For this product test, Steve Williams of Liss Electrical Services gives his thoughts on the Jokari Quadro tool that he recently took on trial.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Jokari brand, it has traditionally been better known on the continent, where it’s seen as the ‘go-to’ name in wireman tools. Indeed, from browsing the entire Jokari catalogue there are many tools there that will be useful to the continental sparky working with flex.
Focusing closer to home, the company does make stripping tools for flat cables too, including twin and earth, as well as some very specialised strippers for specific cables. If you work with RF cables, network cables, FP etc., the Jokari website is well worth a look!
I was sent a Jokari Quadro tool, which is a strong and robust four-in-one wire stripper and crimper set. The kit includes strips of ferrules of various sizes and three magazines. The ferrules are then loaded into the magazine, allowing you to keep a magazine in each pocket when you’re working with different wire sizes. This is further aided by the fact that swapping out the magazine is a very swift and fiddle-free process.
I work with conduit and panel building a fair bit and, although some dislike them, I’ve never struggled with ferrules. I actually like using them, but know that it can be a fiddly occupation and there’s often a desire to grow another arm.
The Quadro is a tool for anyone who works with singles from 0.5mm – 2.5mm, but what can it do? I found six key uses:
1: Cutting, usually done by your snips.
2: Stripping, done by your strippers.
3: Twisting the strands, usually done by your fingers.
4: Gripping the stripped insulation so you can pull it off.
5: Holding a ferrule handy.
6: Crimping a ferrule on the end.
I regularly build a system that involves singles and some flex, all of which is 2.5mm that should have ferrules on. When I’m working on the bench, having the tools and ferrules at hand is fine, but when I’m on-site it’s a ‘pockets’ job, and that’s not so convenient.
It only took one or two attempts to get the hang of the product and I didn’t originally appreciate just how much time and faffing this little tool would save me. Overall, it’s a well-made, good quality tool that will certainly be travelling with me to work on a daily basis from now on!
