Cable Tie Tool

[Kyle Boatright]

Once upon a time, a buddy loaned me a tool that automatically tensioned and cut cable ties (also known as tie wraps, zip ties, and probably several other names). The big advantage of this tool is that it properly tensions the ties and cuts 'em off very close to being flush. That way, your risk of being sliced open by a protruding cut-off end goes down a bit.

Anyway, I'm in the market to buy one, and I can't get in touch with the guy who loaned me his in the first place. I've found several possibilities on-line, Google being my friend and all, but the descriptions are lacking on most of 'em. The one I'm looking for is a hand tool - no power and doesn't need to be twisted to cut the cable ties. In addition, it has the ability to tension and cut the three common sizes of zip ties you'd find in the bulk section at Home Depot.

Can someone point me in the right direction? Maybe post a link?

[Mike S]

Check with Stein?? Or B & C?

Mike

[Bob Brown]

What you're looking for is a Panduit gun. I have two of them, one is for large ties, the other is for small to medium ones. I bought mine off of EBay and paid about 25 or 35 dollars for each of them. They sell for over $300.00 new. These are used in production line work at Boeing, both of mine had Boeing serial numbers engraved on them. I use the smaller one much more commonly than the larger one, it's a Panduit GS2B. Once you get one of these babies, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it!

[Ironflight]

Mine is out at the hangar, but I believe I remember that it was made by Greenlee, the same folks that make sheet metal hole punches. I found it at an electronic specialty parts store for (if I remember correctly) about $40. I'm too cheap to have paid more...

Paul

[scard]

Yep, I have one of the Panduit tools. Paid the full new price from either Mouser or Digikey. Well worth it if you have the money to spend on nice tools. For the right (metal) model, I don't see any reason that the well used model off of ebay wouldn't work as well as new.

[AlexPeterson]

I bought a nice one at a local hardware store, it is metal and plastic, and made in Germany. I don't have access to it right now, but it is nice and cost around $20. The main body is blue.