Platinum Tools 100054C Clamshell EZ-Rjpro Hd Crimp Tool

I learned how to install network in 1995 thanks to Anixter (at that time Cat5 was state-of-the-art.) Crimp tools were basic having a lineage that stretched back to Cat3 telephone cables...and they were expensive because the production was limited...and there were wiring standard competitions (A vs B.) My first crimp tool and scissors came courtesy of Anixter which other wise would have been hundreds of dollars.Several times since 1995 I've replaced my crimp tools. I stopped counting how many cables I have terminated and tested...I can't even look at an unshielded twisted pair without repeating in my mind the colors in pin order: white orange, orange, white green, blue, blue white, green, white brown, brown. I think I have seen ever defect in crimp tools that are possible --- didn't strip the wires well, they broke because of bad plastic, and on the metal tools the tolerances were so bad that after a little bit of use the crimp tool would lose alignment. In addition the process of properly cutting and inserting the wires to meet Cat5 tolerances to meet strain and crimp requirements was cumbersome.In 1997 and 1998 several patents were filed by Robert Sullivan. These patents became the first version of Platinum Tools' RJ45 crimp tool. By the way, this tool still is sold and has a suggested MSRP of $59.95. Keeping with traditions of innovation the third generation of the crimp tool was released to market in 2009. A call to the company revealed that this third generation tool is selling so fast that they are back-ordered.So how does it work? I didn't have access to the video when I first used the tool. It was very intuitive to use in part because the company has taken the time to laser etch the pin numbers and the Cat5 wiring specifications on the handles. The pass through plug connectors are amazing!With the older tools I would try to smooth and line up the wires and then cut them as straight as possible for an insert in the connector. This is a time consuming process because you want to keep the twist in the wires into the connector and because improperly seating a single wire strand leads to a bad crimp. Bad crimps mean having to repeat the process. And this means more labor and more parts.This `new to me' pass through connector makes it easy, I could run a single or pairs of the wire into it; this means that it is easy to get the pin placements correct...that was a bonus. More importantly it prevents a bad crimp which is both a time and a money saver.And the crimp tool makes it easy to insert and seat the connector prior to the crimp. With the standard diagram on the front side I could easily compare the wire colors to provide a second quality check that the connector was wired properly. The crimp tool's sturdy metal construction with ratchet action assures proper setting of the crimp. And the cut off blade cleanly sheared off all 8 wires.The tool is also capable of crimping shielded cables. The current crimp rating is for 1 gigahertz (GHz)...and there is a rumor that a 10 GHz tool is on the way.This is one crimp tool that will be staying in my tool box!

OK, I don't know why it took so long for me to find something like this. I mean, trying to cram CAT6 cables into an RJ-45 plug is awful. You have to line them up, trim them so they're even, and pray that you get them all in the right holes the first time. Sometimes you get it on the first try, and sometimes you're fidgeting with one termination for 20 minutes. It's like like trying to shoot billiards with a rope. On top of that, you don't know if you got it until you test the cable. Even then, you'll sometimes just barely hit one of the leads on the plug. It tests fine, but a little wiggling and the cable loses the link, usually for the boss, and usually during the most critical possible time. Well no more. With this crimper, you can put each wire in individually. (I find this faster and less frustrating than trying to get all eight in one shot.) You do lose an additional 2-3 inches off each end, so be sure to measure your cable appropriately. Also, and I found this out through trial and error, be sure that each cable is very straight before inserting it. Especially if you're terminating stranded cable. The natural waves in the wire from the twisting will play havoc on trying to put the wires in. Once they're all in, you can pull, not push, until it's tight, so as to minimize the untwisted distance of the cable. You can verify that it's correct, then crimp it, with the full knowledge that the contacts will all be correctly seated and secure. I've tested every cable I've made with this, and so far, not a single one has had any problems. Plus, if you utilize the whole EZ-RJ45 system, you also get strain relief boots for the cables. (Which is required for CAT6) This makes for accurate, factory quality cables each and every time.Of course the plugs are more expensive than standard RJ-45. Platinum Tools has patented a genius product, and they know it. It's one of those "Man, why didn't I think of that?" things. Plus, when you consider the time and the cost of re-terminating bad cables, it's more than worth it to buy into the system. It seems like a bit of a racket, but this tool really is top-notch quality. As good or better than any crimper on the market, and in fact, you can use it on standard RJ-45 plugs if you need to.I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this system to anyone who makes cables. The extra expense saves time, money and frustration in the long run.