Punch one bench jack
One afternoon. Cut a short solid cable, punch a jack on each end, and snap each jack into a 1-port surface box.
Who it is for
This is for someone who wants a laptop to plug in at a bench, and who can finish the cable in one afternoon. You cut a short piece of solid cable, punch a jack on each end, and snap each jack into a 1-port surface box. One short lead runs from the switch to the first box. Another runs from the laptop to the second box.
Tools
- Cable stripping pliers or a jacket stripper, to take off the outer jacket. Check the jacket size the stripper lists, then measure the jacket on your spool.
- Flush cutters or a cable cutter for the cut.
Buy these elsewhere
The cable, the jacks, the boxes, the punch tool, and the patch leads come from outside retailers. Check the current page before you buy.
- One 50 ft solid bulk cable, unterminated. Home Depot listed a Syston 50 ft white spool, model 1007-SB-WH-50. That page did not list a jacket diameter. Home Depot page.
- Two punch-down jacks. Monoprice product 5384. The page says it takes 22 to 24 AWG solid wire, which matches that spool. Monoprice 5384.
- Two 1-port surface boxes, jack not included. Monoprice product 7088. Monoprice 7088.
- One punch-down tool. Monoprice product 7043. Buy it only if it matches the jack you have. The jack page did not name the blade. Monoprice 7043.
- Two short stranded patch leads, one from the switch to the first box and one from the laptop to the second box. Monoprice product 2299, 3 ft. Monoprice 2299.
Steps
- Measure the jacket. If it is thicker than your stripper takes, stop. That stripper is the wrong tool for this spool.
- Cut a short length of the solid cable with the flush cutters or cable cutter.
- Strip the outer jacket with the stripper. Leave the pairs intact, and do not nick the copper.
- Punch a jack on each end. Use the solid cable, not a stranded patch lead. Follow the color order printed on the jack, and use the same order on both ends. Seat each wire with the punch-down tool until it cuts the spare tail.
- Snap each jack into its own 1-port surface box. The box does not come with a jack.
- Plug one patch lead from the switch into the first box, and the other from the laptop into the second box.
Caution
Do not punch a stranded patch lead into a jack. If the jack page does not name the blade, confirm the punch-down tool matches that jack before you buy the tool.
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