TIL crimping solid core into a keystone with the wrong die costs you 2 hours

Last month I was wiring up a new CAT6 run for a customer in Austin and kept getting failed terminations. I spent like 2 hours redoing ends and swapping patch cables before realizing my cheap crimper had a die set for stranded wire. Switched to a proper die and first try passed on the tester. Anybody else ever fight a tool that was working against you?

2 comments

2 Comments

jakeperry11h ago

My buddy Jesse was wiring up his whole home office a few years back and kept getting intermittent drops on one wall plate. He was about to call the cable company when he realized his punchdown tool had a broken tension setting. It was cutting the conductors instead of seating them properly. He spent a good 4 hours over two days because he didn't even think to check the tool itself. Once he borrowed a proper one from a coworker, all six jacks passed on the first test. Now he's paranoid and always carries a backup punchdown in his bag.

the_faith10h ago

About 3 years ago I was running CAT6A for a friend's new media room and had the same exact problem with keystone jacks. I used a cheapie crimper from Amazon that looked right but the die was machined wrong for solid core. After 6 bad terminations and an hour of frustration I finally swapped to a Klein crimper I had in my truck. @jakeperry, your friend Jesse's story reminds me that I now test every keystone with a continuity tester right after I crimp it just to catch the bad ones fast. I also keep a spare punchdown in my bag now because tools break at the worst times. It made me realize that saving $20 on a tool can cost you way more in time and sanity.