General Category > Tech Tools

Wire strippers

(1/5) > >>

Doc B.:
There are a couple of different styles of wire strippers. The best and of course most expensive are the ones that automatically clamp the insulation, cut and pull it off with a squeeze of the handles. Worth every penny in my estimation, but of course we're doing this stuff for a living. Less expensive models use arm power to do the stripping. Some folks insist that a pair of dykes is sufficient. With this I disagree.

We have had more than one amp across our bench that was suffering from an intermittent noise problem. Eventually it was traced to a wire that had broken off just inside the insulation. This was caused by the wire being nicked when being stripped and subsequent movement of the wire as it was installed created a fracture. That probably resulted from using too small a gauge setting on the wire stripper, or a pair of dykes.

You should probably do a quick test of the stripper when you get some new wire. Strip off end and pull back the insulation a bit to see if it leaves a nick in the metal.  If so try going up one size (that's a lower number) on the stripper.

Grainger49:
MCM Electronics (no affiliation, but a satisfied coustomer) sells these, the best one is ~$52.  Both are made by Ideal.

Better:

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/22-3045

Best:

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/22-3046

4krow:
'You can never go back'   that's what I'm learning after having broke a pair of really good strippers. I was mis-using them when the center nut that holds them together, broke. Sure, I made some to hold them back together, but it just ain't the same. Good strippers can be great, but it's a one in ten chance of buying just right 'one'.

porcupunctis:
You never forget your first stripper.

4krow:
HEY!  Thats my mom your talkin bout.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page