Need a spade connector.... what size, and where from?

[Pseudotectonic]

The ideal is the two sides bending 180 degree back into the wire

But with needle nose pliers an overlap is probably more practical (unless you have the perfect crimping tool it will be impossible to achieve the correct 180 bend)

And arguably airsoft is not very critical application, so as long as it is secure enough, it is secure enough

Is the fact I've got a multi-strand core the problem?  Do I need to tin it with my soldering iron for best results?

Nah multi-strand is not the problem. Don't tin it, it is going to be worse because tin cannot deform like copper and it will actually make it worse

Also note there are two pairs of "legs", one is for the wire jacket which is just for the mechanical stress relief, and another pair for the actual copper wires and this is for doing the actual work of conducting electricity

 

[RostokMcSpoons]

If my l33t needle-nose pliers skillz remain lacking, is this the very thing I need?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/forge-steel-crimping-pliers-9-220mm-/489XG

Ah, I forgot there was this one posted earlier:
 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154287918094

And that actually says '2.8mm' on it, which inspires more confidence.   The main problems are it's a few more quid, and it's not available in a shop down the road

 

[Sewdhull]

You are crimping to get an electrical connection so you need to fully compress the wire inside the crimp so there are no gaps, deforming the wire and providing as much contact as possible with the connector. Folding the tabs over rarely provides this.

There are crimpers for insulated and non insulated wires.

The Screwfix one there is for insulated terminals.

The eBay one is fine.

This page shows a range of tools.

https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/cable-termination.html

You can see how small the gap is on the crimping tool jaws.

https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/non-insulated-terminal-crimping-tool-standard-duty.html

That crimper will do, altho I have the 40 quid one or similar. The ratcheting helps alot.

Wire thickness will affect the size and quality of your crimp. 16awg wire is the largest that will fit a 2.8mm terminal usually, which is the largest guage you'll see in Airsoft.

My perun doesn't even have that...

Cheapest is soldering the wire having lightly crimped with pliers and then crimping the insulation in the strain relief part of the connector. Bend it beforehand if you'll be bending it.

 

[gavinkempsell]

I am trying quite hard to avoid spending £15 on a crimp tool that I won't get much use out of)

A crimping tool will last you a lifetime, you might only use it twice but it'll last a lifetime.

 

[DanBow]

I am trying quite hard to avoid spending £15 on a crimp tool that I won't get much use out of

Isn't that one of the main purposes of being a man? A cave of tools that only ever see the light of day every other year?

 

[RostokMcSpoons]

I currently have so many toolboxes, tool drawers, tool bags, and plastic boxes containing more tools, that I quite often end up buying things I'm sure I already own but cannot locate.

However, a crimping tool has definitely never been purchased. (I did check the two wire stripping tools I own in case they also did crimping duties, but alas not)

So yeah, guess I'll do it ?

 

[Sewdhull]

The ratcheting one from 12v planet is great

 

[RostokMcSpoons]

I went with the ebay one, cos 

1.  I've already got the account set up

2. Cheap. 

3. Free 3 day postage

4. errr.... that's it, but that's good enough (in all respects) I think

Cheers for all your help chaps, it's much appreciated, I never knew there was so much involved in fixing a spade connector to a wire, but it's been a right old schooling