Stripping UF - what's your method?

Status
Not open for further replies.
How do I strip UF? I run pipe and wire instead....I hate dealing with UF. :)

I have not tried it yet but a potato peeler is supposed to work good.

Generally I use a knife to expose some of the conductors than grab the conductors with linesmen and literally rip them out of the sheath.
 
Larry - my sentiments exactly! That's why I laid it out there for feedback. I have used a similar method to what you discribed - bascially seperating it mechnically (speaking of mechanically seperated - have you ever noticed on a certain "meat stick" - that one of it's ingredient is "mechanically seperated chicken - not that ain't paiting a pretty picture).

I'd be hearing from anyone using the potato peeler method. I've got some UF laying around, and I feel an experiment coming.

Thanks

Brett
 
I like tearing the UF.

Leave a couple more inches of "extra" makeup length at each end, as the tearing will mangle the very end of the conductors.

Imagine taking two linemans pliers and forming a "T" at the end of the UF. The linemans jaws are tip to tip, and each is gripping one side of the UF.

Twist the linemans in opposite directions, splitting the UF in two lengthwise. (Think of tearing a piece of paper using the thumb and forefinger of each hand, placed together and then one hand going one way, and the other hand going the other, tearing the paper from the edge on down through the paper.)

Once the split is started, one of the conductors will come loose from the sheath. Grab that conductor with one linemans and pull it through the sheath, tearing the sheath like a rip cord, still holding the other side of the UF with the first linemans.

Pull out the remaining two conductors, one at a time, like ripcords, from the UF sheath, starting with the middle conductor.

I find this to be much faster than any knife method.

Experiment with the kinds of tools you have in your pouch, as a substitute for the linemans pliers. I make do with a plain plier and a needle nose.
 
The grounding wire usually runs down the middle. I take a razor knife,slice into the center of the cable, drag it along the ground (towards the center of the cable),pull out the bare cable, Then the two insulated wires I use my stripper (10awg) put a slight cut and strip the whole outer insulation off each conductor. Sounds like alot but it goes real fast. BUT I do hate the stuff too.
 
I've had a lot of practice stripping UF, so here's my 2 cents worth.
I use a sharp knife and slice off the outer covering on each side of the cable. With practice you can "feel" the outer insulation of the conductor and make the knife slide along it without damage. At that point I simply pull the two conductors out of the covering and use my wire stripper to expose the bare ground wire. When stripping the ground, I use a oversized hole on the wire stripper to keep from scoring the wire.
2 conductor is easier to strip than 3 conductor.
I've never tried tearing it apart. That sounds like it would be hard on the conductors to me.
steve
 
bobbyho said:
The grounding wire usually runs down the middle. I take a razor knife,slice into the center of the cable, drag it along the ground (towards the center of the cable),pull out the bare cable, Then the two insulated wires I use my stripper (10awg) put a slight cut and strip the whole outer insulation off each conductor. Sounds like alot but it goes real fast. BUT I do hate the stuff too.
Click to expand...

I'm gonna try that.
steve
 
(speaking of mechanically seperated - have you ever noticed on a certain "meat stick" - that one of it's ingredient is "mechanically seperated chicken - not that ain't paiting a pretty picture).


Now, if you want to know about mechanically seperated meat products, check out the Baader separators. I worked as an applications and process engineer for several years. In the industry it is known as "Baader Meat". All protein, no gristle, cartilage, bones, just the meat that can't get cut off. Pretty good stuff. Chicken Nuggets-Baader meat, most hot dogs-Baader meat, you get the idea.
 
Last edited:
I always use a simple UF cable stripper. No more nicks in the wire and taping. The tool not only is fast it eliminates all of the problems associated with using a knife. The particular stripper that I have is about 15 years old. Don't know if they even make it anymore.
 
bobbyho said:
... I take a razor knife,slice into the center of the cable, drag it along the ground (towards the center of the cable),pull out the bare cable [grounding conductor]...
Click to expand...

... then I use a razor knife to carefully score around the circumference of the sheath remaining at the "base" on each of the conductors.

(Use caution here so as to not go too deep and damage the conductor insulation. I found that I generally don't need to go very deep through the sheath remaining on the conductor -- or even all the way around -- just scoring the "hard outer skin" of the sheath is generally sufficient)

Finally, grip the unstripped cable with one hand, and one of the "pre-scored" still-sheathed conductors in the other.

Twist the "conductor" sheathing back and forth, it'll generally separate cleanly at the scoring and can be pulled free from the conductor.
 
Last edited:
infinity said:
I always use a simple UF cable stripper. No more nicks in the wire and taping. The tool not only is fast it eliminates all of the problems associated with using a knife. The particular stripper that I have is about 15 years old. Don't know if they even make it anymore.
Click to expand...

I don't believe that I've ever seen a tool made for stripping UF cable. I'd sure buy one if I could find it. What does it look like?
steve
 
I never have a problem stripping UF with my knife. Of course, I use the knife for stripping romex as well. Been doing it that way since I was 12. But I know from an old poll, I'm definitely in the minority. Most guys use some sort of cable stripper.
 
I am ditto with hillbilly. I use a knife and although it is not like type NM cable I really never had too much of a problem with it. Unless it was like 5 degrees outside.
 
Here is one type:


3FS373.jpg





Here is another:


zs-140-1cy.jpg
 
j_erickson said:
I never have a problem stripping UF with my knife. Of course, I use the knife for stripping romex as well. Been doing it that way since I was 12. But I know from an old poll, I'm definitely in the minority. Most guys use some sort of cable stripper.
Click to expand...
I used to strip NM with a knife too. Then one day (a long time ago) I bought one of the little $1 "gadgets" to strip NM. Since then that's all that I've used. That and my dikes (hand tool, not my hired help). Strip it, pull the outer covering (and paper) back and clip it off. It's quick.
steve
 
I have used every method that's been described here, including the Zip-stripper. I've usually preferred the razor-knife-against-the-bare-wire-then-peel-apart method, or just sacrifice the last inch to pull the wires apart. Now, for 12-2 and 14-2, I use the Klein NM stripper pictured here.

1412.jpg


Believe it or not, it works just as well on UF as it does on NM. Just squeeze to cut the covering, push with your thumb to separate the covering, ease off ever so slightly, and pull. As long as you keep the stripper perpendicular to the cable, it doesn't do any more insulation damage than it does with NM.
 
LarryFine said:
I have used every method that's been described here, including the Zip-stripper.........Now, for 12-2 and 14-2, I use the Klein NM stripper pictured here.
Click to expand...

Same here! I discovered last winter that the Klein stripper worked fine, and haven't gone back to the knife tricks since.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top