sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring RJ-45 Ends

I hate how that AMP tool only terminated the AMP plugs. I always forget then I'm at the site and I grab the tool and the plugs don't work .... angry. I have to carry all the tools on the truck because that one time I decide not to bring a certain tool is when I need it!

Triple check the Plug.
I find that the ones for solid wire tend to have 3 prongs per blade with the center one slightly offset. That way the solid core of the wire gets trapped and doesn't role away from the blade. The pins with only 2 prongs are for the stranded copper. The 3 Prongs do work better on Stranded than the 2 prongs on Solid. If you stick with the right plug for the cable wire type, ensure you see copper at the end of the plug before inserting into the crimp tool, and firmly press the cable into the crimp before and during crimping your success should be well above 95%
Also make sure the you are not using a CAT6 plug on a CAT5(3) cable. The AWG is larger on CAT6.

Here is the scoop on the AMP plugs as per Wikipedia:

"There are two types of 8P8C plugs, sockets, and diesets (used for crimping): Western Electric/Stewart Stamping (WE/SS) and Tyco/AMP. While both types look remarkably similar, they are exclusive and cannot be interchanged. Tyco/AMP 8P8C plugs are proprietary, and have smaller spacing between contacts than the WE/SS style. As a result, using a WE/SS 8P8C crimp dieset on a Tyco/AMP 8P8C plug will crush the top of the connector, and vice versa. While the WE/SS 8P8C plug is more common than Tyco/AMP, it is still important to know what style is being used to avoid damaging the plug during crimping."

I dont do alot of crimping either but when I do I have very few problems. I do as Clinton described and squeeze the hell out of em and then do it a couple more times just for good measure. I use a scissors to do my final trim and haven't had any problems with getting the wires to fit. I prefer a ratcheting type crimper. The first crimper I started with was not of the ratcheting type and seemed to have quite a bit of play in the handles thus causing the actual crimping pins to not line up in the die. That caused quite a few busted plugs and a lot of frustration. Ive used a ratcheting crimper from Ideal for quite a few years now and it works great.

I also have a ratcheting crimper by Ideal. I use Tyco ends and rarely have one fail a test.

I bought a racket Amp crimp tool, on ebay quite awhile ago,the one that front loads. I didn't realize that you could only use Amp ends it. I had bought some Amp cat 5E 8 pos plugs, the two piece ones last winter. So this AM went back used the Amp crimp tool and the Amp ends all was well. Thanks everybody for your help. I didn't realize that you can only use and ends in an Amp tool.

Tyco/Greenlee crimper/Snips to cut off the wires evenly....near 100% on a very regular basis. Just pay attention to what you are doing, take a good look and make sure you can see 8 little copper dots inside the plug before you crimp it and give it a nice solid squeeze...oh check your wiremap too!