CTF-230, Dual Compression Tool for Coaxial Cable Short and Long F Connector

This is a professional-quality tool that should last forever. It has two extra features that other cheaper brands don't have. Most importantly, the "stroke" of the compression action is adjustable. There are different kinds of compression fittings, including full-size and mini-size, and they require different settings for the compression stroke. The knurled screw easily adjusts the tool to fit different length coax fittings. The tool also has a triple head that can be switched for F, BNC, or RCA fittings, plus the usual rotating collar at the end for BNC or F/RCA.I have made-up lots of coax fittings around the house using cheap twist-on connectors, and not only does it take a long time, but the quality and durability is always questionable. The Jonard tool is super-fast (literally a few seconds to compress the fitting), and the professional-quality fittings are much more durable in the long run. I bought a bag of PPC EX6XL coax fittings along with this tool; they are not expensive, are very good quality, and are very easy to use and compress. I also got the Jonard UST-500 cable stripper, which works well and greatly speeds up the process of terminating coax.

Being handy with tools, I decided to make my own RG59 cables (for cable TV) for custom runs inside my house. I refuse to pay what brick and mortar stores charge for 100-foot lengths when I know I can create better cables for a ton less. It is critical that for best results you use quality compression fittings; avoid going the cheap route on those. In my opinion, if you’re contemplating buying this product, you already know this, and will likely pair this tool with some PPC EX6WPLUS compression connectors like I did.One thing to realize when buying this particular tool is that it is completely made of metal and therefore hefty; this is a professional’s tool, for professionals who do this type of work day-in and day-out. This explains the relative increase in cost versus cheaper (plastic) options which although offer a much wider range of compatibility for performing other types of compression fittings, are not as well built or have as nice a finished product as the Jonard boasts.Anyway, knowing that I’d only ever be running RG59 in my house, I decided on the Jonard instead of the plastic multi-tool options, mostly because of Jonard’s reputation of a good quality tool company that provides a lot of specialty tools for the trades. Because of this, I didn’t mind paying a little extra for a tool that will likely outlast my lifetime and will consistently give me good, tight compression fittings every time, which is exactly what happened when I used this tool with the PPC fittings I purchased.One point of caution: Due diligence is needed to ensure you are using this tool properly. I advise new users to look on YouTube for videos on how to use this tool in conjunction with a quality universal cable stripper like the Jonard UST-500. If you do not prep your RG59 cable properly before using the CTF-300 compression tool, you are going to have a bad time. Properly prepping your cable will make creating your own custom runs of RG59 a real breeze.As with anything, experience is king, so I recommend users to practice a few times using this compression tool to get a feel for it. Just grab a throw away piece of RG59, prep it, and fit it with a compression fitting. A good tip to remember, as with any tool, is to let the tool do the work. Done properly, there should be no reason why a user will need to strain or struggle to compress a fitting with this tool, as the tool practically does it on its own with minimal effort on your part.Anyhow, I am very pleased with the Jonard CTF-300 compression tool, and highly recommend it.

I shopped long and hard for a quality compression tool for installing cable F- connectors. I settled on the Jonard CT-200 Universal Compression Tool because it had the most versatility, was adjustable and had the best reviews of all the compression tools I looked at, even though it was in the upper end of the price range for this type of tool. I was not disappointed. The tool is very easy to use and is very dependable in that every fitting I have made is sturdy, tight and complete. I had to use tool while on a stepladder on my roof installing an AM-FM radio antenna. I also bought the Jonard tool holder and other cable tools, and in combination with this compression tool, I was able to easily and safely make the necessary cable connections while I was 30 feet in the air.

No doubt, this is a high quality tool. Very well made. Probably over kill for home use but I'm a sucker for quality. I just made two F-type coax connections with ease. One on a standard RG-6 cable, and the other on a quad shielded RG-6 cable. Worked like a charm with very little effort. The tool is very easy to adjust. I used the PPC EX6plus connectors bought here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B8CISSU/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1One thing to note, this connector used almost all the remaining compression length of the tool(the tool opens up a lot more than this to get the part in) due to this connector being on the short side of various connectors available... I can adjust the tool just a little beyond the required compression depth for this connector. All in all, I'm happy with the purchase and expect this tool to last a life time. For reference, the connector I used measured about 1.25 inches in length before compression. After compressing it, it got shorter by around 3/16 of an inch.

Perfect tool for work with coaxial cable!

Works well for a multi-tool. Using with the EX6XL+ and the EX6+. The shorter connector (both the 14 and 15) crimp perfectly. The longer (labeled 12) ends you can't compress the handle all the way or overcrimp will happen.

I'm a full time cable installer. This tool is the most comfortable and fits in the most places out of the 3 crimpers I've bought on Amazon. However it only lasted about 6 months of full time use. Eventually the bolt that holds bottom jaw on broke off. I crimp ~40 rj6 ends a day Monday-Friday. Change the bolt out with a harder metal bolt and this might be a perfect tool.

Broke second day