DCC WIRE STRIPPING

[bandmbill]

1 hour ago, Bucoops said:

 

I used to have some of these a long time ago, very effective especially if you didn't need to change diameters often. Alas lost many years ago :(

 

 

Showing your age now, calling them Radiospares!

Just checked - they changed in 1971 - I was still at school and in the electronics club we ordered from Radiospares - memories of the paper catalogue - I  have used them since then - just hadn’t really noticed that they had changed the name…….  

[Bucoops]

13 minutes ago, bandmbill said:

Just checked - they changed in 1971 - I was still at school and in the electronics club we ordered from Radiospares - memories of the paper catalogue - I  have used them since then - just hadn’t really noticed that they had changed the name…….  

 

Interesting I must have got their original name from my Dad as I wasn't born until 1977! 

[WIMorrison]

3 hours ago, melmerby said:

When you've been used to them for many years the screw becomes irrelevant and you do it by feel

That is also how I use side-cutters and after 60 years using like this I can easily feel the wire and know the pressure to use to strip the outset sheath.

 

i agree that the suggested wire-stripper tools work but I find them to big and clunky - try using them when in tight spaces and you will be reaching for the side-cutters quite quickly 😂

[kevinlms]

Depends exactly on what you want to strip. These are pretty useful for small cables, especially ones that have sheathing and so designed to remove the sheathing, without damaging (nicking) the internal insulation.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Stripper-Network-Cutter-Telephone-Computer/dp/B07MQB7STL

 

Available from anywhere.

[nick_bastable]

I treated myself to a pair  of these not cheap but strip decoder wires easily

 

[peterm1]

On 08/02/2024 at 19:56, 5BarVT said:

Showing my age as I read Radiospares without noticing.

Was late 70s when the change happened.

Paul.

Was it!!! 😮

[Rabchog]

On 07/02/2024 at 09:40, CHAZ D said:

I have similar not good for decoder wire but excelent for beefier bus wire.

They will allow you to open up the insulation in the middle of a bus wire run to solder to.

 

Chaz

I'd agree with that, great for household and automotive wiring, but no use whatsoever for the size of wire used in models, particularly dcc.

Edited February 11 by Rabchog

[Rabchog]

On 07/02/2024 at 09:40, CHAZ D said:

I have similar not good for decoder wire but excelent for beefier bus wire.

They will allow you to open up the insulation in the middle of a bus wire run to solder to.

 

Chaz

 

[Donw]

What no one has mentioned is the fact that the strength of the insulation varies. Working on external telephone cables the insulation was soft and using side cutters was easy. You also worked with them in your hand all the time and didn't have to keep picking them up. Internal telephone cables were covered in much tougher insulation making less easy to feel the wire. This can be especially true of stranded wire. Its not that you cannot strip them with side cutters but it is less easy, it is more of a guess/experience.  For such wire I do a a quarter twist with the cutters that helps. For very tough insulation twisting the cutter a few times can make it easier. 

The question is whether a modeller is going to be striping wire often enough to become proficient with side cutters.  If I was jointing a 100pr cable that would be 400 wires stripped (two cable ends  100 pairs ) with all the setting up of the job and closing afterwards a days work. Every day you were using your cutters. So if you find the specialised strippers suit you use them..

Good tools help cheap cutters can sometimes  be quite good but if not replace them.

When I had the Covid jab I seized up I couldn't get out of bed without help. I couldn't grip with my hands even holding a steering wheel was difficult. I tried a pair of specialist wire stripper but lacked the strength to use them and sent them back. Over time it has all got much easier but I still have less sensitivity in my hands so I am trying a type where two V notches come together as I was find myself doing several goes with the cutters. The V notches allow me to adjust for the wire size. Beware I have throw away one pairs as useless too stiff just not sharp enough.

For removing the sheathing I have always used a knife the idea is to score round without cutting through and you then bend the sheath so it breaks through. For stripping a long length you can do it in several bites. If you use a  replaceable knife type beware of replacing a blunt blade with a new one you might suddenly find yourself going through and nicking the inner insulation. Change blades regularly.

 

Don