i got an idea

**DanKnug** · 03-09-2012, 10:42 AM

i was thinking of getting a heat gun from HF and was wondering if any one here has tried a heat gun to soften the insulation on wires while someone runs a blunt edge behind me. heres a description of the heat gun

Super-versatile gun is the ideal way to strip paint and varnish, remove decals, shrink wire wraps, loosen fittings, thaw pipes and more. This heat gun features two heat settings for a wide variety of jobs.
Superior coil design heats more quickly and maintains even temperature
572° Fahrenheit low, and 1112° Fahrenheit high
Durable ABS gun body
Three-way switch
Replacing item# 66001Volts: 120V (60 Hz)
Amps: 3.4/11.5
Watts: 1500

**happyscraper** · 03-09-2012, 04:40 PM

I don't know ware your from dan but down here in the south we just put it out in sun for about an hour. Works great and it is free.

**billygoat** · 03-09-2012, 07:26 PM

A heat gun might make the wires too hot to handle if you're not careful. Could also melt the insulation into the strands as well, defeating the whole purpose.

What kind of wires are you trying to strip?

**DanKnug** · 03-11-2012, 11:09 PM

8 awg to 22 awg, just to soften the insulation like hot knife will do

**TheHoss** · 03-12-2012, 12:43 AM

Hmm. Might work actually. Heck a heat gun is only what, $20 at most from Harbor Freight? May as well give her a whirl.

**eesakiwi** · 03-12-2012, 01:11 AM

I wondered about diverting the waste hot water from my dishwasher & pouring that into a drum filled with plastic coated wire.
**** hot water, about 30 -40 litres per wash.

**Mulden** · 03-12-2012, 08:37 AM

I know it probably wouldn't work here in the UK. Energy prices are so high that the electricity you would use would cost more than the wire you'd strip.

**billygoat** · 03-12-2012, 09:21 AM

What I meant by my question is the type of insulation on the wires. Different types of insulation sometimes takes different tecniques.

But in general, 8 to 14 AWG should be easy enough to strip with a sharp knife without going through all the trouble of heating it up. It just takes practice; getting the angle of the knife right, learning to deal with the direction of the wire curl, and all that good stuff. No need to heat it up.

The smaller stuff that's harder to strip can be put off to one side for now. Work on the bigger stuff first. If you get enough bare bright to take in, then just bring the smaller stuff in with it in a separate box. If not, then grin and bear it while doing your best to strip the smaller stuff.

Or you can join in with some of the other guys and make (or invent) your own wire stripper. There are threads for that.