Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use with
electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying to splice
a wire

Thanks

On 2008-01-18 00:51:47 +0000, "James" said:

Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use with
electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying to splice
a wire

Thanks

Occasional use but frequent?

James wrote:

Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use with
electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying to
splice a wire

Thanks

Oh, you can hurt yourself with any type of tool if you are inept enough :-)

Are you meaning a hand tool, or the type of electrically powered device that
would normally be used in a production environment?

If a hand tool, there are various types available, (most of which I own!)
but no one tool that will work equally well with the sizes of cable used on
cars, *and* the sizes likely to be encountered on an electronic project.

Post back with a more specific request and I might be able to advise
further.

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply.

"James" wrote in message
...
Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use with
electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying to
splice a wire

Thanks

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?...source=15&SD=Y

"Malcolm H" wrote in message
...

"James" wrote in message
...
Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use with
electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying to
splice a wire

Thanks

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?...source=15&SD=Y

This kind is good IME:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...per&doy=1 8m1

This kind is convenient but sometimes is absolutely terrible:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...per&doy=18 m1

I tend to use a sharp pair of knipex cutters and be careful. Usually quicker
than finding the strippers .

On Jan 18, 8:27*am, "Doki" wrote:
"Malcolm H" wrote in message

...



"James" wrote in message
...
Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use with
electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying to
splice a wire

Thanks

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?...source=15&SD=Y

The first one on that page is ****e. It works but if you over use it
or put a cable in that's too big they'll break.


This kind is good IME:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...eria=stripper&....

Yup, lasts for ever.


This kind is convenient but sometimes is absolutely terrible:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...ria=stripper&d....

Yes I've got a pair of heavy duty ones at work and they are good but
the adjuster doesn't always seem to work too well.

--
Malc

In uk.d-i-y, Doki wrote:

"Malcolm H" wrote in message news:XeZjj.27870$a61
...

"James" wrote in message news:9dednW50R4K8ZRLaRVnyh
...
Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use
with electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but
frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying
to splice a wire

Thanks

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?...source=15&SD=Y

This kind is good IME:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...per&doy=1 8m1

This kind is convenient but sometimes is absolutely terrible:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...per&doy=18 m1

One of these has been my firm favourite over the last 40 years or so...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...45237&doy=18m1

.... the only problem being that it's a bit awkward to squeeze the head
into very tight spots. For accessible wires it's great, though, and it
certainly passes the durability test.

(At this rate we'll soon have recommended everything Maplin has to
offer)

--
Mike Barnes

In article ,
James wrote:
Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use with
electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying to
splice a wire

I have, I reckon, every type ever made, and only one stands out as being
better than the others - and by a big margin. It's not fully automatic in
that it has four apertures in the cutters so you do have to guess which
one to use - but this isn't difficult. All the universal ones I've tried
that attempt to set themselves automatically will let you down at some
time by not stripping or even snapping thinnish cable.
However, it's also one of the more expensive ones. This is the one I've
got :-

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/Tools,+Storage+&+Handling/Pliers,+Cutters,+Strippers+&+Crimp+Tools/IDEAL/45-092/displayProduct.jsp?sku=TL00598

There are other makes IIRC that use the same principle and may be cheaper.

Gets used for both car and electronics.

Worth noting most of these strippers need at least some space round them
to be used which is fine in the workshop but may not always be available
when working on a car loom. So a choice is always worth having - like one
which works from the end of the cable rather than the side.

--
*A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:56:00 +0000, Mike Barnes wrote:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=31689

This kind is good IME:

Manual size adjustment. If you are stripping alot of the the same sized
wire that is OK but with different sizes it isn't as convient as:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=4254

This kind is convenient but sometimes is absolutely terrible:

I reach for this type one in my tool box in preference to the first. It
can be a bit to viscious on really fine wires such as the core of
walkperson headphone cable after you have been stripping 2.5mm T&E but
that is more down to operator error in not winding the blade tension right
down. B-)

One of these has been my firm favourite over the last 40 years or so...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=45237

Does it only work with the sizes quoted? How well does it deal with really
fine wires? The second above isn't bothered about wire size a great deal
unless very fine. It's not perfect the blade alignment isn't straight, one
side grips tighter than the other, but it is an el cheapo one, may even be
from Maplins cough years ago...

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/level5/mo...cpc/269517.xml

Might be a better quailty tool but I know nothing about it.

(At this rate we'll soon have recommended everything Maplin has to
offer)

Naw, maybe the OP ought to drop into a shop with a selection of wires he
normally needs to strip and have a play to see which he prefers.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

James wrote:
Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use with
electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but
frequent)
Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying to
splice a wire

This may suit your needs.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...ipper&doy=18m1

Peter Crosland

http://snipurl.com/1xpq9
"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
James wrote:
Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use with
electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying to
splice a wire

I have, I reckon, every type ever made, and only one stands out as being
better than the others - and by a big margin. It's not fully automatic in
that it has four apertures in the cutters so you do have to guess which
one to use - but this isn't difficult. All the universal ones I've tried
that attempt to set themselves automatically will let you down at some
time by not stripping or even snapping thinnish cable.
However, it's also one of the more expensive ones. This is the one I've
got :-

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/Tools,+Storage+&+Handling/Pliers,+Cutters,+Strippers+&+Crimp+Tools/IDEAL/45-092/displayProduct.jsp?sku=TL00598

There are other makes IIRC that use the same principle and may be cheaper.

Such as this one from Maplin for £7.48.
http://snipurl.com/1xpq9

Gets used for both car and electronics.

Worth noting most of these strippers need at least some space round them
to be used which is fine in the workshop but may not always be available
when working on a car loom. So a choice is always worth having - like one
which works from the end of the cable rather than the side.

I have the similar/same? one from RS. As you say, can be difficult to use in
some situations. Short leads, confined spaces etc. Otherwise they work well.
Mike.

On Jan 18, 12:51*am, "James" wrote:
Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use with
electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying to splice
a wire

Thanks

Automotive uses a wide range of cable sizes but I've found the cheap
tools do a good job for most of the normal wires. Big alternator and
starter cables need something more apropriate of course.
Cheap tools will break sooner than the better versions so buy another
as soon as you've made sure it's what you want. Some will say that
makes them the same cost as a better one. However, even the expensive
ones will break eventually so (if they're critical) you still need
two.

John

"Doki" wrote in message
...

This kind is good IME:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...per&doy=1 8m1


I'll second that. Have used numerous wire strippers and always seem to come
back to an old but cheap favourite. Many years ago B&Q used to sell a kit
that consisted of the top two products on this page:

http://www.plasplugs.com/electricians.html

The 'automatic wire stripper' takes a bit of getting used to but the user is
left in control of the force with which the blades bite through the sheath
and the point where that force pulls back the sleeve. Takes a little time to
master but performs really nicely.

Stuart

On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:51:47 -0000, James wrote:

Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use with
electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying to
splice
a wire

Thanks




There's little to beat an Abeco powerstrip.

In uk.d-i-y, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:56:00 +0000, Mike Barnes wrote:
One of these has been my firm favourite over the last 40 years or so...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=45237

Does it only work with the sizes quoted?

No, intermediate sizes work fine, I just guess (erring on the side of
caution obviously) and move to a smaller slot if necessary. But with
surprisingly little practice you get to know which slot to use.

How well does it deal with really
fine wires

I don't know how fine you mean but the inners of phone cable and alarm
cable are no problem at all, and some of the wires I've stripped are
noticeably thinner than that.

Having said that my range of sizes isn't the same as Maplin's. Peering
through the grime I see:

Mine: 0.6 1.2 1.8 2.0
Maplin: 0.51 1.2 1.6 2.0 2.6 3.2

Presumably there's a choice of sizes of cutters depending on which
supplier you go to. The Maplin offering looks mechanically *identical*
to my 1960s tool, so I suspect they're all the same, with a wide range
of (interchangeable) cutter sizes manufactured, but a limited range from
any one supplier.

By positioning the wire on the shoulder beside the largest slot, I can
cut right through it instead of stripping it (occasionally saving me the
trouble of reaching for another tool), but there might not be space for
that on a six-slot model.

the only problem being that it's a bit awkward to squeeze the head
into very tight spots

I might add that in an awkward spot, once you *have* got it in position,
it strips without any (further) pulling on the wire.

--
Mike Barnes

On 18 Jan, 09:42, "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
I have, I reckon, every type ever made, and only one stands out as being
better than the others - and by a big margin. It's not fully automatic in
that it has four apertures in the cutters so you do have to guess which
one to use - but this isn't difficult. All the universal ones I've tried
that attempt to set themselves automatically will let you down at some
time by not stripping or even snapping thinnish cable.
However, it's also one of the more expensive ones. This is the one I've
got :-

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/Tools,+Storage+&+Handling/Pliers,+Cutters,...

I'll second that, great tools. Dunno about that one, but the version
I've got has two sets of jaws, one for more 'electronics-sized' wires
and one for bigger 'electrical-sizes'.

"James" wrote in message
...
Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use with
electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying to
splice a wire

Thanks

I bought this :
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/s...ct&R=443045 5

gets the job done, no stray 'hairs' and the extent of range is superb for my
line of work. £40 too much?...go for some maplin stuff.

Dan.

"Andy Hall" wrote in message news:47900071@qaanaaq...
On 2008-01-18 00:51:47 +0000, "James" said:

Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use with
electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying to
splice
a wire

Thanks

Occasional use but frequent?



Opsy I mean't to delete the frequent bit

Chris Whelan wrote:
James wrote:
Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use with
electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but frequent)
Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying to
splice a wire
Oh, you can hurt yourself with any type of tool if you are inept
enough....


Quite so. As I only do wire stripping infrequently, I use the side jaw of
a pair of pliers like this one:
http://www.hooverfence.com/tools/pliers-ft-p108.jpg. I watched my father
did that. For fine electronic projects, I use a tiny cutting one nicking a
bit of the plastic sheath (side of wire) and twist the wire end until the
sheath breaks completely, then pull. It needs delicate hands and practice
though.

--
Lin Chung.
[Paste ntlworld over the Water Margin to send a private e-mail.]

"Chris Whelan" wrote in message
...
James wrote:

Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use with
electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying to
splice a wire

Thanks

Oh, you can hurt yourself with any type of tool if you are inept enough
:-)

Ahhh look up inept in the dictionary and there I am with a plaster on lol.

Are you meaning a hand tool, or the type of electrically powered device
that
would normally be used in a production environment?

I mean;t something along the lines for use with home diy and car wiring but
not electrical a manual tool would be ideal.

If a hand tool, there are various types available, (most of which I own!)
but no one tool that will work equally well with the sizes of cable used
on
cars, *and* the sizes likely to be encountered on an electronic project.

I've seen so many on the market after googling and ebaying and was a bit
overwheled with the choices out there.

Post back with a more specific request and I might be able to advise
further.

As I say I'll need something that is vuilt to last a lifetime mine
prefereably, is specifically a automatic wire stripper and not a crimper or
anything like that, although aplus if it can. Budget of £15/20 max .... also
I something work in cinfined spaces so nothing the size of a chain saw.

Chris



P.s I came across
http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcyc...e-stripper.htm
whilst on my hunting and thought it was very good ?

"Mike Barnes" wrote in message
...
In uk.d-i-y, Doki wrote:

"Malcolm H" wrote in message news:XeZjj.27870$a61
...

"James" wrote in message news:9dednW50R4K8ZRLaRVnyh
...
Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use
with electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but
frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying
to splice a wire

Thanks

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?...source=15&SD=Y

This kind is good IME:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...per&doy=1 8m1

This kind is convenient but sometimes is absolutely terrible:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...per&doy=18 m1

One of these has been my firm favourite over the last 40 years or so...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...45237&doy=18m1

... the only problem being that it's a bit awkward to squeeze the head
into very tight spots. For accessible wires it's great, though, and it
certainly passes the durability test.

(At this rate we'll soon have recommended everything Maplin has to
offer)



I suspect you all work for maplin

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.net...
On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:56:00 +0000, Mike Barnes wrote:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=31689

This kind is good IME:

Manual size adjustment. If you are stripping alot of the the same sized
wire that is OK but with different sizes it isn't as convient as:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=4254

This kind is convenient but sometimes is absolutely terrible:

I reach for this type one in my tool box in preference to the first. It
can be a bit to viscious on really fine wires such as the core of
walkperson headphone cable after you have been stripping 2.5mm T&E but
that is more down to operator error in not winding the blade tension right
down. B-)

One of these has been my firm favourite over the last 40 years or so...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=45237

Does it only work with the sizes quoted? How well does it deal with really
fine wires? The second above isn't bothered about wire size a great deal
unless very fine. It's not perfect the blade alignment isn't straight, one
side grips tighter than the other, but it is an el cheapo one, may even be
from Maplins cough years ago...

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/level5/mo...cpc/269517.xml

Might be a better quailty tool but I know nothing about it.

(At this rate we'll soon have recommended everything Maplin has to
offer)

Naw, maybe the OP ought to drop into a shop with a selection of wires he
normally needs to strip and have a play to see which he prefers.

I thought about that and did so but maplin said they cannot take the
strippers out of the packaging, they said they had some similar that they
use and let me have a play with those.

"James" wrote in message
...

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.net...
On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:56:00 +0000, Mike Barnes wrote:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=31689

This kind is good IME:

Manual size adjustment. If you are stripping alot of the the same sized
wire that is OK but with different sizes it isn't as convient as:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=4254

This kind is convenient but sometimes is absolutely terrible:

I reach for this type one in my tool box in preference to the first. It
can be a bit to viscious on really fine wires such as the core of
walkperson headphone cable after you have been stripping 2.5mm T&E but
that is more down to operator error in not winding the blade tension
right
down. B-)

One of these has been my firm favourite over the last 40 years or so...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=45237

Does it only work with the sizes quoted? How well does it deal with
really
fine wires? The second above isn't bothered about wire size a great deal
unless very fine. It's not perfect the blade alignment isn't straight,
one
side grips tighter than the other, but it is an el cheapo one, may even
be
from Maplins cough years ago...

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/level5/mo...cpc/269517.xml

Might be a better quailty tool but I know nothing about it.

(At this rate we'll soon have recommended everything Maplin has to
offer)

Naw, maybe the OP ought to drop into a shop with a selection of wires he
normally needs to strip and have a play to see which he prefers.

I thought about that and did so but maplin said they cannot take the
strippers out of the packaging, they said they had some similar that they
use and let me have a play with those.


These ones look quite good http:/search.ebay.co.uk/180208161202

On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 20:45:22 -0000, James wrote:


"James" wrote in message
...

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.net...
On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:56:00 +0000, Mike Barnes wrote:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=31689

This kind is good IME:

Manual size adjustment. If you are stripping alot of the the same sized
wire that is OK but with different sizes it isn't as convient as:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=4254

This kind is convenient but sometimes is absolutely terrible:

I reach for this type one in my tool box in preference to the first. It
can be a bit to viscious on really fine wires such as the core of
walkperson headphone cable after you have been stripping 2.5mm T&E but
that is more down to operator error in not winding the blade tension
right
down. B-)

One of these has been my firm favourite over the last 40 years or
so...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=45237

Does it only work with the sizes quoted? How well does it deal with
really
fine wires? The second above isn't bothered about wire size a great
deal
unless very fine. It's not perfect the blade alignment isn't straight,
one
side grips tighter than the other, but it is an el cheapo one, may even
be
from Maplins cough years ago...

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/level5/mo...cpc/269517.xml

Might be a better quailty tool but I know nothing about it.

(At this rate we'll soon have recommended everything Maplin has to
offer)

Naw, maybe the OP ought to drop into a shop with a selection of wires
he
normally needs to strip and have a play to see which he prefers.

I thought about that and did so but maplin said they cannot take the
strippers out of the packaging, they said they had some similar that
they
use and let me have a play with those.


These ones look quite good http:/search.ebay.co.uk/180208161202



I find they improved my use of colourfull language no end.

In article ,
says...
In uk.d-i-y, Doki wrote:

"Malcolm H" wrote in message news:XeZjj.27870$a61
...

"James" wrote in message news:9dednW50R4K8ZRLaRVnyh
...
Anyone recommend a decent automatic wire stripper, mainly for use
with electronics projects and automotice work ? (occasional use but
frequent)

Time to put the old stanley knife away before I hurt myself trying
to splice a wire

Thanks

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?...source=15&SD=Y

This kind is good IME:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...per&doy=1 8m1

This kind is convenient but sometimes is absolutely terrible:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...per&doy=18 m1

One of these has been my firm favourite over the last 40 years or so...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...45237&doy=18m1

... the only problem being that it's a bit awkward to squeeze the head
into very tight spots.

Tut, tut. No one likes a boaster.

--
Halmyre

I'll just go and get my baton...it's in Chicago.