Stripping cable for scrapping (chores for son...)

RatLabGuy

RatLabGuy

You look like a monkey and smell like one too
Joined
May 18, 2005
Location
Churchville, MD
My son is now 12. We're working on ways for him to earn money and learn the appreciation for the work involved in getting it. Aside from yardwork and other typical stuff I've been talking to him about scrapping to get $$ back.
I've been doing a lot of projects lately that yield scrap Romex/NM-B and some THHN, I always save the leftover bits and throw 'em into a box.
Now, it's easy to cut off the outer shield but stripping 12 & 14-ga en masse is a pain. All I've read suggests it isn't worth the time, just drop it off as is.

I'm wondering though if there is a halfway reasonable way to do it that would be worth it for a kid to make some money. E.g. I don't care if the yield rate is only $3-4 for an hours work b/c it's still better than wasting time on video games etc, and not being easy money is a good lesson.

Does anybody do this or have a suggestion?
Anybody used something like this for stripping off the coating?
Handheld Copper Wire Stripper Tool using Stock Blade, Cable Stripping Machine for Scrap Copper Recycling - - Amazon.com
 
I knew a guy who just burned the jackets off scrap wire in a barrel or bonfire years ago, but I'm sure it's illegal today? and definitely don't breathe the smoke.
 
When we had nothing to do in the old warehouse, that's what I had guys do. We would tie one end to a rack and run a razor blade down it. That would strip the one side then you can peel back the remaining. Like you said it cost more than we got but it was something ANYONE could do.
 
I get something like you have pictured in the link. Maybe it will make him appreciate the importance of good tools and taking care of them. Unless his is good with his hands and plenty careful I'd be leary of setting him free with a razor blade.
 
I've sent enough good electricians to urgent care to get stitches because of razer blades used for stripping wire for termination. If I were going to put the boy to work stripping I'd give him a splicers knife. I'm in the same dilemma your in. I need to keep the kids busy doing stuff other than video games and snap chat. I make them come help me with any work I get that doesn't interfere with school. I pay them for helping but they have to do as told without complaining.
 
I always use a blue blade AKA sheath knife and strip 4-6" off one end and clamp in my vice. Once clamped in the vice You keep tension on it as you pull the knife down the wire. I normally can strip 600-700' an hour without killing my self. Have the kids use cut resistant gloves and school them on how to use a knife before cutting them loose.
 
Haha I hear you on safety w/ a blade. My kid is one of the few people clumsier than me. He was of course the first one to cut himself during his Whittling Chip class in cub scouts. I definitely wouldn't give him an open razor blade yet. I have one of the health cutters that is like a tube with a blade side that you run down Romex to cut the outer sheet.

Good point w/ the vice. I'd guess that could work easily using the tool in the link above, clamp an end in and run that down it.
 
Why don't you build a contraption out of wood that will hold a razer blade that is adjustable? You could use blocks with different diameters to act as dies and with the blade movable it can slit or score different gauges. Once the length is scored/sliced you can just peel the insulation.

It'd teach him how to build and think ahead... All while giving him something to do.

Edit: Crap. I didn't even check the link. I thought it was a different contraption that he had posted.
 
Just burn the sheathing off.
 
I e seen guys use a rolling die wheel mounted in a housing that is adjustible. Then push the wire through and just keep pulling. The wire insulation gets scored/cut where it's easy to peel off. Use a drill to spool it up if need be.
 
Dave,

I question the motive here a tad.
Teaching your son to do menial chores for poor monetary return is that REALLY the best lesson to teach?

The question at hand. It really, really depends on the wire in question. What I do anytime I have more than 10 ft or so lengths, it tie one end to a pole on the barn, the other to the hitch and use the truck or ATV to pull it tight. Usually ( and this is a broad ass statement hat varies wildly on what you are stripping - but should be usually for you.) once you score 8-10" ...or better yet enough to make a wrap around your hand, with a razor, you can grab the jackting and use the conductor to tear the insulation by simply pulling. If you happend to have some 250kcmil/mcm etc this wont work so well. But your average 10-14 awg it'll do just fine.

But there is a reason folks with bunches of wire and bunches of money dont hire cheap laborers to strip it. I sold a bunch of copper last week. About 500lbs worth. IIC insulated was bringing $1.65/lb and bare bright wire was bringing $1.88/lb.
So that sounds like $100 I left laying, but remember that insulation actually has weight. On smaller diameter it is a greater % of weight than larger and less worth the time. As it stood it would have taken me probably 4-5 hours to strip what I had(lots of odd sizes, drops and cuts, so it went insulated.
 
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I use a long curved pic and needle nose pliers I've done smaller gauge too hardest part is getting the plastic insulated piece in front of each wire I have a 5 gallon bucket full of wire from washing machine, dryers whatever has copper lol
 
mommucked said:
I knew a guy who just burned the jackets off scrap wire in a barrel or bonfire years ago, but I'm sure it's illegal today? and definitely don't breathe the smoke.
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Yes, illegal to burn...and illegal to sell it burnt in South Carolina.

I was burning 7-4x4x4 Gaylord containers, (roughly 7k lbs total- large mcm; one at a time) when the local on call supervisor volunteer fd showed up. Of course I couldn't lie, the flame was 20 ft tall. But I played dumb to the law. Told him, (which is totally true) that my grandfather retired from Duke, my father and uncles worked decades for phone companies; and that we burned (and stripped) wire regularly my entire life. He pulled me away from the other volunteer, and told me if I put it out that he wouldn't call the Marshall who would fine me $10 grand. They stayed until I dumped a skid steer bucket full of water on the blaze. He then told me before he left, that he didn't like telling someone what they could or couldn't do on their own property, and next time to burn in smaller piles...now I burn after midnight...

But I also have bought a good stripper now, less loss due to fire burning off weight.

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obullfish said:
You won't get shit for scrap price that way.
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False...Today's prices....


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for what is worth, burned copper of any Guage will net #2 copper; and at honest scrap yards, if the Guage is heavy enough- they will still pay #1

Ron said:
But there is a reason folks with bunches of wire and bunches of money dont hire cheap laborers to strip it. I sold a bunch of copper last week. About 500lbs worth. IIC insulated was bringing $1.65/lb and bare bright wire was bringing $1.88/lb.
So that sounds like $100 I left laying, but remember that insulation actually has weight. On smaller diameter it is a greater % of weight than larger and less worth the time. As it stood it would have taken me probably 4-5 hours to strip what I had(lots of odd sizes, drops and cuts, so it went insulated.
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You must have gone to a feeder yard, that's quite a margin they have on your bare bright. Insulated has many grades due to yield percentage.

The big boys have a chopper that chops any wire into bits and separates the insulation from the metal to have a near 100% yield....big bucks.


Again for what is worth...as a boy, helping my family members do this task, I learned a great deal about the value of a dollar, value of time, worth of labor, work smarter to make more, etc. But most of all I enjoyed the time with my role models. Just my experience.


Matt
 
Well hell. I tried to sell some burnt #14-20 a few years ago when prices for BB were around $4 a pound and the not so honest scrap yard here in Asheville said $.75 a lb. That really pisses me of since I had over 500lbs that I had burnt off. @mcutler do you buy scrap around Asheville or would I have to haul to you?
 
obullfish said:
Well hell. I tried to sell some burnt #14-20 a few years ago when prices for BB were around $4 a pound and the not so honest scrap yard here in Asheville said $.75 a lb. That really pisses me of since I had over 500lbs that I had burnt off. @mcutler do you buy scrap around Asheville or would I have to haul to you?
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I travel to marion a couple times a month. Haven't been up the mountain in a while. Be happy to meet there if possible.

I will say if the insulation isn't burnt very clean... no leftover plastic, many yards can and should downgrade as such.

Matt
 
mcutler said:
I travel to marion a couple times a month. Haven't been up the mountain in a while. Be happy to meet there if possible.

I will say if the insulation isn't burnt very clean... no leftover plastic, many yards can and should downgrade as such.

Matt
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The next time I get a cash worthy pile together I'll give you a holler. Thanks
 
Also, forgot, in reference to the op's original subject. I now let my 16 year old handle all the wire stripping jobs. He probably processed 20k lbs of 4,2,1 gauge last year, earning himself over 1500 dollars. I do the burning of certain types.

He's been helping me about 4 years with it. Since turning him loose this year, he's figured his own system of efficiency, and typically will process 4k lbs in less than 12 hours. His efficiency curve raised his "hourly rate" from about $8 an hour to over $20 an hour in a years time! (I generally paid him a flat rate per box.) He used to ask a friend to help, until he learned that he could do it faster alone and keep all the money...

Matt
 
Ok, I'll be that guy. Isn't burning that plastic terrible for the environment and your health? I remember my cousin telling me when I was young to not get near it while he was burning.
 
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