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?

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3 Comments

kelly.charlie6mo ago

Torque screwdriver made me finally buy a decent multimeter.

2

the_wyatt6mo 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.

4

spencer7826mo ago

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

4