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What wire size are typical decoder wires.

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Posted by NP2626 on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 8:23 PM

The wire strippers I bought, I found at Ace Hardware and cost me less than $7.00.  It only goes down to #24, but, I have filed some material from the Cam that sets it at the wire size.  Now it closes up tighter and is working perfectly

Mike, I've sent you a PM.

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

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Posted by mlehman on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 7:01 PM

riogrande5761

Long before I spent money on a set of real wire strippers and I was just a poor college student, I often used a pair of wire cutters which were not quite closed all the way to strip insulation off.  It worked pretty good with a little practice.

 

Yep, another poor man's wire stripper -- and one your dentist will approve of, too.Big Smile

And it's pretty close to what I'm doing with the notch in my old pair of rail nippers, except the notch is the deluxe version because it gives you a tiny bit more precision in doing the deed.Huh?

Mike Lehman

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 2:52 PM

Long before I spent money on a set of real wire strippers and I was just a poor college student, I often used a pair of wire cutters which were not quite closed all the way to strip insulation off.  It worked pretty good with a little practice.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by carl425 on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 1:25 PM

JoeinPA

NP

I have one of these http://www.micromark.com/SearchResult.aspx?deptIdFilter=0&searchPhrase=hard-to-find+wire+stripper%2c+awg+20+-+30 . I've found it to be very handy for decoder size wires.

Joe

Clicked the link, but I've already got "hard to find" wire strippers. Big Smile

I have the right to remain silent.  By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.

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Posted by mlehman on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 12:39 PM

Well, was worth a try. The notch has to be just right to work. I happened on this by luck, I guessBang Head

It may be possible, if the nipper is already trashed, to get a piece of spring wire sized to the 30 gauge wire diameter and cutting it. It'll either be further ruined or about rightWink

Sometimes, though, there really is no substitute for the right tool, so you probably made the right decision if yours didn't work well for you.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 11:25 AM

You can always use your teeth!  Ok I know the dentist would not approve but it does work!

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by NP2626 on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 11:16 AM

My defective Xuron tool would sometimes work and other times cut all the way through the wire.  So, I went to town and bought a stripper like the one JoeinPA has.  It works great.

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

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Posted by JoeinPA on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 9:54 AM

NP

I have one of these http://www.micromark.com/SearchResult.aspx?deptIdFilter=0&searchPhrase=hard-to-find+wire+stripper%2c+awg+20+-+30 . I've found it to be very handy for decoder size wires.

Joe

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Posted by NP2626 on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 8:22 AM

I have one of those, too!  I will give it a try right now!

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

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Posted by mlehman on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 8:12 AM

NP2626
Finally, I've decided I just want a good tool to do this job.

Mark,

Oddly enough, the tool I use for this is a "bad tool." I have an old Xuron rail nipper that I used on the wrong stuff and managed to put a nick or two in its jaws. They are just about right-size to use for the purpose of stripping these sorts of fine wire if used with care. So I repurposed/recycled a tool and have so far not needed to buy the right tool. Someday, the budget will be better and I'll get that, but until then this works pretty well.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

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Posted by NP2626 on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 6:35 AM

rrinker

 Nail file. Fixes things right up Big Smile. Clean soldering iron tip and a sharp thumbnail.

                   --Randy

 

 

Having any length to my finger nails, now makes my skin crawl.  It didn’t used to; but, sure does now!   

Thanks to everyone.  It appears to me that #30 is as small a wire as I can find a stripper for. 

I have tried all sorts of ways over the years on removing insulation, carving away the insulation on one side and pulling the conductor out then cutting off the other side of the insulation. Using a knife to lightly cut around the insulation and pull it off.  Pulling it off with the fingernails.   Finally, I've decided I just want a good tool to do this job.

 

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 4:53 AM

To strip the insulation on decoder wire, I use the blade of an Exacto knife.  I don't use any horizontal movement with the blade.  Rather, I lightly press down, turn the wire over, and press down again.  The scored insulation is easily removed from the wire at that point.

If you think thay decoder wire is thin, try stripping insulation on a Tomar Industries signal.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by mlehman on Monday, January 12, 2015 9:17 PM

30-32 is typical. It can also go down at least as low as 36 gauge. I have a pack of that from ESU-Loksound (#51842) that was also a pretty good deal IIRC.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

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Posted by rrinker on Monday, January 12, 2015 8:41 PM

 Nail file. Fixes things right up Big Smile. Clean soldering iron tip and a sharp thumbnail.

                   --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

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Posted by NP2626 on Monday, January 12, 2015 8:08 PM

rrinker

 Yes, 30-32. I just use my thumbnail to pinch the wire against my finger as a 'strip tool' for that size wire.

                 --Randy

 

I used to be able to do that, however, for whatever reason, the ability has been lost.

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

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Posted by Mark R. on Monday, January 12, 2015 7:03 PM

I use my sprue nippers. After you develope the knack for how much pressure to apply without cutting the wire, they work really well.

Mark.

¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ

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Posted by rrinker on Monday, January 12, 2015 6:56 PM

 Yes, 30-32. I just use my thumbnail to pinch the wire against my finger as a 'strip tool' for that size wire.

                 --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by skagitrailbird on Monday, January 12, 2015 6:45 PM

I don't know for certain but probably 30g or 32g. I have one of the strippers at the link below. It has always worked well for me in stripping decoder wires. I use it for other wire, also. It is one of my more frequently used tools.

https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/wire-stripperswire-cutters/wire-strippercutter-1

Roger Johnson
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What wire size are typical decoder wires.
Posted by NP2626 on Monday, January 12, 2015 6:41 PM

As per the title, what size are typical decoder wires.  I'm having a tough time stripping the wires and want to purchase an appropriate sized wire stripping tool.

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association:  http://www.nprha.org/

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