I am working on a circuit with 12/2UF. I have cut it in half to free the
ground, but the black and white still have the UF cover on. I am afraid to
cut into it and going through the wire insulation also. I could just work
with it as it is, but it is awfully stiff.
How do I get the UF cover off without damaging the wire insulation?

Andy replies:

I have always scored it up the middle with a box cutter, then grabbed
the
ground wire and pulled it horizontally to split the outer UF covering
without
damaging the individual hot wire coverings. Then, I would finish
splitting the
UF outer covering with the box cutter.

That gives me an uncovered ground, and two individual UF covered
wires. Underneath the UF covering is an additional black and a white
covering. I try to leave the UF on the individual wires (except for
ground)
as much as I can. It's more trouble, but that's why you pay more for
UF....

Andy

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 17:56:54 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

I am working on a circuit with 12/2UF. I have cut it in half to free the
ground, but the black and white still have the UF cover on. I am afraid to
cut into it and going through the wire insulation also. I could just work
with it as it is, but it is awfully stiff.
How do I get the UF cover off without damaging the wire insulation?

I have only worked on indoor romex. Maybe UF is significantly
different. But there is an little metal tool that sells for less than
a dollar that does this for romex. Put the wire in it, sqeeze, and
tug.

Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

wrote in message
...
On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 17:56:54 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

I am working on a circuit with 12/2UF. I have cut it in half to free the
ground, but the black and white still have the UF cover on. I am afraid
to
cut into it and going through the wire insulation also. I could just work
with it as it is, but it is awfully stiff.
How do I get the UF cover off without damaging the wire insulation?

carefully score it and bend it. The jacket will separate. Then you can
pull it off.

I tried it and it is much easier than I thought. It is not necessary to
actually cut through the jacket.
Thanks.

"mm" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 17:56:54 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

I am working on a circuit with 12/2UF. I have cut it in half to free the
ground, but the black and white still have the UF cover on. I am afraid
to
cut into it and going through the wire insulation also. I could just work
with it as it is, but it is awfully stiff.
How do I get the UF cover off without damaging the wire insulation?

I have only worked on indoor romex. Maybe UF is significantly
different. But there is an little metal tool that sells for less than
a dollar that does this for romex. Put the wire in it, sqeeze, and
tug.

Totally different material.
I have one of those tools for NMC, but find a knife to be much easier.

mm wrote:
On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 17:56:54 GMT, "Toller" wrote:


I am working on a circuit with 12/2UF. I have cut it in half to free the
ground, but the black and white still have the UF cover on. I am afraid to
cut into it and going through the wire insulation also. I could just work
with it as it is, but it is awfully stiff.
How do I get the UF cover off without damaging the wire insulation?


I have only worked on indoor romex. Maybe UF is significantly
different. But there is an little metal tool that sells for less than
a dollar that does this for romex. Put the wire in it, sqeeze, and
tug.



UF cable will ruin one of those romex tools. Don't ask me how I know
this...

Bob

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 22:54:47 GMT, "Toller" wrote:


"mm" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 17:56:54 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

I am working on a circuit with 12/2UF. I have cut it in half to free the
ground, but the black and white still have the UF cover on. I am afraid
to
cut into it and going through the wire insulation also. I could just work
with it as it is, but it is awfully stiff.
How do I get the UF cover off without damaging the wire insulation?

I have only worked on indoor romex. Maybe UF is significantly
different. But there is an little metal tool that sells for less than
a dollar that does this for romex. Put the wire in it, sqeeze, and
tug.

Totally different material.
I have one of those tools for NMC, but find a knife to be much easier.

If I had noticed that it was you asking, I would have assumed you knew
about that tool, and wouldn't have posted.

Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

Toller wrote:


How do I get the UF cover off without damaging the wire
insulation?


There are special strippers for UF cable, such as the
"Zip-Stripper" from Seatek. It might be worth getting one
if you work with UF often.


--
-- Steve