Terminating tools for SWA cable - what do you use ?

[kwikfix328]

Hello folks I've been terminating some 3 core SWA cable the last few days.

I've been using a stanley knife and wires strippers for any plastic sheathing and a pair of snips on the steel wires.
Surely there must be an easier way to cut the wires , or do you guys all have apprentices to do this tedious stufff for you.

Is there a special tool for this ? I don't need one right now but will get one for my tool box for the future.

 

[Click-Sure]

Yep, thats how I do it, but I don't work with SWA very much, sparks who do so more often may have better ideas.

 

[Spark123]

Firstly put the shroud onto the cable, get any bends into it so the cable lies in the correct orientation to where it is being terminated. Use a hacksaw to do the first score around the cable, just slightly cutting into the armour. then strip to this point with a stanley. Bend the SWA strands forwards and backwards till they snap off. Strip enough outer sheath back to be able to spread the armour so it can be secured into the gland.

 

[bagnall1982]

i use a junior hacksaw on the swa just cut all the way round bout half way through the swa, cut back outer sheath and then just bend wires back and they will snap off neatly

 

[jockspark]

hacksaw go round the swa without cutting trough then use your stanley
cut off outer sheaf if you have done it properly just bend the strand back and forward they should just fall then bare of enough to take the hope that makes
sense

 

[jockspark]

spark 123 explains it better i better with tools than i am with a keyboard thank crist

 

[Cremeegg]

Junior hacksaw to half cut armour; sidecutters to bend armour piece by piece; sharp knife for PVC.

Seen these demonstrated http://www.kewtechnik.co.uk/press/bladerunner.php basically a pipe cutter but with hacksaw blade replacing cutter wheel. Heard good things about them.

 

[FingRinal]

I'd be lost without this little baby..(for wood and metal)

http://www.spear-and-jackson.com/en/eclipse-mini-saw

 

[streetlighter]

That mini saw is what i use and much better than a simple metal junior frame

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes - they are much better than those bent metal jobbies.

And the method described by everybody of using one to cut the sheath and score the armour works a treat.

I wonder if that Kew Technik tool would provide a use for all the hacksaw blade fragments that you end up with when using the blade on its own, or in a padsaw handle, rather than a proper frame, swearing that this time you'll be more careful and not bend it...

 

[ceraunic_level]

I'm ok with the hacksaw cutting the outer sheath and scoring the wire to snap off. Its the inner sheath I hate stripping. I use a knife, but because I am so concerned about cutting into the conductors, it take me ages. Some tips here would be useful

 

[kwikfix328]

Thanks for the info guys. The Kew Technik tool looks great, but costs too much for my modest and infrequent needs.
I don't mind paying top dollar for good tools that i really need ( or just want )

In this case though , I'll just buy a new pack of blades for my Junior hacksaws.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

And piranha nuts - I can heartily recommend them, particularly for external enclosures where they save you drilling another hole.

 

[Spark123]

I have updated the wiki here: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:swa-gland
Any comments good or bad appreciated.

 

[333rocky333]

I'm ok with the hacksaw cutting the outer sheath and scoring the wire to snap off. Its the inner sheath I hate stripping. I use a knife, but because I am so concerned about cutting into the conductors, it take me ages. Some tips here would be useful

Seen to many conducters damaged by knifes,
Some score round and pull off like fp200 for short lengths
But a common fault is sometimes caused by that method where they score round too deep and and also score round the conducters.
Damp then causes dead shot within the gland base
There is a common fault similar when stripping sheath on pvc served pyro also.

For longer lengths I personally
Just slice down with the blade across to make outer case thinner, without going through to the cores.
Never use the blade inwards unless you are good at it
With bigger stuff you can sometimes hear the inner binding if your in to deep,
as the conducters are made to twist inside, this causes the thickness to vary so you have to rotate the slices round to compensate.
With practice you get within a fraction of the binding or coulored cores,
the sheath now thinner will now easier pull off by pulling the cores NOT too much mind, similar to using the string in alarm cables.

Finally nibble round and tidy up with side cutters carefull of the cores

The main thing DONT forget to fit the SHROUD first