Wire Stripping 101: Tips for Success
Date Posted: 8/13/2024
When diving into the world of electrical systems you'll encounter a variety of tools designed to make your tasks easier and more precise. Among these, the wire stripper stands out as a fundamental and indispensable tool. But what exactly is a wire stripper, and why is it so crucial? Let's break it down.
What is a Wire Stripper?
A wire stripper is a hand tool used to remove the insulation from electrical wires without damaging the metal conductor(s) inside. This process is essential for making electrical connections, as the exposed wire needs to be clean and free from insulation to ensure a proper connection. Wire strippers come in various styles and sizes, each tailored for different purpose.
Recommended Wire Stripping Tools:
Manual Strippers
Twist-Strip is an outer jacket wire stripper for M27500 twisted cable with extruded jackets. It is designed with a low-friction ball bearing and articulating arms that accommodate the non-circular nature of twisted shielded cable. This industry-changing tool far exceeds traditional razor blade methods that are time-consuming, increase risks of injury, and are imprecise.
Benefits of Twist-Strip:
- Adjustable
- Interchangeable dies and depth control knobs create precise blade adjustments to accommodate 1-4 conductor cables as well as variations in the conductor shape and thickness.
- Precise
- Cable tracks machined into dies create a controlled rotation as cable moves along the blades
- Adjustable strip length rod allows for custom stripping lengths
- Safe
- Concealed carbide blades eliminate risk of injury
- Zero-friction ball bearing design provides ergonomic stripping that reduces operator fatigue
- Fast
- Strips twisted shielded cable 3-5x faster than conventional methods
Stripmaster wire strippers are an aerospace industry standard. They provide tight tolerances and accommodate a variety of wire types. Several tool frames are available with a selection of die-type blades that accommodate varying wire sizes and conductor thicknesses.
Benefits of Stripmaster Wire Strippers:
- Precise
- Die-type blades provide a practical stripping solution for 30-10 AWG
- Ergonomic
- All Stripmaster wire strippers feature cushioned comfort grip handles
- Ergo Elite Stripmaster boasts a tilted wire stripping head that proves improved leverage and an unobstructed view for better wire positioning
- Variety
- DMC offers Customer Stripmaster, Custom Stripmaster Lite, and Ergo Elite Stripmaster wire strippers
- The same tool frame can be used with a variety of interchangable blades to best suit your application
Pneumatic Wire Strippers
WSP-1630, WSP-1014, and WSP-1626E
DMC's pneumatic wire strippers are the ultimate combination of performance and reliability. These wire strippers were developed in cooperation with major aerospace contractors to address the need for a reliable, simple to operate air powered solution for high-production environments. All WSP strippers are compatible with Stripmaster blades and accessories approved for AS5768.
Benefits of Pneumatic Wire Strippers:
- Ergonomic
- Lightweight, compact, and simple to operate
- Feature a rotatable head that allows for left or right-handed operation
- Fast
- Fast actuation allows operators to prep wires at a rate that is unattainable with manual wire strippers
- Adjustable
- Adjustable speed control allows the operator to regulate the speed of the tool by simply rotating the adjustment collar which is part of the air hose
Choosing the Right Wire Stripper is Critical
- It is important to identify your wire’s AS or mil-spec part number when selecting a tool/blade.
- Even if the blade covers the correct wire range it does not mean that it is meant for your wire.
- Using the wrong blade can cause damage to the insulation.
Wire strippers are a vital tool for anyone performing work on electrical systems. They simplify the process of preparing wires for connections and ensure that your work is both safe and effective. DMC provides many resources to aid in the selection of the right tool including our cross reference chart located on our website and instruction manuals provided with each tool. For more information on any of the tools mentioned, visit our website www.dmctools.com or reach out to us at 407-855-6161 or dmc@dmctools.com.