there's a few places local who can supply battery cable, and terminals, but strugging to find a good way to crimp them. any recommendations?

remember this is locost builders £70 for a tool isn't going to be much good lol

And what size cable should I use?

[Edited on 14/10/11 by blakep82]

Why don't you use the clamping kind. Where the cable is clamped with 1 or 2 screws? Alternative could be soldering them on using a blow torch.

Do you know anyone who works in a factory of any size? Their maintainance /electrical fitters will have the right kit

You can also try welder supplies shops, they make up large cables all the time.

Cheers

Fred W B

Ps - Blake, did you see I answered your question on the pic in a new thread?

[Edited on 14/10/11 by Fred W B]

You could do it the old fashioned way, using a vice and a nut.

+ 1 for the nut and vice

I use a short m6 to push a 6mm dent into the terminal

Local bus garage will have crimping gear for making leads up

if it is a one or two of, then no point forking out £ 60 on a tool.

I made my own. Chunk of 1/2 inch steel, cut a 87.5 degree Vee in the side. Put in vice and connector in the Vee. On other side of Vee between connector and the crimp a 9.65 mm length of 6 mm rod.

Turn the vice handle.

The Vee stops the crimp from flattening; the rod pushes one side of the crimp into the other thus holding the wire in place.

i went to see a local auto electrician. left them with him and collected that night. no charge

If you're stuck, sort the postage (i.e. send me the crimps & cable and a few quid to send em back) and I'll crimp them for you, in fact, this offer extends to all of yous, I'm nice like that!

Edit: Use 35mm

[Edited on 14/10/11 by Stott]

Belt and braces Crimp in the vice and then solder with a blow torch.

[Edited on 14/10/11 by britishtrident]

Put a bit of angle iron V side down to nestle between the jaws of your vice and using a 6mm punch strike one heavy blow with a mashie hammer to put a dent in it. If you have done it right the backside will be the shape of the V in the angle iron and no matter how hard you try you can't pull the cable out of the crimp.

No need to solder but if you must make sure you don't use corrosive flux and have some heat shrink handy.

Been doing it this way for 5 years since an old hand showed me with zero failures.

Cheers!

I made a crimper from a nut,ball bearing and a couple steel strips.


Crimper bits

In action

Finished

Cheers for the suggestions everyone I'll look at getting some bits to have a shot tomorrow, really just to make up some temporary ones, if they find out crap I'll get on to some of the offers

I picked up one of these a few years ago: http://order.waytekwire.com/productdetail2/M50/462/CRIMPER%20HAMMER%20TOOL%208GA%204/0/

Seems to work well. I normally chuck it in the hydraulic shop press.

I'd imagine there has to be someone in the UK that sells something similar.

Laser tools now do a battery terminal tool for less than £20

I have the tools at work but I am on the Southcoast...


If you want to post it down I'll do it!

Dave B

Wait for your wife to go out, then solder it using the gas hob.