Post by Maine Sail on Dec 6, 2009 22:42:43 GMT -5
Hi All,
Some of you may have read the ripping I gave the Harbor Freight Tools ratcheting crimper back in June of 2008, on Sailnet and Sailboatowners.com forums, when I compared it to the Ancor ratcheting crimper. It deserved the ripping it got because it made sub par crimps, which could potentially become a safety hazard.
That thread is: HERE (LINK)
Well, HFT has redeemed themselves and are currently selling a much improved version of the original ratcheting crimper I purchased.
In my opinion, after multiple crimps and pull tests, I can honestly say that it represents an excellent value.
While it is still not an Ancor it is a nice little crimper and at $15.00 it is sold at an very fair price. If you want a good ratcheting crimper I would not wait to buy one.
HFT changes vendors /suppliers and tool quality like you and I change socks so this particular crimper could be superseded by one that makes them .02 more profit next week.
L-R; The original crappy HFT crimper, the new model, and the Ancor:
Die measurements are close to the Ancor:
These are the actual measurements at full crimp measuring the crimp jaw not the strain relief jaw.
Ancor = Yellow 3.29mm, Blue 2.72mm, Red 2.19mm
HFT = Yellow 3.39mm, Blue 2.81mm, Red 2.30mm
Despite the HFT being nearly .1 mm off across the board, the crimps were strong and resisted more pull out strength than is required to meet the ABYC requirement.
L-R; New HFT Crimper, old version of HFT crimper and the Ancor:
The model #:
If you order a crimper from HFT and it has stamped steel jaw dies RETURN IT! The one with the stamped steel dies was the same model # as the "good one".
As many know HFT is hit or miss on quality so be careful. If you can get your hands on this Chinese made ratcheting crimper, with the machined dies, not stamped steel, it is not a bad unit, especially for the price.
Savor this one, as you probably won't find me complementing HFT all that often I do just call them as I see them and this one is just a good ole value priced tool that works fairly well.... ;D
Some of you may have read the ripping I gave the Harbor Freight Tools ratcheting crimper back in June of 2008, on Sailnet and Sailboatowners.com forums, when I compared it to the Ancor ratcheting crimper. It deserved the ripping it got because it made sub par crimps, which could potentially become a safety hazard.
That thread is: HERE (LINK)
Well, HFT has redeemed themselves and are currently selling a much improved version of the original ratcheting crimper I purchased.
In my opinion, after multiple crimps and pull tests, I can honestly say that it represents an excellent value.
While it is still not an Ancor it is a nice little crimper and at $15.00 it is sold at an very fair price. If you want a good ratcheting crimper I would not wait to buy one.
HFT changes vendors /suppliers and tool quality like you and I change socks so this particular crimper could be superseded by one that makes them .02 more profit next week.
L-R; The original crappy HFT crimper, the new model, and the Ancor:
Die measurements are close to the Ancor:
These are the actual measurements at full crimp measuring the crimp jaw not the strain relief jaw.
Ancor = Yellow 3.29mm, Blue 2.72mm, Red 2.19mm
HFT = Yellow 3.39mm, Blue 2.81mm, Red 2.30mm
Despite the HFT being nearly .1 mm off across the board, the crimps were strong and resisted more pull out strength than is required to meet the ABYC requirement.
L-R; New HFT Crimper, old version of HFT crimper and the Ancor:
The model #:
If you order a crimper from HFT and it has stamped steel jaw dies RETURN IT! The one with the stamped steel dies was the same model # as the "good one".
As many know HFT is hit or miss on quality so be careful. If you can get your hands on this Chinese made ratcheting crimper, with the machined dies, not stamped steel, it is not a bad unit, especially for the price.
Savor this one, as you probably won't find me complementing HFT all that often I do just call them as I see them and this one is just a good ole value priced tool that works fairly well.... ;D