Tips from Your Local Hose Company in San Jose, CA: Basic Crimping Techniques

Are you familiar with basic crimping techniques? As with every task and skill, there are a variety of methods you can use to accomplish crimping. However, some techniques are better than others. Some are also easier to master than others. Your local hose company in San Jose, CA recommends the following top crimping techniques to create quality products. Here’s an overview of the basic methods you may employ.

Definition

Before we get into specific techniques of crimping, it’s important to understand exactly what this process involves. Crimping, also called swaging, is a method to join pieces of cable or monofilament. This process is used in a wide range of applications, from fishing gear to aircraft.

Sleeves

Crimping involves three main types of sleeve styles:

• Round section: These are typically made from brass and are crimped with point to cup tools. This style is good for light applications only, as it doesn’t result in a strong join.
• Oval section: These are available in brass, copper and aluminum. They are compressed with cup to cup style crimping tools and create a strong connection. If crimping monofilament, aluminum sleeves should be used. Both copper and brass are appropriate for use with cable and monofilament.
• Double barrel: These are also available in brass, copper and aluminum, and in standard and heavy-duty varieties. Cup to cup style crimping tools should be used with this sleeve style. This method creates a strong and neat join.

Crimping Tools

When crimping, a hose company in San Jose, CA is likely to use one of four types of tools.

• Point to cup: This tool is similar to a large pair of pliers. One jaw features semi-circular cut outs, and the other has pointed teeth. This tool flattens the sleeve without fully forming it around the leader.
• Cup to cup: These also resemble pliers, but each jaw has a matching pair of cut outs. These are referred to as the cups. Depending on the manufacturer, a cup to cup tool typically has three or four different sized cut outs. Cup to cup tools are available in three styles:
  • Standard duty: These are appropriate for use with standard sleeves and can accommodate 600 lb cable or 400 lb monofilament.
  • Heavy duty: As you might suspect, this tool is used for heavier sleeves and materials.
  • Bench press: This style features an extended handle and is mounted to a bench to allow the crimping of many heavy sleeves.

The Right Tool for the Job

You might be tempted to try to use a hammer, pliers or even your front teeth as a basic crimping technique. Don’t—it’s important to use the right tool for the job. It’s worth the time and effort to do so. Using improper methods can damage the monofilament and create a weak join. (Not to mention these aren’t materials you want to put in your mouth.)

Get the Job Done Right

Looking for the right tool for the job? Royal Brass Incorporated offers fully stocked warehouses to fill your hydraulic and pneumatic hose, tubing and fitting needs on time, every time. We’ve been the go-to hose company in San Jose, CA since 1952. Stop by or call us today!

Categorised in: Hose Parts