Best way to strip 2/0 - 4/0 welding cable

Hey everyone,

What is the best way yall strip welding cable ( its stranded wire and flexible). I have a variety of sizes on what is considered welding cable. Ranges from #1 - 4/0.
I have bought a crank wire stripper but it didn't work. The blade just deforms the insulation and doesn't cut unless you have it deep enough to cut the copper to and that's even hit or miss.
So far all I have been doing is cutting it into short pieces about a foot and a half or so and just using utility knife. But I would like to find another way maybe faster. Since I have alot.
I don't want to buy an electric one if its not gonna work, cause they seem to be the same principle as the crank one I have.
I get this kinda wire over any other sizes. But I would also like to be able to do the smaller stuff to when I get it.

So any tip, tricks, advice is appreciated.

Tick tac and a rubber band.......lol

Get a 2x4, drill and hole a bit bigger than the wire and drill a screw into the hole to use as a blade. You can also adjust the screw for better cutting dept. clamp it in a vice and you got a homemade wirestripper.

Or just keep using the razor blade method, some times thats what ya got to do with that thicker stranded stuff. I have a wirestripper but i have the wood one too incase i get wire bigger than the stripper can handle

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Originally Posted by Macgyver86

Hey everyone,

What is the best way yall strip welding cable ( its stranded wire and flexible). I have a variety of sizes on what is considered welding cable. Ranges from #1 - 4/0.
I have bought a crank wire stripper but it didn't work. The blade just deforms the insulation and doesn't cut unless you have it deep enough to cut the copper to and that's even hit or miss.
So far all I have been doing is cutting it into short pieces about a foot and a half or so and just using utility knife. But I would like to find another way maybe faster. Since I have alot.
I don't want to buy an electric one if its not gonna work, cause they seem to be the same principle as the crank one I have.
I get this kinda wire over any other sizes. But I would also like to be able to do the smaller stuff to when I get it.

So any tip, tricks, advice is appreciated.

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How much do you get and how often do you get it?

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Originally Posted by JJinLV

How much do you get and how often do you get it?

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I got a good bit and it comes and goes on how often I get it. But I got a decent size pile built up I need to get knocked out. And I got a chance of trying to get alot more but I want a good way to get it done. Since its all thick stuff 3/0 and 4/0.

What about an angle grinder with a thin metal cutoff blade. Just go down the outside cable from top to bottom. If you are concerned with cutting too deep, make a shallow cut, then finish with a box knife.

I you've ever shucked an ear of corn this welding cable is a cinch, box cutter cut the first foot have your wife grab onto the exposed cable and you go off into the other direction pulling the insulation off. This works on rubber based covers if it's plastic then you'll have to lightly score the cables cover.

I've done miles of this type of wire.

Once the insulation is off, drag your hand along the cable to bunch up the paper crap, should be some synthetic string in there also, once you have a bundle and it no longer moves just use side cutters or grab that box knife to cut that nasty bundle off.

That cable would bring a better price re-sold to someone who is a welder, unless for some reason it's preferable to disguise the wire.

I don't get that much welding cable but i usually cut it into 12-18 inch lengths and run it through my electric stripping machine. The main problem is that the wire inside is a finely stranded wire and crushes easily. You have to set the cutter to a depth where it scores the insulation but doesn't really cut too deep. I pass it through a few times and that weakens the insulation enough that it peels off okay.

You've got the cutting wheel set a little too deep if the cable skitters off to the sides when you're passing it through. ( It's a fussy adjustment to get it just right.)

Jumper cables are kind of a booger to do because the insulation is so thick.

This is one of those tasks where a chopper / granulator would be the better tool for the job. You might just sell the welding cable at the yard as high grade insulated copper wire and save yourself all of the work. Figure one way ... you get ICW price. Stripping it probably wouldn't give you better than #2 copper price. There might not be a huge difference between the two where you are.

You just have to figure out whether or not the juice is worth the squeeze.

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Originally Posted by alloy2

I you've ever shucked an ear of corn this welding cable is a cinch, box cutter cut the first foot have your wife grab onto the exposed cable and you go off into the other direction pulling the insulation off. This works on rubber based covers if it's plastic then you'll have to lightly score the cables cover.

I've done miles of this type of wire.

Once the insulation is off, drag your hand along the cable to bunch up the paper crap, should be some synthetic string in there also, once you have a bundle and it no longer moves just use side cutters or grab that box knife to cut that nasty bundle off.

That cable would bring a better price re-sold to someone who is a welder, unless for some reason it's preferable to disguise the wire.

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Thanks,
I'll have to try it this way, but most of the time, no one is at home when I'm messing with the wire so ill try to find away to lock it down. Get a vise or something.

The lengths I get range from 4' to about 12', most times the insulation is messed up. So I don't think anyone would be interested. But occasionally I do come across good pieces but the longest ill probably ever get is 12-15' due to the application it is used. But majority is 4 to 5 ' pieces. On the longer pieces sometimes it has a good 6-8 ' section.
Do you know of anything people might want shorter pieces of cable for.

If I keep getting it like I do now it want be bad to keep up with as I get it, once I get what I have built up done. But I also have a chance of getting alot more, but I don't want to take that on unless I get a good way of getting it done in the least amount of time.

Thanks

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Originally Posted by hills

I don't get that much welding cable but i usually cut it into 12-18 inch lengths and run it through my electric stripping machine. The main problem is that the wire inside is a finely stranded wire and crushes easily. You have to set the cutter to a depth where it scores the insulation but doesn't really cut too deep. I pass it through a few times and that weakens the insulation enough that it peels off okay.

You've got the cutting wheel set a little too deep if the cable skitters off to the sides when you're passing it through. ( It's a fussy adjustment to get it just right.)

Jumper cables are kind of a booger to do because the insulation is so thick.

This is one of those tasks where a chopper / granulator would be the better tool for the job. You might just sell the welding cable at the yard as high grade insulated copper wire and save yourself all of the work. Figure one way ... you get ICW price. Stripping it probably wouldn't give you better than #2 copper price. There might not be a huge difference between the two where you are.

You just have to figure out whether or not the juice is worth the squeeze.

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I want an electric stripper but didn't have the money at the time, and I don't want to spend the money on one for it not to work, so I bought one that I could attach a drill to, that looked to be tje.same as electric to see if it worked. But it didn't even score the insulation. The insulation just formed around the blade and went on through. Maybe If the blade spun at the same time it might would have.but the blade on the one just spins as the cable glides over it. The only way I could get a score was having it set to deep, it would stay center. I only tried a few pieces, so I'm sending it back. Do the wire feeder and the blades spin on the electric ones?
I've looked into granulators to, but that's way to much money for me.. unless there's some out there I couldn't find.
Any links to tools yall use or the info of tools used is appreciated as well.
If I could get caught up on it I think it would be worth it. I think last time I heard, insulated was .60 a lbs and #2 was 1. 50. But I haven't checked prices recently tho

You might check prices. They have gone up a bit.

You can use a board and a sheetrock screw. That's a low cost solution. The main thing is to get the hole through the board just the right size for the cable you are pulling it through.

Try home made wire stripper as the search term on youtube.

Ahh well ... gotta jet ... time to head out to the job.

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Originally Posted by Macgyver86

Just curious, what does everyone do with the wire insulation after stripping, especially when you have large quantities.
I get 2/0 and 3/0 welding ables, the insulation is messed up so I'm scrapping it. But I will have a large amount of the insulation. Just wondering of what to do with it, instead of just throwing it away.

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Another spoon feeder, are we gonna have to walk you through this whole process step by step.

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Originally Posted by alloy2

Another spoon feeder, are we gonna have to walk you through this whole process step by step.

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What do you mean. I'm genuinely curious. I'm new to this whole thing. But I don't mess with any other scrap stuff. And come into the wire with possibility to get more.
I'm getting it done, just wanted to see if there's a better way to do things from people who are more experienced.
And with the wire insulation I have searched stuff but just wanted insight from experienced people.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Macgyver86

What do you mean. I'm genuinely curious. I'm new to this whole thing. But I don't mess with any other scrap stuff. And come into the wire with possibility to get more.
I'm getting it done, just wanted to see if there's a better way to do things from people who are more experienced.
And with the wire insulation I have searched stuff but just wanted insight from experienced people.

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The rubber insulation is classified as hazardous waste.

Next you'll say but it's not tires, yea yea but the components that make up the chemistry are basically the same and should be treated as such when disposing of said material.

You'll have to sharpen your pencil and factor in the cost of waste disposal when you eh purchase this cable. If you have a tire recap shop nearby check with them to see how they deal with rubber crumbs.

The biggest problem with discarding old tires is that they contain chemicals and heavy metals that leach into the environment as the tires break down. Some of these chemicals, according to the California Integrated Waste Management Board, are carcinogenic and mutagenic (cause cancer and gene mutations).

Crumb Rubber from Waste Tires

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• Kindergarten Playgrounds and Recreation Areas
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• Wire and Cable Insulation

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Originally Posted by Macgyver86

What do you mean. I'm genuinely curious. I'm new to this whole thing. But I don't mess with any other scrap stuff. And come into the wire with possibility to get more.
I'm getting it done, just wanted to see if there's a better way to do things from people who are more experienced.
And with the wire insulation I have searched stuff but just wanted insight from experienced people.

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Your questions are fine and one purpose of the forum. For the most bang for your buck if you feel you have to strip it I'd go with one of the wire stripping machines you can find on ebay or alibaba that usually cost between $250-400. They have slots for several different gauges and adjustable blade settings and many do not require 3 phase power. I mostly don't recommend stripping wire unless it's for the fun of it. With a few exceptions like copper degaussing wire and a fair amount of 90% and above recovery wire, you can usually make *far* more $ selling the wire as is and spending the time you woulda spent stripping it on the phone calling electricians and asking to buy their scrap wire then selling it at a margin.

For whatever it's worth:

I bought one of the Chinese made electric strippers last winter. I'm quite happy with it. It has paid for itself. There are a couple of downsides. The first is that it doesn't do finely stranded wire very well. The second is that it's hard to source material. I've talked with a number of local sources and everybody is holding with the intention of stripping it themselves while things are slow this winter. I don't blame them. They're wise to what's going on and looking to pick up some extra money on the side as well.

Mac's source is finely stranded welding cable. JMO, but he would be much better off to sell it " as is " at the yard.

One of the best paying out of state yards that i know of would currently pay somewhere in the range of 1.55 - 2.15 / lb for it.

The most important thing to consider where he is sourcing it from. If he's picking it up as a waste product on his regular job ... he wants to make sure that it's okay with the boss first.