Hydraulic Crimper Mounting Plate

Not a tool but a way to improve one...
I just got this Hydraulic Crimper off eBay and was having a hard time using it while holding a cable into the lug being crimped. Got to be quite the juggling act.
I figured mounting it to a plate so I could clamp it to the welding bench would make it a bit easier to use...

I modified my crimper so it will easily clamp to the welding bench. Frees up a hand for holding the wire in place.
I marked out a pattern for a couple of drilled and tapped holes in the head.
http://images19.fotki.com/v1612/phot...MVC048F-vi.jpg
I will be screwing it to this piece of 1/4" plate with a couple of drilled and counter bored holes.
http://images53.fotki.com/v1465/phot...MVC049F-vi.jpg
I clamped the tool in the drill press vise and drilled two holes out to .149 for tapping for a #10-32 screw.
http://images115.fotki.com/v607/phot...MVC054F-vi.jpg
Here is the plate getting drilled and counter bored.
http://images53.fotki.com/v1502/phot...MVC058F-vi.jpg
(continued)

Test fit. Bolted up nice and was very sturdy. This will work great when I get to crimping all of the van cables...
http://images116.fotki.com/v693/phot...MVC068F-vi.jpg
http://images30.fotki.com/v44/photos...MVC070F-vi.jpg
Cleaned and painted the plate.
http://images53.fotki.com/v1519/phot...MVC075F-vi.jpg
This will be good to go and, if I need it do any crimps in tight places, the plate will come right off.
Mark

Thanks astroracer! I've added your Hydraulic Crimper Mounting Plate to our Drilling category, as well as to your builder page: astroracer's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="/hydraulic-crimper-mounting-plate"><img src="/uploads/62552/hydraulic-crimper-mounting-plate.jpeg" alt="Hydraulic Crimper Mounting Plate" /></a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="/hydraulic-crimper-mounting-plate">Hydraulic Crimper Mounting Plate</a> <span> by <a href="/builder/astroracer_2">astroracer</a></span> </div> <div class="tags"> tags: <a href="/tag/tapping">tapping</a>, <a href="/tag/drilling">drilling</a>, <a href="/tag/crimper">crimper</a>, <a href="/tag/mount">mount</a>, <a href="/tag/plate">plate</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Nice fix, will have to do that to mine as well.
Had the same problem juggling cable, lug and pressing down on handle.
Cheers

Ed.

Thanks Ed,
This little mod is turning out to be pretty handy... I clamped the Crimper right to the rad support and got busy.
http://images18.fotki.com/v61/photos...MVC017F-vi.jpg

Having the crimper right there, where I was working, was nice!
http://images45.fotki.com/v1450/phot...MVC020F-vi.jpg
The plate is open enough that I can torient the crimper any way I need for operation.
http://images19.fotki.com/v286/photo...MVC024F-vi.jpg
Mark