I want to splice a wire into the mid-length (T junction) of another wire. When I cut the plastic sheath I’m in danger of cutting the wire through. I’ve tried ‘shaving’ the plastic off but doing this on the underside of the bench is tricky. Anybody have tips or tricks to do this neatly? Is it just easier to just cut though and then just solder the 3 ends together?
PS - got my first section of track down with Cobalt turnout motors and electrofrogs all working nicely. Thanks to all who gave me great advice. Not quite as hard as I thought but I may have spoken too soon.
I use a wire stripper that does most of the wire sizes we use in model railroading (AWG 22-14). The tool that I use is made “Klein”. You have to get under your benchwork and get the tool aligned with the size wire that you want to strip. Take your time and get it aligned just right, and it will do a neat job. It leaves a space about .25 - .50inch. Practice on a scrap piece of wire to get the hang of it. Mine works great.
Klein, or the Ideal Stripmaster, almost the same tool - either of these will neatly strip wire in the middle without cutting through the conductors (unless you use the wrong size hole - like trying to clamp the #18 hole in the cutting die around #14 wire). I have a pair of these and use them to strip spots aroundmy bus wires to wrap the feeders around. Very slick, and worth the money (they’re a bit more expensive than cheapy wire cutters - but again, well worth it).
No one suggested “suit case connectors”. No soldering , no stripping.,i use the red ones for 18 ga. wire available at the local electrical supply store. Some one else may be able to give the proper name for them.Now to really raise some eyebrows, I use wire nuts for connecting three ends. There are no soldered connections under my layout.
Well, there is a reason for not mentioning suitcases, since they will not work to attach an 22 ga feeder to a 14 ga bus wire.
But then if you are using a 12 or 14 ga bus wire, it should be a solid wire, and it is simple to pare off a half inch strip of insulation to which you can solder your feeders.
LION is considering using bus bars for his track power. If he does so, this will be about the 5th time to redo the wires on this layout. What the bus bar buys me (considering I have over 1000’ of track) is the opportunity to bolt truck lights to the bar, and to feed the track through the lamp. The power to the train just passes through the filament as if it was not there, but if there is a short or a derailment, the light comes on using the current up and protecting the layout. It also tells me where the problem is, since with eight trains running at once, the location of the problem is not always obvious.
Well, ignore that last part, LIONS just do things differently.
Some good suggestions so far. In addition, sometimes I melt the insulation away with a soldering iron, not on the tip but higher up on the barrell, past the tinned area of the iron.
One nick-free way of clearing the insulation on a large solid wire - squeeze it between the jaws of a pair of bulldog pliers (the kind with the short, square jaws and serrations perpendicular to the tip.) Done right, the insulation will split and the loops can be pulled away from the wire, then cleaned up with a pair of miniature diagonal cutters.
I, personally, prefer to make my `splices’ at stud-and-nut terminals on terminal blocks.
As for suitcase connectors, I think they make excellent dumpster fillers. As a former aircraft QC inspector, I can assure you that you’ll never, ever, find one inboard of an aircraft’s outer skin.
[swg] The way I use to make my buss connection is with a cheap wire stripper that has a blade on each side of the handle. Select the hole for the proper gauge. Make two cuts, (about a half inch apart) down to the wire, and then cut the piece of insulation out with a knife.
I practiced using wire strippers by taking the strippers doing one side then moving down the bus 1/2 inch and stripping in the same direction. then using Xacto knife cut across the 2 sections it doesn’t harm the buss I found.