 sides.jpg Wed Mar 4 14:46:38 2009 original - 163 kB  insides.jpg Wed Mar 4 14:46:37 2009 original - 184 kB  ccct-gap.jpg Wed Mar 4 14:46:35 2009 original - 165 kB  did-gap.jpg Wed Mar 4 14:46:36 2009 original - 168 kB  tolerances.jpg Wed Mar 4 14:46:39 2009 original - 166 kB  tolerances2.jpg Wed Mar 4 14:46:41 2009 original - 191 kB |
The short answer is that the DID one is nicer than the CCCT in pretty much every way. The manufacturing tolerances are better, it's smoother, it feels better in the hand, the bits that are supposed to slide slide better, the bits that aren't, don't. Because everything fits better, there's less fighting with the tool to make stuff line up properly, which means it's a lot less likely that you'll trash the tool or the chain by accident.
The critical distances seem to be accurate, but I haven't measured with a caliper.
Is the DID one $100 better than the CCCT? I doubt it, but if I were doing a lot of chains, I'd get the DID, it does feel three or four times nicer, and if time were an issue (working in a shop) It might be $100 better.
I don't know anything about the longevity of the CCCT, how strong the pins are, how hard the metal is , stuff like that, but I do know the DID one has worked flawlessly so far.
I got my CCCT from these guys: www.mikesxs.net (only $20)
I don't remember where I got the DID tool from. (about $120)
