So I have a bunch of regular jacketed copper wire, all salvaged from jobs, most of it is 10,12 and 14 gauge but some of it is in the 18 gauge zone--all useful. I always strip it, anneal it and use it for my training wire. Getting the plastic jacket off the wiring is a major pain. for the larger wire I use a romex stripper for the outer jacket. The tool is pretty cheap and wears out quick. The individual wire I usually stretch from my vise and skin on a edge with a utility knife then picker of the remaining jacket. This is much harder with small wires. Does anyone have any easier techniques to free wire of there evil plastic coatings?
Removing the plastic jacket--it must be done.
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I have had a lot of scap in the past...It is a pain to strip.
I went to a local scrap yard, they have a nice stripper. they mentioned they scrap/buy a lot of wire with jacket. they pay much less for jacketed than bare.
So they strip it before sending to the melters. So I asked can I use your stripper to do mine, he said hmm yeah I guess so. Next time I went I just traded them some jacketed for bare wire.
Ive been looking at these for my next batch
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Manual-Wire-Stripper-Stripping-Machine-Copper-Scrap-/300410388835
I went to a local scrap yard, they have a nice stripper. they mentioned they scrap/buy a lot of wire with jacket. they pay much less for jacketed than bare.
So they strip it before sending to the melters. So I asked can I use your stripper to do mine, he said hmm yeah I guess so. Next time I went I just traded them some jacketed for bare wire.
Ive been looking at these for my next batch
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Manual-Wire-Stripper-Stripping-Machine-Copper-Scrap-/300410388835
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
Just do what the meth heads do after they steal wire and make a little fire burn the insulation off. 
berobinson82
Omono
Wouldn't take much free copper wire to pay for this device. I need to make friends with an electrician.
edit: or a meth head, seemingly LOL!
Poink88
Imperial Masterpiece
Careful...once they learned the value of your trees and pots...those will be gone next.
berobinson82
Omono
Oh gosh, I'm actually terrified of tweekers. My neighbor is a police officer and tells me the most movie-worthy stories of addicts in the city. *shudder*
So, about that bonsai stuff...
So, about that bonsai stuff...
I have a burn pit that I bought from Home Depot. I think it was $100. Came with a grated lid I guess to catch the burning ambers. I start a nice little fire in the pit put the lid on and throw the wire on top of it. 10 minutes later I take the wire off hang it somewhere to cool and the wire is now striped and annealed.
I to get a lot of copper wire from my job. Mostly 10 and 14 but lots of 18.
I to get a lot of copper wire from my job. Mostly 10 and 14 but lots of 18.
When I melt off the plastic jacketing I find that the wire is either full of un-cooked crud or over-annealed and brittlized. It has not worked for me to burn off the plastic wire jacket at all.
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
That's too bad, I was hoping that someone would say that burning it off is the way to go...
Klytus
Omono
Someone must surely make a handheld stripper with a sharp wheel you adjust to slit the insulation as the cable passes through the tools aperture.
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
Klytus check out post #3.
Not that I have been able to find... Please invent one Klytusan
jkd2572
Masterpiece
Now about this contraption? Pretty cheap.
http://stores.affordabletool.com/It...cagpspn=pla"&gclid=CI-U2ayOibUCFZGPPAodhkYAxQ
http://stores.affordabletool.com/It...cagpspn=pla"&gclid=CI-U2ayOibUCFZGPPAodhkYAxQ
looks pretty good, this one post earlier seems sturdier
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Manual-Wire-...-/300410388835
edprocoat
Masterpiece
I usually roll the wire into a coil then burn it till the wire glows red, grab it with a plier and drop it in a bucket of water, never had any crud stuck to it, plenty floating in the water though. The water also takes the black off the wire at the same time.
ed
ed
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
Where I live burning it off is not allowed. I take all my aluminum to the scrapyard and the money I collect I use for wire and various supplies.
Bill S
Masterpiece
Short on time so I don't know if someone gave this -
attach one end to something sturdy, grab the wire near the (I use my outdoor clothes line post)and place blade of knife on the wire to be stripped, walk backwards putting pressure on the blade as needed to strip off a strip of insulation that will allow the whole to be easily pulled of the length of the conductor. The only limit is how far can you walk backwards. A little practice and you can do 50 ' in just a few minutes.
attach one end to something sturdy, grab the wire near the (I use my outdoor clothes line post)and place blade of knife on the wire to be stripped, walk backwards putting pressure on the blade as needed to strip off a strip of insulation that will allow the whole to be easily pulled of the length of the conductor. The only limit is how far can you walk backwards. A little practice and you can do 50 ' in just a few minutes.
