Realized I was using the wrong crimper for D-sub pins after 2 years

Been doing avionics bench work for about 4 years now, and I always fought with D-sub pins not seating right or pulling out too easy. Last week my lead tech saw me struggling with a 50-pin harness and just handed me a different crimper, a Daniels M22520/2-01. Turns out I was using the basic one from the tool crib meant for smaller contacts the whole time. The pins clicked in perfect after that, no more re-crimping three times per pin. Felt like a real dope for not checking the manual sooner. Anybody else have a tool they used wrong for way too long without realizing?

3 comments

3 Comments

reese12418d ago

Screwed around with the wrong torque driver on avionics racks for almost a year before someone corrected me.

jake63818d ago

And you just... didn't notice a difference in how tight the screws felt? I mean, I've used the wrong bit before and stripped a few things, but a whole year? That's wild. What was the torque setting off by, like ten inch-pounds or something crazy like that?

lee.drew18d ago

That "whole year" part is what gets me... I mean, did you seriously never have a single job where something felt off or didn't seat right? Even with a small torque difference, you'd think someone would notice a panel screw being a little too loose or a bracket vibrating a bit different. Were you working solo on these racks or did you have a partner who also missed it? And what finally tipped someone off that the driver was wrong - was it a failed inspection or did somebody just pick up the tool and feel it was off?