# strippng wire 4 scrap???



## samiam1017 (Nov 17, 2007)

any body have any tips on stripping wire to scrap  i hads my house rewired and now have a huge pile of old wire  that i would like to scrap but need to strip thanks for any tips


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## 480sparky (Nov 17, 2007)

I use a bench vise and a quality utility knife.

Clamp down one end of the wire in the vise and pull the knife along the wire as you back away.

It will go faster as you get used to it.

I stripped $280/worth in about an hour two weeks ago.


Another suggestion: I did this one winter:  Forecast was for -25ºF one night, so I loaded all the wire into my pickup bed.  First thing in the morning, I went out and dropped it onto the driveway.  It all cracked right off.


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## samiam1017 (Nov 18, 2007)

thanks   how about trying to burn it off   you ever try that


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## glennjanie (Nov 19, 2007)

Hello SamIAm:
The Environmental Protection Agency frowns on burning wire insulation, tires and the like. It gives off hazardous smoke.
Glenn


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## travelover (Nov 19, 2007)

glennjanie said:


> Hello SamIAm:
> The Environmental Protection Agency frowns on burning wire insulation, tires and the like. It gives off hazardous smoke.
> Glenn




Agree, don't burn it. Nasty emissions.


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## 480sparky (Nov 19, 2007)

The DNR here likes to look for black smoke and write up 4-digit fines for producing it.


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## samiam1017 (Nov 20, 2007)

didn't think about the effect it would have on the envirment 
thanks for pointing that one out    i guess i'll start stripin 
thanks


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## glennjanie (Nov 20, 2007)

Use a sharp knife and be sure to cut away from yourself. I hope the procedes from the wire will make your Christmas a little merrier.
Glenn


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## travelover (Nov 20, 2007)

I was at Home Depot today and noticed in their electrical section, a wire stripping tool designed to cut down the length of the wire. Opposite the blade is a V groove to hold and center the wire. This tool might be what you need.


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## 480sparky (Nov 21, 2007)

travelover said:


> I was at Home Depot today and noticed in their electrical section, a wire stripping tool designed to cut down the length of the wire. Opposite the blade is a V groove to hold and center the wire. This tool might be what you need.



If you're talking about one of these:







Don't bother.... they're great for stripping a wire an inch or two in order to terminate it, but not for stripping long lengths.  The blade doesn't hold up, and you need to constantly adjust it for different types (thinknesses) of insulation.


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## kok328 (Nov 28, 2007)

The county that I live in here in MI requires a permit to scrap/recycle copper.  Too many homes are being gutted of  pipe and wire.  Therefore, your remoldeling and/or building permit is required to cash in.  In the next county over, no permit is required but, they won't take items of a commercial/industrial nature unless your a licensed professional.  People are stealing copper piping (think of all those empty homes due to the economy), copper wire, A/C condensing coils, aluminum siding and garage doors.


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## travelover (Nov 28, 2007)

kok328 said:


> The county that I live in here in MI requires a permit to scrap/recycle copper.  Too many homes are being gutted of  pipe and wire.  Therefore, your remoldeling and/or building permit is required to cash in.  In the next county over, no permit is required but, they won't take items of a commercial/industrial nature unless your a licensed professional.  People are stealing copper piping (think of all those empty homes due to the economy), copper wire, A/C condensing coils, aluminum siding and garage doors.



What county are you in? In Wayne county some guys died trying to steal LIVE wiring.


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## 480sparky (Nov 28, 2007)

travelover said:


> What county are you in? In Wayne county some guys died trying to steal LIVE wiring.



With todays' price for scrap, that's a daily occurance in just about every state.  In the last two weeks, there have been 3 deaths in Iowa caused my metal thieves.  Two were the thieves themselves, one was a guy who was killed by a gas explosion when the thieves tried to steal the propane line from the tank to his house.  They abandonded the idea when they smelled the gas, but enough leaked into the house to cause a fire, killing the homeowner.


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## DumpLetterHere (May 22, 2009)

samiam1017 said:


> any body have any tips on stripping wire to scrap  i had my house rewired and now have a huge pile of old wire  that i would like to scrap but need to strip thanks for any tips



For Household Electrical Wire (Non-Stranded)

find a unmovable object trailer ball on a pickup truck or a metal pole cemented in the ground 

twist one end to the object about a dozen times 

then get a claw hammer take it to the other untied end twist the wire around it about six times

then pull the wire taunt you should feel some give that is the wire stretching out which you want that pulls the kinks and bends out of it

if you pull too long or too many times it could snap off if it does just retwist and start stripping from that point

if it doesn't break use the claw to straighten out the coiled end one hand on the handle and one on the hammerhead to keep the hammer balanced

pull the plastic all the off to the end using your arm muscles instead of just dead weight and you shouldn't fall backwards when it gets to the end

then go back and use a utility knife to remove the plastic

DON'T BURN THE WIRE THEY WONT BUY IT FROM YOU IF IT LOOKS BURT

if they wont buy it at clean copper price take it and soak it in vinegar till it looks better

there is a way to strip just about anything telephone wire included if I cant strip it there isn't enough copper to sell anyway


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## locknut (May 23, 2009)

You may not need to strip the wiring.  A scrap dealer in my area accepts the wire as is; check with yours.  I suppose that the price offered unstripped would be less though, but it obviates the tedious task of stripping.


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## speedy petey (Jun 7, 2009)

San Diego Remodeling said:


> Burn it off.


Not the best advice. This is never a good idea. Some places will not even take it if it is burned.

Can't you get life in prison for that in Cali?


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