One of a number of tools on the market that will pull a cable tie consistently tight and then snip off the excess is the RT1. We find out if it is a useful toolbox addition … or just a gimmick you can live without.
The compact RT 1 cable-tie tool from Weidmüller (item no. 129600) costs around £55 from online retailers. This particular version is suitable for the tightening of up to 4.8mm wide and 1.6mm thick cable ties.
To carry this out, you first place the cable tie around whatever you are securing and pull as normal. Then push the long end into the pliers — the long end should be at least 1.5cm long.
Tighten the cable tie by pumping the grips so that the jaws apply the selected tension. Once this tension is reached, a blade then automatically cuts off the cable tie flush, exactly the way you would want it.
Some caution is needed with the open side of the tool to avoid accidentally pinching your skin while pumping the handles.
Applying a consistent tension
The tension is set using a knurled knob from 0 (little tightening force) to 3 (max force). This is enough, especially for smaller cable ties of up to the maximum width of 4.8mm.
We also used the pliers to lock larger cable ties up to 7mm wide for bundling hydraulic hoses. We initially squeezed the chunky pipes together by hand and then applied the pliers. It worked well, making a clean cut even though the cutting edge was a bit small for these bigger ties. However, even the maximum tightening force setting would not have been enough to bundle the hoses and tighten them properly. This is where you would need to use a bigger version of the pull-and-snip tool.
Alexander Bertling
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