Introduction: HOWTO: Compression Connectors

If you know anything about satellite, cable or antenna installations, you know about F connectors and how much of a pain they can be to crimp. Recently, a new type of connector has become popular. They are called compression connectors. The connectors are relatively cheap, but the tool used to crimp them costs quite a bit. In this video, I will show you how to build a jig to crimp these for free!

Water proofing is a very important asset to have when making RG-6 cables because if water gets into the braided shield and it rusts, your whole cable could go to waste.

Sometimes, I even use an RTV silicon with the waterproof connectors.

This video pretty much sums up this instructable.


Step 1: Supplies

For this project, you will need:

- a drill with a 9/32 or similar bit. The hole you will drill will accept RG-6 so make it close.
- two 1 inch square pieces of plywood. Thickness is no issue.
- a vice or c-clamp for portable crimping
- the connectors

Snap-N-Seal connectors come in F, RCA, BNC and others that I have not heard of yet. They are the greatest thing to grace the face of the earth when installing an antenna on the roof and you need to crimp. If you decide to use my method to crimp it cheap then it tends to be harder, but if you have the official crimper, it works GREAT!

If you only do a couple of connectors a year for personal use, I would recommend the method outlined in this instructable. If you do hundreds of them, shell out 25 bucks for the economy crimper. I have personally used the economy crimper to do HUNDREDS of connectors and it has worked great EVERY time. I work in an electronics shop and we make custom length RG6 cables for customers while they wait or shop around. When it gets busy, the crimper is a great thing!

Step 2: Start Your Engines!! (your Electric Drill That Is...)

This step is very simple. Simple line up the two squares of plywood and drill through both of them! Can you handle it?

When you are done, you will have two squares of wood with a hole in almost the same place. Measurements are not necessary.

When you drill the hole, drill it somewhat close to the edge of the wood to make the next step easier.

Step 3: Cut

This step is a little tricker than the last.

Take a saw of choice and cut a notch down into the hole you drilled on one of the pieces of wood. You want to be able to get the cable down into the hole, so cut the notch big enough to accept the RG6.

Step 4: Crimpress!

Now you are ready to crimp the connector. This is pretty straight forward.

Optional Step 1:

Slide a washer onto the cable to make the crimp come out cleaner. Do this before you slide on the connector. This step is strongly recommended because without it, the crimp is VERY difficult to do. The only problem with this step is that you are left with a washer on your cable when you are finished.

Step 2:

Strip off 1/2 inch of the cable down to the solid copper core.

Step 3:

Remove 1/4 inches of the black cover and shield. Leave the white internal core intact.

Step 4:

Slide on the connector.

Step 5:

Put the cable into the jig. Refer to the picture for help with this. It is difficult to explain.

Step 6:

Tighten the vice!

You should have a nice crimp on the end of your cable. If you don't get it the first time, try again. It takes 1 or 2 to get it right.