Thomas Carlyle said "Man is a tool-using animal. Without tools he is nothing, with tools he is all."
For security integrators, their tools are crucial to their job. 140 integrator responses to an IPVM survey revealed what brands they preferred for cable termination work, details in this report.
Termination Tools Overview
Termination is a critical part of network cable installation. Specialty tools are used to "punch down" cables to patch panels, or attach network connectors to cables. This needs to be done before the cable can be tested or certified and put into use, which integrators do for the majority of installs.
At a minimum, a tech will usually carry an RJ-45 crimper, a cable jacket stripper, a punchdown tool, and electricians scissors for terminating cables.
Summary Results
** *****, **** *** dozen ********** ****** **** mentioned *** *** **** cited * ****: *****, Platinum, ***** *** *****:
Quality *** *********** *** *******
******* *** *********** **** the *** ******* *********** gave *** ********** ******** brands. ** ****** ***** stood *** ** ************ above *** **** ** this ******, *** ** some ***** *********** ***** easy ************ ** ** additional ****** *** ******** these ******.
*****:
- "***** ******** ********* *********** Tool, ****** ** ** terminate *** ***** ** a **** ** ****."
- "***** **** *** *** best"
- "****** ** **** *** frequently ** ** ***** (best *******) *** ***** (availability)."
- "*****, ****** **** ** last ******"
- "***** ********. *** ****** last ****** **** ****** else's."
- "***** (******).. *********** *** trust (*** *********)"
- "*****, ********* **** ***** china *******, *** **** result **********."
- "*****, **** *** *** market ****** *** ******* of *** ******* ** products"
********:
- "** ************* *** *** Platinum ***** **-**** ***** Tool *** ***** *** ease ** ***."
- "********. ************ *** **-****. Use ** ******* ** is **** ******** ***** have **** **** ****** as *** ***** *** older."
- "******** *****. ***** *** connections, ********** ****** *** technicians."
- "******** ***** - **** provide * **** *** of ************* ****** *** tutorials. **** ** ***, changing *** ***** ** crimper ** ******, ***** point ** ****."
- "********, ** *** *** ez ***** ******* ***** and *******. ***** **** and ***** **** ****."
- "********, **** ** ******* connection *** ******* ** time"
- "******** *****... *******"
- "******** ***** - ***** variety, ********** *** **** saving, **** *** *******."
*****:
- "*****, **** **** ****, last * **** **** and *** *** *** them ** * **** depot ** ******"
- "** ********* *** *** Ideal *** ***** ****. these ***** **** ** be ***** **** ****, are **** ** ***, and **** * ********."
- "**********, *****. ***** *** a ******* **** ****."
- "*****, **** *** *****."
- "*****. ***'* ********* *** too **** *****. *** Ideal ***** **** **** very ****."
- "***** *** ****** **** good, *** ** ** not ******* ***** **** tools."
- "*****. ******* *** *****."
*****:
- "********* *****. ******* ***** and ********"
- "***** - ************ *** quality."
- "*****. ***** **** ****, not **** ********* *** they **** * ****** amount ** ****."
- "*****. ***** *** *******"
- "********** * ****** *****. You *** **** *** pay ***, **** **** the **** *** **** the *******."
- "***** **** **** **** and **** * **** time"
No **********
**** ********* ****** ** particular ********** *** *****, opting *** ******** *** cheapest ** ******* ** purchase:
- "** *** *** ******* in *** **** ********. There *** * *** of **** ****** *** there *** ****"
- "***'* **** *** ***** are ****** ***** ** quality *** ************ **** main *********** (*** ***-**)"
- "*****'* **** *** **********!"
- "** ** *** **** a ***** ** ******, whatever ** ********* ** Home *****."
- "** ********** *****, ****** OEM. ******** ** *** AMP ******* *********** ****."
- "** **** ********* ***** for *****."
Technician ******
******* *** ****** ** to *** ********** **** was * ****** ****** response ** ****:
- "**** ****** ** **** up ** *** ***** staff. ** **** **** this ******** ****** *** technicians ** **** *** tools **** **** **** they *** *********** ****."
- "***** ***** ***. ******* on *** *** ******. This ** ******* **** where ******* ***** ** on *** **** ******. It *****'* **** **** there ** *** **** brand ******* **** *** more."
- "**'* **** ** ** certain, *******, *** ********** installers **** **** ***** that **** ***** *** preferences **** ***** *********."
- "********** * **** *** for *** *******, *** techs *** ******** ***** they **** ** **** provide ***** *** ** that *******."
- "*** ****, ******* **** need ** *** ***** once. **** ******* ******* have ***** *** ******** tools."
- "** ***** ********, ***** usually **** *** ********* tools ******."
- "******* ***** ** ****** by *** ***********. **** choose **** ** *** and *** **** **** wish ** *****."
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Comments (25)
Undisclosed End User #1
EZ-RJ45 is best thing since sliced bread! In addition to speed and accuracy, it's neater if you twist strands into one before crimping.
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Luis Carmona
Maybe if you don't use the tools everyday. But when I was a bench tech and wire puller, the quality RJ45 crimpers lasted about twice as long or more as the "cost effective" versions. And we seemed to have to go back a lot less to recrimp the wires done by the quality crimpers versus the cost effective crimpers.
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Ari Erenthal
I've always been a big fan of Klein. They last forever and ever. The only time I replace a Klein tool is when I lose one.
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Jeremy Cass
Totally agreed - Platinum Tools EZ-RJ45 Crimp - fast and especially useful, if one has only been left with enough cable for one shot at terminating it! One can get it right one time, every time.
For cutters and pliers, I'm a big C.K. fan. Still using a pair of right angle nose pliers I bought when I was 12. They will be celebrating their 40th birthday in a few years time. We don't let them leave the workshop anymore, in case they don't make their way home!!
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Sean Nelson
09/07/17 08:21pm
Platinum Tools EZ-RJ45 by far. I loved it so much that I had to stock it.
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Paul Grefenstette
I took a chance 6 years ago with this crimper from Monoprice when Ideal died and I still use it (did 30 today)
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=3352
I look down on anything that has "easy" in its name lol
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Undisclosed Distributor #5
I would just use this stripper and punch tool and a pair of good cutters, and just use blocks and patch panels with pre made patch cables.
When I was an installer I made the decision to never use an RJ45 crimp and always terminated the cable into a patch panel or wall plug and use pre-made cables.
I found it dropped the service calls for intermittent issues. We also had a rule that if we went to a site and needed to replace another techs RJ45 crimp, then the original tech owed a 6 pack of beer.
Here's an interesting question as a followup, how many of you actually put an RJ crimp at the camera end and how many use a block and a small pre made patch cable into the camera ??
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