Bare copper wire ???

Take it to your local scrapyard, they have machines to do it in bulk!

Tim

Dutton Dry-Dock Traditional & Modern canal craft repairs Vintage diesel engine service

I've seen a tool which looks a little like a pipe cutter, except the blade is set at an angle to the axis of rotation, rather than perpendicular. It's used by simply twisting the tool down the cable (like you would if you were cutting a thread with a die) - the insulation then simply spirals off.

I can't find a source for one, but should be quite an easy tool to make.

Burning off the cover material is fine if you are selling it as scrap, but hardly an answer for something you expect to use.

Got a decent, flat bench ? An Olfa knife, or any other sharp, thin bladed knife ?

Lay a section of cable along the edge of the bench and slice a strip off the insulation. You will very quickly find an angle where the blade runs along the wire, without nicking it. If the blade is very sharp, it should slide through with minmal effort, and a bit of soapy water can be used for lube if required. It's kind of like filleting fish, you will find the angle that works right, and feels right, then it goes fast.

Should take about fifteen minutes or so to do this to 20 meters of cable. Maybe a little longer if it's rubber rather than PVC coated.

Then you just bend a section of it so the copper stands a bit proud of the insulation and peel it out.

Even faster, if you can live with nicked up cable is to run the blade straight in through the insulation, against the cable. Once the insulation is split full lenght, it's dead easy to strip it off in one long piece. The tool the salvage yards use basicly does this, running an edge down the side of the cable and splitting off the insulation.

Did a bit of this when I was a kid, selling scrounged up scrap metal to get beer money. Clean copper was worth more than burnt copper. :-)

Cheers Trevor Jones

So did I, but without the bench. I've still got the 2-in scar where I sliced the heel of my palm to the bone about 3/4" deep all the way round when I slipped.

I was 12, and that's when I learnt to cut so that a slip carries the blade away from me :.)

Rapid electronics do a few like this, they work well:

or search for 'cable stripper'.

hth Guy

I have a few similar scars. That's why I say use a bench! :-)

Cheers Trevor Jones

You mean like the 3rd and 5th items on here?

Dave Baker Puma Race Engines Camp American engineer minces about for high performance specialist (4,4,7)

cable

I'd go for one of those but they are 'available in over 2 months' !

AWEM

message

Ideally I

Thanks Dave, I've popped them a quote request.

AWEM

70mm Tri-Rated is almost as flexible without the plastic sheath as welding cable, and quite available, we may have some on a reel, we carry up to 120sq mm in Tri-Rated but on 25/35/50 in welding as we use that for charger output cables.

I'll check during the day tomorrow and see what we have.

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web:

If you can get away with mainly one dimensional flexibility, multiple layers of copper foil is a convenient solution.

Jim

Cunning, but no cigar ! I need 3D flexibility, but a good idea.

AWEM

How about one of these from RS ?

I think I've got something similar to this if you want to borrow it, but not sure if it's big enough for 70mm^2. What's the sheath diameter?

-adrian

We've got nearly a full 100m roll of 70mm Tri-Rated.

Peter

-- Peter A Forbes Prepair Ltd, Luton, UK snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk

Peter,

Very many thanks but I've just committed to someone else.

AWEM