Re: HA tool recommendations

["Jonathan Shaw" <semi.jon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

So good to summarise:

Quality tools worth it
Teeth not recommended long term
side cutters - presumably for mains grade cables
end cutter with thumb screw adjustment for smaller cables
cutters with holes in - if it can be found
IDC punchdown tool
practice - lots of it!

Thanks for the replies - had to log in to see them, most hadn't
appeared in the digest!
Jon


--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "David Gumbrell"
<david.gumbrell@...>
wrote:
>
> I have a pair of wire strippers which have shaped blades with half-
holes in
> various diameters on each blade so they cut all round the
insulation and
> make it very easy to pull off. I wouldn't trade them for auto
strippers,
> side cutters, end cutters or a knife. In fact, I think I may end up
a little
> distraught if/when they go blunt. Excellent for Cat-5 stripping.
You really
> want to avoid nicking the copper.
> The only downside is if you put the cable in too small a hole.
Snip. I don't
> know where to get them now though, I actually bought them for my
Dad one
> Christmas many moons ago.
>
> I've also got a cable stripper for the outers which is much easier
than
> messing with a knife etc. www.homestead.co.uk CY45
>
> And an electricians tap to clean the box mounting ears before
attempting to
> fit the screws proved useful after one or two nasty knackered thread
> episodes plus an over exuberant plasterer. Dead cheap from screwfix.
>
> Cheers,
>
> David
>
>
>
> On 2/26/07, JonShaw <semi.jon@...> wrote:
> >
> >   So far I've mainly done first-fix work but now beginning to
enter
> > 2nd-fix
> > and I am finding it slow. I have some watch makers screw drivers,
a
> > Stanley
> > knife and a soldering iron.
> >
> > I am finding stripping stranded Cat5 conductors (for Idranet and
sensors)
> > a
> > bit hit and miss, sometimes I knick the wire so a number of
strands are
> > lost. I bought a "parrot" type "automatically
adjusting" stripper
and that
> > is also a bit crude. I have yet to attempt anything with the
CT100 laid so
> > I wondered .
> >
> > What are the most useful tools in your HA tool-box?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Jon
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>