.
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stella111
stella1112mo ago
Ever try to solder in a tight space? Crimping is a lifesaver for that.
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danielowens
I used to think crimping was just a lazy shortcut until I tried soldering in the back of a 1998 Honda Civic door panel. There's maybe three inches of space and zero room for a iron tip without burning something. That job made me realize crimping isn't about cutting corners, it's about not messing up wires when you can't even see them. Now I keep a good crimp tool in my kit and use it more than I ever thought I would. Just depends on the job.
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paulnguyen
paulnguyen2mo ago
Heard the same "solder-only to convert" story from a car audio guy.
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