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JiminDenver's avatar
JiminDenver
Explorer II
Jun 23, 2015

YQK crimping tool

In another thread we were discussing crimping and I was to tell y'all about the YQK-120 12 ton crimping tool I bought off of ebay.

First thing is they sent me the YQK 240 16 ton tool. Instead of the #10-120 dies, it has #16-240. I have anything under the #16 covered so it's all good I guess.

This is what I ordered.
YQK-120A

This is what I got
YQK-240A

Second is I was right to order big. There is no way the #50 die will do a 1/0 sized crimp. The #120 that was the largest in the tool I ordered will if using the wire and it's coating as a size indicator is anything.

The #95 was just the right size to crimp a 1/2 inch brass tube nice and pretty and the #25 did a right nice job on a 4 gauge lug I had. It crushed both down effortlessly, even when I recrimped them with the next size smaller die. I'll have to order some 1/0 lugs to play with.

So for less than $40 I doubt I'll ever have a issue crimping anything ever again.

58 Replies

  • I'm thinking of going this route as just connecting the controller would take over $50 worth of lugs. I have the monster vise and a drill press. Do you tin before or after making them?
  • MrWizzard, Can you provide PICS of your process, sounds interesting. Never thought of making my own!
  • When I make lugs, I set up an assembly line
    I flatten the end of the copper tube in the vise
    Then I center punch where I want the hole
    Then drill the hole ( this way I can hold on to the pipe/tubing)
    Then I cut off the lug from the tubing and start over
    Only takes a couple of minutes per lug
    I'll make more than I intend to immediately use
    And make several sizes ( if needed for back up supply)
    This happens about once a year,
    Just went through this last Friday, I needed lugs for making inter connects for the new batteries
  • Mex

    The 12 ton is limited to 1/0, the 16 ton should handle 4/0 as there are three die sets beyond the 120 size needed of 1/0. The 240 die set is a inch across the opening and 13/16 between the two dies when closed.

    I'll dig up a mic and list the die sizes as they relate to inches/MMs.

    I did ask the seller if I could buy the smaller die sets even though I have smaller crimpers. One I found on ebay as a "vintage" crimping tool, lol click

    I really don't want to buy 1/0 lugs at $5 each to test, nor do I want to waste much of the wire. 3/8's copper tube might fit 1/0, if not 1/2 inch will. come to think of it, cut it, clean it, tin it and either flatten and drill the end or keep recrimping the end down to a 2 gauge size for the controller and I'd have lugs.

    The shipping weight of the tool is 9 pounds and the case is 3/4s of the size of the sawzall case. Here at the house the basement and garage are full of 30 years worth of tools and I have room. I wouldn't want to have to store two of these in a RV.
  • Whew. I had thought the 16-ton set with 11-dies would do everything up to and including 4/0 lugs. If it can't reach then 2/0 with cast copper lugs is out of the question. Thanks dor the 1/0 limit heads-up!
  • I have the same unit you ended up with along with a harbor freight smaller unit. between the two units all my larger lugs are now covered. has worked well for several years for me.
  • Hmmmm, Nice, ure would be easy to make up battery innerconnects eh? I'd also like to get a crimper for solar SMK connectors as well.

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