How to use IDC tool?

I've just bought an IDC tool to try to fit a filtered face plate to the BT
master socket.

Trouble is I haven't got a clue about how to use the tool - they are
obviously made for people who don't need to ask.

I can make a guess I suppose but wouldn't want to cause more problems than I
am trying to solve.

I can't find a how to video anywhere. Does anyone have instructions?

"Gareth" <hotmail.com@dgareth_remove.com> wrote in message
news:4cda831b$0$2517$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I've just bought an IDC tool to try to fit a filtered face plate to the BT
> master socket.
>
> Trouble is I haven't got a clue about how to use the tool - they are
> obviously made for people who don't need to ask.
>
> I can make a guess I suppose but wouldn't want to cause more problems than
> I am trying to solve.
>
> I can't find a how to video anywhere. Does anyone have instructions?

You don't need the tool to fit the filtered faceplate.

You will need the tool if you wish to connect internal extension wiring to
the faceplate.

Before installing it, try the tool. Look carefully at the punchdown block.
You will see a groove into which you lay the wire, and a tiny metal
structure set diagonally across the groove. This metal piece is fitted
asymmetrically - nearer one edge than the other.

Now look at the tool. Some come with a cutter, some without. If it has a
cutter, offer it up to the punchdown block with the cutter site aligning
with edge nearest to the assymmetric metal piece. If the tool doesn't have
a cutter, then try it one way and the other. Push the tool into the
punchdown block. It will go in, and as it bottoms the cutter will operate.
If there's no cutter, in one orientation the tool will go in more easily -
remember that orientation.

Now get a short length of the extension cable. This must be solid core (not
stranded). Make sure it is the correct telephone cable or cat5 cable - not
any old rubbish. Extract one core to play with. Lay the wire in the groove
of the punchdown block, ideally holding it with a little tension. Offer the
tool up to the punchdown block and push firmly. It will push the wire into
the groove, then trim off the excess. Practise!

You can remove the practise wires by pulling upwards - use a small pair of
pliers.

I'm sure I've seen diagrams and photos - these might be better than a
video - Google is your friend.

--
Graham J

On Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:54:53 +0000, Graham J wrote:

> You can remove the practise wires by pulling upwards - use a small pair
> of pliers.

Or your punchdown tool may have a fold-out hook for just this purpose.

--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

*lightning protection* - a w_tom conductor

"Graham J" <graham@invalid> wrote in message
news:4cda880d$0$12162$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Gareth" <hotmail.com@dgareth_remove.com> wrote in message
> news:4cda831b$0$2517$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> I've just bought an IDC tool to try to fit a filtered face plate to the
>> BT master socket.
>>
>> Trouble is I haven't got a clue about how to use the tool - they are
>> obviously made for people who don't need to ask.
>>
>> I can make a guess I suppose but wouldn't want to cause more problems
>> than I am trying to solve.
>>
>> I can't find a how to video anywhere. Does anyone have instructions?
>
> You don't need the tool to fit the filtered faceplate.
>
> You will need the tool if you wish to connect internal extension wiring to
> the faceplate.
>
> Before installing it, try the tool. Look carefully at the punchdown
> block. You will see a groove into which you lay the wire, and a tiny metal
> structure set diagonally across the groove. This metal piece is fitted
> asymmetrically - nearer one edge than the other.
>
> Now look at the tool. Some come with a cutter, some without. If it has a
> cutter, offer it up to the punchdown block with the cutter site aligning
> with edge nearest to the assymmetric metal piece. If the tool doesn't
> have a cutter, then try it one way and the other. Push the tool into the
> punchdown block. It will go in, and as it bottoms the cutter will
> operate. If there's no cutter, in one orientation the tool will go in more
> easily - remember that orientation.
>
> Now get a short length of the extension cable. This must be solid core
> (not stranded). Make sure it is the correct telephone cable or cat5
> cable - not any old rubbish. Extract one core to play with. Lay the wire
> in the groove of the punchdown block, ideally holding it with a little
> tension. Offer the tool up to the punchdown block and push firmly. It
> will push the wire into the groove, then trim off the excess. Practise!
>
> You can remove the practise wires by pulling upwards - use a small pair of
> pliers.
>
> I'm sure I've seen diagrams and photos - these might be better than a
> video - Google is your friend.

Thanks Allan and Graham.

I made a really stupid mistake when I tried to install the wires to the real
connection - I snipped the wire on the wrong side (from the cable to the
block) rather than the excess wire beyond the block. Luckily there was
enough cable length remaining to salvage the install.

I think the problem was partly because the XTE-2005 faceplate I tried to
install has the connectors positioned the opposite way to the standard BT
faceplate I removed . The IDC tool fits in to the slot better one way than
it does the other way. It's easy to see how someone with no experience who
is panicking a bit could make the mistake. I guess practicing is the key.

Aside from that mistake it was surprisingly easy to install the faceplate. I
still don't understand how to use the IDC tool - including the hook
attachment that came with it.

>
> I made a really stupid mistake when I tried to install the wires to the real connection - I snipped the wire on the wrong side
> (from the cable to the block) rather than the excess wire beyond the block. Luckily there was enough cable length remaining to
> salvage the install.

If it's any consolation, everyone makes that that mistake first time.

> I think the problem was partly because the XTE-2005 faceplate I tried to install has the connectors positioned the opposite way to
> the standard BT faceplate I removed . The IDC tool fits in to the slot better one way than it does the other way. It's easy to see
> how someone with no experience who is panicking a bit could make the mistake. I guess practicing is the key.

That's the importent thing to note, it's only supposed to fit one way round. Once you know which way, it should be obvious
which way to lay the wire so the excess is trimmed off

> Aside from that mistake it was surprisingly easy to install the faceplate. I still don't understand how to use the IDC tool -
> including the hook attachment that came with it.

The only feature that your tool might have that we haven't covered (unless I missed it)
is a gizmo to mechanically stop the cutter from working so the cable can loop in and out
of the socket, but to be honest it's not something you need a lot, if ever.

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%