Tutorial on crimping RG59/RG6 Ends

A Step-by-step Guide for crimping RG59 or RG6 Cables to a BNC connector.

This tutorial shows how to connct bulk RG59 and RG6 coaxial cables to BNC, F-type, or RCA connectors. You can connect or extend your own cables for Cable or Satellite TV, and other video applications. RG59 is typically fitted with F-Pin ends (for Cable TV) or BNC ends (professional video applications).  RG59 cable can also be used to connect to RCA connectors. 

Step 1: Identifying the Cable

Some RG59 and RG6 cables comes paired with a power cable. If this is the case, the power cable is easily identified by its dual cable structure (pictured as the red and white jacketed cable above). This distinguishes the upper cable as your A/V cable.	Separate the power cable from the A/V cable simply by pulling the two apart. If you have trouble splitting them, use a cutter and make a small incision between the cables to assist the severance.	Now that you have your isolated coaxial cable, you are ready to go on to the next step.

Step 2: Making a Clean Cut

After you have identified your Video Cable, you will need a Cable Cutter. Make sure the cutter is sharp and in good condition to avoid any unclean cuts.	Make a clean cut at the tip of your cable with your Cable Cutter. Do not cut too far back from the tip to avoid a loss of length of your cable.	Making a clean cut on your cable will ensure a snug fit and an accurate positioning of your cable into the connector.

Step 3: Setting the Stripper

Next you will need a wire stripper, which will expose the interior layers of the cable. This will allow you to gain access to the conductor and also to remove the shielding beneath the surface of the cable.

Make sure that your setting on the wire stripper matches the desired length you want the wire to be stripped. The red arrow in the picture shows the position of the setting. Simply pop out the orange X and insert it back into position to the desired setting, matching the number with the black arrow on the stripper itself. The number key on the left hand side shows the length each setting will yield.

Step 4: Stripping the Cable

Now that you have set your stripper, it is time to put your wire into the stripper. Make sure that you put your stripper on the correct way. The end of the wire should match up with the end of the stripper. Make sure that the two are on the same plane before stripping.	To strip the wire, simply rotate your stripper around the cable either clockwise or counter-clockwise. A couple rotations is sufficient until you feel little to no resistance. Do not over strip your cable in case of damaging the conductor. Also make sure that you strip enough so that you expose all the parts desired.	Simply remove your stripper and the portions of the cables that have been cut. Your cable should look something like the above picture. Three identifiable layers should be present: the Cable jacket, the mesh shielding and the conductor.

Step 5: Crimping part 1 precise electrical cutter. 

Slide the metal cylinder from the BNC-59 kit onto the BNC cable.	Slide the gold cap onto the center conductor. Make sure that no shielding wires are touching the center conductor or the gold cap. Trim the center conductor so that the gold cap will fit over the center conductor.	Crimp the gold cap.

Step 6: Crimping Part 2

Slide the BNC connector onto the cable. The aluminum foil and center should be inside the BNC cap, the jacket and the shielding wires may be outside.	As the BNC connector is slid onto the cable, the golden cap should line up close to the end of the connector.	In order to cap the BNC connector with the metal cylinder, trim the outer jacket as needed. Slide the metal cylinder to the BNC connector.

Step 7: Crimping part 3

Crimp the metal cylinder to the BNC connector.	The finished cable should look something like this.