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Wire Stripper

jsharkey

Well Known Member
I have one of these "one shot" clamp/nick/tug wire strippers that work great with PVC coated wire. However they seem to shred or leave a ragged edge on the insulation of aircraft grade Teflon insulated wiring. The clamp teeth also seem to nick the insulatiuon.

Anyone else have similar experience? Also what do you you for wire strippers?

Jim Sharkey
RV6 - Wiring
 
Stripmaster

Yep, had the same issue with the strippers that I thought were good quality - they just did not work on Tefzel.

I got a Stripmaster with Type E blade L-5560 for AWG 16 to 26. These are the one's that I use 90% of the time. I also got another one with a blade L-5559 for 10,12,14 AWG.

They're a little pricey but worth it.
 
MIL-Spec blades

If you get a generic Stripmaster (around $30) from Home Depot, you can upgrade it with the specific blades for our Mil-Spec Tefzel wire.

The blades (dies) have a special section that holds the insulation centered as the cutters close... absolutely no wire nicks.

Do your blades have this profile on the rear of the cutting surfaces?

45-2543-1.jpg


The blades are pricey, but some guy on E-Bay seems to sell them regularly.
I bought one set, and then another for my IA who had to have one after he saw my set....:)

These blades fit the HD stripper, so for about the $55 range you can get a Mil-Spec stripper that will strip 10 to 24 gauge wire.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/AIRC...019QQitemZ290210154002QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD4V

The only way to go.....:)

gil A
 
L-5560's

Yep, had the same issue with the strippers that I thought were good quality - they just did not work on Tefzel.

I got a Stripmaster with Type E blade L-5560 for AWG 16 to 26. These are the one's that I use 90% of the time. I also got another one with a blade L-5559 for 10,12,14 AWG.

They're a little pricey but worth it.


I've got five or six new L-5560 blade sets that were getting pitched at work when they were cleaning out some old storage cabinets. Been meaning to post them for my fellow builders. If anybody's interested, paypal me $10 and I'll drop a set in the mail. The paypal account is: flmike2001"at"yahoo.com (replace the "at" with @ (spam control)). Post here also if intending to take a set so we can keep a count.
 
I've got five or six new L-5560 blade sets that were getting pitched at work when they were cleaning out some old storage cabinets. Been meaning to post them for my fellow builders. If anybody's interested, paypal me $10 and I'll drop a set in the mail. The paypal account is: flmike2001"at"yahoo.com (replace the "at" with @ (spam control)). Post here also if intending to take a set so we can keep a count.

It appears that I may be too late, but if you have any left, I'll take a set. Email or PM me and I'll paypal the money to you.

thanks,

bob
 
I checked and I have five sets. Feel kinda bad that Sharkey started the thread and didn't have a chance. To the first five that responded:

Wade
Don
Alfio
Jim
Gil

I'll PM you my contact info if you want to send a check.

For the others, I'll keep checking the trash pile. They are slowly clearing out 40 years of accumulated aerospace electronics stuff in preparation for a move.
 
I checked and I have five sets. Feel kinda bad that Sharkey started the thread and didn't have a chance. To the first five that responded:

Wade
Don
Alfio
Jim
Gil

I'll PM you my contact info if you want to send a check.

For the others, I'll keep checking the trash pile. They are slowly clearing out 40 years of accumulated aerospace electronics stuff in preparation for a move.

No probs - I was slow - and the early bird catches the worm as my old Scottish gran used to say.

Jim Sharkey
 
They are OK...

The eBay seller says they're used, but in good condition....is the cutting blade used? Or just the die? I'm confoozed....are the used ones still good to use?

The two I bought are in regular use.

I could not see any visible wear on the blades, and they do work well. The "good condition" description is accurate.

gil A
 
gil and others, thanks, I bought the basic Stripmaster from Home Depot today and also bought the specialized blades on eBay.

Now two other questions. First, I also need a coax stripper, and Home Depot had two similar Stripmaster models, the 45-292 for regular wire (I got this), and the 45-262 for coax. The only difference I and the electrical HD guy could see was in the replaceable blades. So can I make a coax stripper by simply replacing the blades on my regular wire stripper?

Second, I need a good crimper too. Would you guys recommend another Ideal crimper, or another brand?
 
I too bought the standard Home Depot Stripmaster today and it seems to work fine with the standard blades. Much better than the universal blade clamp/nick/tug tool that I started with.

Another question - why are the blades marked with two wire sizes?

e.g. 16/18 18/20 20/22 etc Is it for stranded and solid wire?

Jim Sharkey
RV6 - Wiring
 
Differences

I too bought the standard Home Depot Stripmaster today and it seems to work fine with the standard blades. Much better than the universal blade clamp/nick/tug tool that I started with.

Another question - why are the blades marked with two wire sizes?

e.g. 16/18 18/20 20/22 etc Is it for stranded and solid wire?

Jim Sharkey
RV6 - Wiring


Yes... it would be 16 solid, 18 stranded... and that is why the generic cutters are not as accurate in the actual diameter of the cutting blades with respect to the wire. They cover many options. The generic blades also do not have an insulation support since they are designed for many types of wire.

The mil spec blades are calibrated to the exact diameter of the insulation, holding the wire in place, and with a cutting edge just out of "nicking range" of the stranded inner core.

YMMV....

gil A
 
Yes... it would be 16 solid, 18 stranded... and that is why the generic cutters are not as accurate in the actual diameter of the cutting blades with respect to the wire. They cover many options. The generic blades also do not have an insulation support since they are designed for many types of wire.

The mil spec blades are calibrated to the exact diameter of the insulation, holding the wire in place, and with a cutting edge just out of "nicking range" of the stranded inner core.

YMMV....

gil A

Thanks Gil,

Mil spec blades are next on my list of things to buy:)

Jim
 
Same frame

gil and others, thanks, I bought the basic Stripmaster from Home Depot today and also bought the specialized blades on eBay.

Now two other questions. First, I also need a coax stripper, and Home Depot had two similar Stripmaster models, the 45-292 for regular wire (I got this), and the 45-262 for coax. The only difference I and the electrical HD guy could see was in the replaceable blades. So can I make a coax stripper by simply replacing the blades on my regular wire stripper?
.....

Yes... it seems the HD StripMaster "frame" is the same one that the Mil-Spec (and other) blades fit into.

Changing blades is a 2-3 minute task... no big deal.

gil A
 
The coax blades for the Ideal Stripmaster are different apparently for RG-58 and -59 (I'm not sure how the coax is different for those). Since I will be using RG-400, and that's not explicitly listed, anyone have a suggestion as to what stripper tool to use for that coax? I've seen adverted a $10 tool for the RG-400 coax; wonder how well it really works in practice.
 
Works well

Ralph, that's the type of stripper that I used on my RG-400.

Here's a link that shows what a properly stripped coax looks like. In this example a different type of coax stripper is shown.
http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/Coax_Stripper/coaxstrip.html

I got one of these given to me... it does look cheap, but it is made a lot better than it looks...:)

You need to be careful adjusting it, with small changes each time... but once it is all set up, it works great.

gil A
 
What are builders using for 2AWG and 8AWG wire ?

Doug
RV-7
FWF

I carefully score through the insulation, but stop just shy of all the way. Take a pair of pliers or strong fingers and break away the insulation by bending and twisting. Low tech method for the few you have to strip.
 
I got one of these given to me... it does look cheap, but it is made a lot better than it looks...:)

You need to be careful adjusting it, with small changes each time... but once it is all set up, it works great.

gil A

I bought one, Paladin, I think. It certainly worth the cost. +1 on the adjustment!! Then it is 1,2,3 rotations and - done ! No wire scoring. Warning, though, it is only for BNC, not for TNC.
 
I carefully score through the insulation, but stop just shy of all the way. Take a pair of pliers or strong fingers and break away the insulation by bending and twisting. Low tech method for the few you have to strip.

Thanks JonJay, I'll do the same.

Doug
 
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