Survey: How do you strip small conductors?

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peter d

peter d

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Location
New England
T-strippers, linesmans, or a pocket knife?

I always use T-strippers, and I have since day one. I've never been comfortable with other methods.
 
Re: Survey: How do you strip small conductors?

I always use strippers. I've always felt that they have a much smaller chance of damaging the conductor.
 
Re: Survey: How do you strip small conductors?

Strippers, until I drop them, then dikes, until I accidentally drop them too, and then it comes down to the nines. After that, I have to get off the ladder and retrieve all the tools I just dropped. :)
 
Re: Survey: How do you strip small conductors?

Nines? :D

As I said earlier, I will stop using t-strippers when you pull them from my cold, dead hands. :p

Edit: Does the "9" thing come from Klein's D213-9 part number by any chance?

[ September 28, 2005, 09:32 PM: Message edited by: peter d ]
 
Re: Survey: How do you strip small conductors?

I would have to ask how small is small? Are we talking 12, 14 or maybe 18ga thermostat or fixture wire? Solid or stranded?

Or are we talking about 22 and 24ga wire, something I'm very familiar with stripping.

-Hal
 
Re: Survey: How do you strip small conductors?

The usual "common" sizes: #10, 12 and 14 awg building wire, solid and stranded.
 
Re: Survey: How do you strip small conductors?

Hal, I would be interested to hear some good ways to strip data-com cable, both the outer jacket and the conductors. Right now I use a t-stripper that goes down to 26 AWG (I think) to strip the conductors and it works pretty well.
 
Re: Survey: How do you strip small conductors?

This brings up a funny memory. When I attended Lee County Vocational Tech, the instructor back then insisted we only use those old spring type strippers with the automatic ejection of the insulation as it strips. He insisted those were the only type of strippers we would ever see used by electricians on an actual job. That was the last time I ever saw a real pair other than in a catalog.....
 
Re: Survey: How do you strip small conductors?

For stripping data cables, I use a pair of electricians scissors. Once you get use to using them they work great. :D

Chris
 
Re: Survey: How do you strip small conductors?

Hal, I would be interested to hear some good ways to strip data-com cable, both the outer jacket and the conductors.

The "proper" way to strip the outer jacket is to remove it with your snips or stripper well before where it is supposed to be then use the rip cord. This ensures that the conductors will not be damaged.

That said, not all cables have a rip cord. What I do is lightly score the jacket with my snips then bend the cable back and forth while pulling on the jacket. It should slide off. When you attempt to score the jacket be VERY careful not to cut into the conductor insulation. If you bend it at the score and see "shiners" they will cause problems. You should then cut it back and try again. (You did leave some slack, right?) It does take some practice and works better on plenum wire.

There have been times and some types of wire where you have to use a pair as the rip cord. I think many of us do that with thermostat wire.

As for stripping the ends of 22/24ga solid, nothing works better and safer than your needle nose pliers. Just grab it and pull it off, no chance of nicking like there is with strippers or cutters. If you nick the wire it WILL break off.

-Hal

[ September 29, 2005, 04:48 PM: Message edited by: hbiss ]
 
Re: Survey: How do you strip small conductors?

Wire strippers for 22 - 10

Originally posted by georgestolz:
I'll have to try that. :)
Click to expand...
I just did. Needle "noses" do work good on Cat5 wires! :)
 
Re: Survey: How do you strip small conductors?

Never Linemans (don't work for me), Kline T-Strippers for most everything, and a knife for the CAT5 stuff. Will have to try the needle nose. I have also used the ideal stripmaster type; quick and easy, but a bit heavy to carry around in your bags all day.
 
Re: Survey: How do you strip small conductors?

For 22-24 I usually have my klein scissors handy and use the notches on them. http://www.datatelephonesupply.com/prodimages/21007lg.gif

As for the jacket on cat5 I like my Siemon stripper and when doing nothing but comm cabling I haven't found anything quicker or that provides a clean strip without once showing me a shiner or having to pull rip-cords. All-Prep

The way I strip cat5 is I cut the cable about 5-6" longer than what is necessary with my scissors, then one spin of the stripper, crack off the jacket, pull it off, cut off the rip cord so it is even with the jacket with my scissors and proceed to termination point.

[ October 08, 2005, 10:51 AM: Message edited by: mkoloj ]
 
Re: Survey: How do you strip small conductors?

Quote"This brings up a funny memory. When I attended Lee County Vocational Tech, the instructor back then insisted we only use those old spring type strippers with the automatic ejection of the insulation as it strips. He insisted those were the only type of strippers we would ever see used by electricians on an actual job. That was the last time I ever saw a real pair other than in a catalog...."

I use them and you'll beg me to let you use them when we're working with RHW insulation

[ October 10, 2005, 10:13 PM: Message edited by: 26member ]
 
Re: Survey: How do you strip small conductors?

I have worn mine out. Got any extra??

[ October 11, 2005, 01:40 AM: Message edited by: Leitmotif ]
 
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