Canare RCAP - possible to use without crimping tool?

[infinitesymphony]

I want to use the Canare RCAP connectors for some RCA cables. Is it possible to make these solderless connections without the hand tool that they recommend?

 

[BradJudy]

You need to do two crimps to use Canare RCAPs. The first is a really small, tight crimp to put the pin on the center wire. You can do this with whatever you want, but make sure you get a good crimp. The second crimp is a standard coax collar hex crimp. You'll just need the right crimp size and you can use a standard coax crimper instead of the Canare one if you get the right size.

I did a bunch of them a few years back, so I bought the Canare crimp dies and bought a standard crimp frame instead of the more expensive Canare one.

Same thing goes for the stripper. You can do it yourself, but the Canare one makes it easy because the blades are spaced to fit the RCAPs perfectly.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Thanks for the information, BradJudy... I've never made RCA cables before, so I don't have any crimping tools whatsoever (unless a pair of pliers counts

).

Are there any RCA connectors of similar price and quality that don't require specialized tools?

 

[Pars]

I used the RCAPs a few years ago to make some component video cables and did them without a crimper (or at least without the Canare crimping tool). I just soldered the pins.

Enjoy The Music's Max Rochlin Memorial Digital & Video Cable.

Something like this should work for the sleeve:

RadioShack.com - Cables, Parts & Connectors: Wire & cable management: Wiring tools & supplies: Hex Crimping Tool

or

RadioShack.com - Cables, Parts & Connectors: Wire & cable management: Wiring tools & supplies: Medium-Duty Crimp Tool

I'd say the first one would be better... I have the second one and it is better than nothing, but not by alot

 

[infinitesymphony]

Hmm, interesting... Thanks for the links, Pars.

I wasn't sure how common crimping tools were. I'll definitely consider picking one up.

 

[riffer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pars /img/forum/go_quote.gif Something like this should work for the sleeve: RadioShack.com - Cables, Parts & Connectors: Wire & cable management: Wiring tools & supplies: Hex Crimping Tool or RadioShack.com - Cables, Parts & Connectors: Wire & cable management: Wiring tools & supplies: Medium-Duty Crimp Tool I'd say the first one would be better... I have the second one and it is better than nothing, but not by alot

The first one is too small and will squish the sleeve. I know, I have one and that's what I used when I put together some RF cables on the cheap a couple of years ago.

I was doing all my video cales with Canare and Belden 1694A, so I did a cost benefit of buying the tools and parts and making my own versus just ordering everything I needed from Blue Jeans Cable. In the end, the savings weren't worth it and I just used Blue Jeans Cables.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by riffer /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was doing all my video cales with Canare and Belden 1694A, so I did a cost benefit of buying the tools and parts and making my own versus just ordering everything I needed from Blue Jeans Cable. In the end, the savings weren't worth it and I just used Blue Jeans Cables.

Good to know... I had planned to use Belden 1694A and Canare RCAPs as well. I'm sure it would be most cost-effective if you planned to build a lot of cables. Prices for a 3-foot pair:

From Markertek
Belden 1694A, $0.40/ft * 3 feet * 2 cables = $2.40
Canare RCAP-C53, $3.28/each * 2 per cable * 2 cables = $13.12
Sub-total: $15.52
Shipping and tax: ~$5.00
Total: ~$21/pair

From BJC
$26.75 plus shipping (~$5) = ~$32/pair.

 

[BradJudy]

Yeah, when I did mine, I checked the costs as well. I was doing something like four stereo pairs, a component run and a subwoofer run, so it was cheaper to DIY and buy a couple of tools.