cable insulation stripping

[sm_jamieson]

Having done just a small amount of electrical wiring recently, especially w= iring up light switches etc, I realised it was a right pain stripping the i= nsulation off. I cut the TWE outer sheath longitudinally with a small pair of pointed scis= sors, which do a good job without risking damaging the wires inside, but it= is not ideal and you can stab your fingers if you are not careful. Then stripping the conductors, I have one of those strippers with two V's t= hat form a diamond and that you adjust with a screw and then twist on the c= able and pull. But when there is only a couple of inches of cable its supri= singly difficult to hold the wire firmly while you pull the stripping tool.= And the side of my finger was becoming sore from gripping the wire. Then you have to readjust for different size wires, and if you get it wrong= you can nick the wire. So I was wondering what tools the pro electrions use to do these jobs ? Cheers, Simon.

[Jon Fairbairn]

I don?t know about pro electricians, but for pvc insulated conductors in awkward places I use a pair of smooth jawed needle-nose pliers and just crush the insulation onto the conductor (you don?t have to press hard enough to squash the conductor noticably). It splits the insulation in two, and you can then peel it apart and snip it off with side cutters.

(for non-awkward places I have something similar to these

extra blades for the other size range)

[John]

To get the outer sheath of T&E off, I've always used side cutters to cut into the middle of the cable, end-on - in other words, inbetween the live/neutral conductors. Open out the end, grip the earth conductor with the cutters, fold it back on itself and then pull as far as you want. This splits the outer sheath and then just use the cutters to cut it off.

To strip the insulation from the conductors I use the side cutters to 'ring' it and then just pull it off.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

My way:-

Cut into the end of the cable with a sharp knife about an inch. Grip the ECC and pull to one side for the required distance. This slices through the outer sheath.

As regards wire strippers, I have every type known to man. The best by far is this style:-

is a different make to the one shown. They have fixed sized cutters for four sizes of cable and mine is just fine for 1, 1.5 and 2.5mm - as well as other flexes etc. The only snag with it is the amount of space it needs to operate compared to some other styles - but not usually a problem with house wiring. Most decent tool suppliers will have similar. Mine came from Maplin many years ago. It also does less damage to the insulation than any other type which grips the insulation I've tried.

[Dave Liquorice]

Decent pair of side snips. Get at the E wire at the end, hold it and pull to split the insulation to the required point. Open out insulation, snip each side fold back and snip across the back.

JFGI "automatic wire stripper". I have something very similar to the Draper 55806 rather than the 38275 that uses notched blades.

[Bob Eager]

+1

[alan]

wiring up light switches etc, I realised it was a right pain stripping the insulation off.

scissors, which do a good job without risking damaging the wires inside, but it is not ideal and you can stab your fingers if you are not careful.

form a diamond and that you adjust with a screw and then twist on the cable and pull. But when there is only a couple of inches of cable its suprisingly difficult to hold the wire firmly while you pull the stripping tool. And the side of my finger was becoming sore from gripping the wire.

you can nick the wire.

[meow2222]

wiring up light switches etc, I realised it was a right pain stripping the= insulation off.

issors, which do a good job without risking damaging the wires inside, but = it is not ideal and you can stab your fingers if you are not careful.

that form a diamond and that you adjust with a screw and then twist on the= cable and pull. But when there is only a couple of inches of cable its sup= risingly difficult to hold the wire firmly while you pull the stripping too= l. And the side of my finger was becoming sore from gripping the wire.

ng you can nick the wire.

Having worked with every type of wire stripper known to man, I now use a kn= ife. All strippers work better in some situations, and all are a right time= waster in some.

NT

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Well, I've got near every type of stripper, and what you say is true. However, for 99% of house wiring stuff the type I gave is ideal - and much better than a knife. If I didn't have it to hand, I'd use wire cutters to strip the insulation, not a knife.

The only problem with the type I gave is if space is tight. Like, perhaps, stripping insulation at a ceiling rose with the cables already poking through. The wire you're stripping needs to be at least 2" clear from where it exits a hole, etc.

[Man at B&Q]

+1

MBQ

[Jules Richardson]

Yes, me too. For the outer sheath I bend the wire slightly and hold it before making a cut, and the insulation splits right along the cut; repeat on the reverse side followed by a couple of gentle cuts left and right. For the inner cables it's just a case of spinning the blade around the cable with light pressure so as to cut the insulation, but not quite all the way through to the metal.

I do have a set of these:

which were about the best style I found to do the job (on single wires) with a tool; the other types I've tried have been utterly useless. Those are stuck in storage overseas though and I just never have quite got around to buying a replacement.

cheers

Jules

[Tim Watts]

The 2 best tools I have are an automatic T+E stripper that can take the sheath off anything upto 2.5mm2 and a pair of good sidecutters with notches for 1.5 and 2.5 conductor stripping. Latter is a bit woofty but saves time and avoids nicking the copper. The former is a huge effort saver.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

these

> with extra blades for the other size range)

Yup - that's exactly what I have, even down to the colour. By far and away my favourite wire strippers. Far less effort and never any damage to insulation or conductor(s).

[Phil Addison]

As above, the automatic ones shown by Jon Fairbairn

are the bees-knees for where you have access and some 2" of free end. They were used by the 'wiremen' for assembling military and space equipment where I worked.

I also have a different kind that I disdained until last night when I was rewiring a very awkward central heating box at the back of a cupboard with less than an inch of free cable. I've had these

Strippers in my toolbox for years and never used them - I thought they were cheap crap - but they turned out to be very good for this as they approach the cable end-on and will work so long as you have access to 1/2" of cable. They have tension adjuster for different diameters (knurled screw at the back in the photo). They have no branding but are identical to this photo.

Phil

[The Natural Philosopher]

Parrot Strippers in my toolbox for years and never used them - I thought

As an electronic engineer I have a permanent slot in my front teeth, and the ability to strip insulation with sidecutters as well. :0

Those parrots are if well made VERY good.

[Phil Addison]

> Parrot Strippers in my toolbox for years and never used them - I thought

Yeah I were one of 'em an all in an earlier incarnation, and can do the side-cutter trick too, and slice mains cable outers, lengthwise, without snicking the inners. Tend to bottle it when it comes to front teeth though. I bet you know how to straighten kinked wires too, and make twisted pairs with a wheel-brace. :O

Phil

[geoff]

In message , The Natural Philosopher writes

I had to check that I hadn't written that comment

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

I have a cracking little pair of stainless sprung-loaded side cutters that years ago got used to cut something too hard and got a chip taken out of one jaw. The nick is the perfect size for stripping 2.5mm and does 1.5mm most of the time. Other than those, I use a Snap-On multitool, one of the s**te crimper designs, but it's never used as a crimper, just the stripping jaws and it's great for its purpose.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

I still have, from decades ago. In recent years, it's got a bit tender and since in the past I've fexked up a couple of repair attempts by absently stripping wire and undoing the dentist's work, I've decided to avoid that.

[Man at B&Q]

t

LOL, I had a fron tooth crowned and lost the ability to strip with it.

MBQ