TEMCo Industrial Hydraulic Cable Lug Crimper TH0005 V2.0 (11 US TON) 10 AWG to 600 MCM Electrical Terminal Cable Wire Tool Kit with 32 Die Sets

Does excellent job crimping battery lugs. Photo is marine cable in copper lugs.

I first was very apprehensive of using a new tool. After fiddling with it, figuring out the position of crimp release knob, I found the position where the crimp jaws would advance on pumping. After that knowledge it was no looking back. It made an EXCELLENT hexagonal crimp. With practice I will be able to make perfect hexagon edged crimp. For the first attempt it just came out NEAR perfect. I would 100% recommend this to for any novice or a beginner, which gives 100% professional results. This tool is definitely a keeper. Kudos TEMCo. Excellent product. Though the product that was shipped to me had a bit of rusted spots on the main cylinder body. That is absolutely nothing to worry about.

PROS: Low price, feels and works solidly (doesn't feel cheap). Nice case. Multiple dies. Crimps what non-hydraulic crimpers can never accomplish. One year no hassle warranty included. Comes with extra o-rings. Worth it to pay a little more for this one because the cheaper ones have those silver color dies that's are not as strong as these darker dies. Excellent value for the money. This thing is a beast!CONS: When crimping pure copper 1/0 lugs, the hydraulic strength isn't strong as I would like. I'd rather pay a bit more for one with a larger hydraulic cylinder. That's because when fully crimped, sometimes the lug is still slightly loose so you need to either crimp again (the dies should be wider because one crimp only covers 1/2 of the crimpable area) or use the next smallest die to crimp further. If you think you can make one quick crimp and be done with it, you will be disappointed. Also, the dies slide to the left and right too much so you have to check carefully while crimping to make sure the two die halves line up properly. Also, it's not a true hex crimp. After crimping, it leaves two flat "wings" on opposite sides of the hex (see pic). That made it difficult to slide on shrink tubing designed for that lug size. Also, the "wings" make it appear unprofessional. The major thing is when crimping large 1/0 pure copper lugs (pure copper is stiffer than copper coated zinc lugs), it sure takes a lot of muscle to fully crimp. I'm pretty strong but luckily i was able to rest one handle on the ground to get more leverage. If crimping large pure copper lugs, it would help to be a body builder. Keep in mind, for the price, I would still recommend this. It's way better than a non-hydraulic crimper and using the hammer crimpers make it impossible to crimp when the wire isn't on solid ground such as repairing a cable end under the hood. In summary, if I were on the design team, I'd make a more expensive model with twice the hydraulic tonnage with larger handles or maybe an option to purchase handle "extensions" - longer handles will give you more leverage while crimping (I'm a welder too, so I plan on welding on handle extensions). Also, it should have dies that are wider and fit tighter when inserted in the unit. If you are using smaller gauge lugs, I'm sure this will exceed your expectations, but my thing is the reason people buy these hydraulic units is to crimp large lugs. Remember, for the price, you will still be happy. I'm happy too that's why I gave 5 stars.TIPS: When holding the crimper, keep it horizontal, and the dies will seat themselves to make an even hex shape, which will solve the "loose dies" problem. Also, if you have trouble finding enough strength to crimp, just slip some short metal pipe over the handles to give you more leverage. Good idea to wear goggles because when you reach the end of the crimp, you will be exerting so much force (1/0 pure copper lugs) that the tool can slip and smack you in the head. Also, be careful to watch the dies when near the end of the crimp. In other words, once the dies meet each other, if you keep crimping, the force of the hydraulics may compress the dies onto each other, damaging the dies.

I can tend to overdo it. My first attempt at crimping a 4/0 aluminum conductor with the 4/0 dies on a white connector was distorted. Squashed rather than crimped is how I would describe it. The material at the opening where the dies meet squeezed out between the die faces. I did apply considerable pressure thinking the hydraulics would bypass, the result was a connector that was ugly and bent along the line of travel. This was an issue since the splice will end up in a 2-1/2" rigid conduit that will be close to NEC max fill with 4 - 4/0 2 - 2/0 and one bare ground. I'm afraid an inspector might balk at anything but straight cables.So, I went back to the website for literature (you know read the instructions) and I believe it was suggested that experimenting/choosing the right dies for a given task can be best. Having already burned one side of the part I opted to go one size larger with the dies. The result was four side by side straight and complete crimps. I cut the connection in half with a hacksaw and the cross section seemed solid and full just as the copper example on the website. I wasn't so sure as I believe the tendency with these softer metals (copper and aluminum) is that the hacksaw teeth tend to drag the material away from the cut and deposit it in the first available void between the strands. I put the piece in a vice and with a hammer and chisel cut the outer sleeve parallel to the strands and pried it open. Clearly the strands in both cases were thoroughly married to the connector. Lastly I positioned the remaining half of the larger die example in the vise in such a way that I could drive the center strands out with a hammer and punch. Then I was able to force the outer strands away for the connector wall without ruining it. The results were a connection that looked like rifled gun barrel as shown in the pictures. You can choose to use less pressure or experiment with dies size but the job is excellent.Would I recommend this to a friend... NO! I'd let them borrow mine, they can't hurt it, it's bulletproof!Sorry TEMco but, everybody who's thinking about buying one should be confident it works great!Pivoting head for a best angle of attack for pumping. The 1/4 turn pressure release knob couldn't be in a better position for operation (I'm right handed).Am I a review ringer for TEMco? I admit this (my first by the way) review, is a bit over the top. I almost gave it 4 stars because of the wasted connector. I looked around as usual for the best deal and most of the competitors prices start at 4 times the cost. When I saw the Co. video regarding returns and warranty I pulled the trigger and I'm glad I did.Kevin G

Pros:Tool is sturdy and capable of pressing a crimp into large gage wire.Lots of die sizes to choose from. Not only are there standard sizes but there are several in-between sizes for non-standard wires and or lugs.Cons:Very heavy. Holding the wire, lug, and tool while pumping the handle can be difficult, especially for wire above 1AWG.Retaining pin for the cross bolt that holds the die in place can come out way too easily. Do not slide the bolt too quickly or the pin will come loose and fly across the room.This may be overkill for some users. The TH0006 model covers 12 AWG to 00 AWG and is less expensive.