Whats the easiest way to strip cable?

[MeterMonkey]

Can someone tell me the easiest way to strip cable, and if its even worth it.

My cable size ranges from 25mm to 6mm, The 25mm has 8/9 strands of copper so its quite tough.

 

[ColJack]

you mean for tatting?

a sharp knife laid flat across the wire and facing away from you..
don't dig in at too steep an angle and you should do fine..
it takes a while to get the right technique...

 

[bernardgreen]

Isolate the cable and test for dead before stripping

 

[MeterMonkey]

Isolate the cable and test for dead before stripping

Dont be silly! you at least need to make it a little bit exciting rather than excruciating.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Isolate the cable and test for dead before stripping

Thank you, that made my Friday!!

 

[thomo27]

As above but also try running the blade down the middle and peeling open the outer sheath and repeat once you have removed the steel , when you get down to the colours then angle your knife and strip away from you

 

[RF Lighting]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Copper-wi...185?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27bf380d29

 

[ericmark]

I have used all sorts of cable strippers. Except for specials like ribbon cable by time you have swapped tools likely your favourite side cutters are best. One gets use to using them and they are already in your hand.

Or as ColJack says a sharp knife.

 

[ColJack]

think you got the wrong end of the stick there eric.. or maybe we have...
he's after ways to strip scrap cable i think.. hence the "is it even worth it?" in the OP..
but yes, for stripping to terminate, fastest and easiest is usually your cutters.. once you get the feel for them..

 

[YorksSparks]

These guys do what you need;

http://www.wrightsmachinery.co.uk/

They have various sizes - from massive, to bench-top to drill powered. I have a drill powered one for stripping all my waste and pulled cable from re-wires etc.

http://www.wrightsmachinery.co.uk/category/products/cable-strippers/

http://www.wrightsmachinery.co.uk/2009/01/mini-drill-stripper/

Does SWA (<25mm) as well as the more usual T&E.

You'll get 3 times as much weighing it in as bright copper than you do as "VIR"/unstripped.

Please note, I have no connection to these guys other than as a happy customer.

 

[JohnW2]

I have a drill powered one for stripping all my waste and pulled cable from re-wires etc. .... You'll get 3 times as much weighing it in as bright copper than you do as "VIR"/unstripped.

Have you tried costing the time it takes you to strip it (at your 'usual hourly rate')?

Kind Regards, John.

 

[RF Lighting]

If you get a quiet day or a few hours where you're at a loose end, then a bit of cable stripping is a nice time filler.

 

[JohnW2]

If you get a quiet day or a few hours where you're at a loose end, then a bit of cable stripping is a nice time filler.

Yes, if there's not a way that you can occupy your time as 'chargeable hours, then you might as well occupy it in that fashion, I guess!

Kindest Regards, John

 

[RF Lighting]

I just do an odd hour on an evening after I've got home every now and again

 

[JohnW2]

I just do an odd hour on an evening after I've got home every now and again

People's view of the value of their time obviously varies a lot, but last time I did the sums, I decided that, for me, stripping cable was not 'cost effective', certainly if done 'manually'. At that time, my local scrap place was paying £4.30/kg for stripped 'bright copper' and £1.30/kg for (assumed 40% copper) PVC insulated/sheathed cables. 1kg of PVC covered is assumed to equate to 0.4kg/copper, hence £1.72 per kg if stripped - i.e. only 42p/kg more than unstripped. On that basis, I worked out that the 'rate of pay' for doing the stripping would be roughly £1 for every 20m of 2.5mm² T&E. Some may regard that as reasonable but I didn't. The sums probably get better for much larger CSA cables.

Kind Regards, John.