Favorite wire tools

[Jerold]

I was wondering what everyone's favorite wire tools are?

Years ago I bought a pair of self adjusting wire strippers at Fry's Electronics for probably way too much money. Very close to what I have, mine are yellow, have some tension adjustments and looks a bit better quality, but you can buy similar ones today for about $20.

https://a.co/d/iVi7qpC

Knipex Cutters. You can cut through a bolt with these things and they stay sharp! One of the few tools that can cleanly cut bicycle bake cables.

https://a.co/d/a9lpgIo


A good crimper. My actual one is from a company no longer in business but very similar. The key is the pokey thing in the middle the sinks into the crimp terminal, locking it in. Unlike the cheaper ones that just smash them flat. This pair come pre-rusted too.

https://a.co/d/cZ6hTd9



Terminal Crimpers. They are a pain in the butt to use, but if you need to modify or make servo leads it's a must.

https://a.co/d/4gHPZMR

 

[Greywolf74]

I dont use my Irwin self adjusting strippers...

I end up using these like 99.99% of the time.

Aside from that, I have a bunch of different tools I use for various things. Especially needlenose pliers. I have several different pairs.

 

[Xraycer]

I love my self adjusting stripper! Especially for working on the house electrical wiring. I wished it worked on really small rc wiring as well.

 

[bill_delong]

• Tools for the Pit Table

 

[9x19]

That old coax stripper made me chuckle!

 

[Greywolf74]

I love my self adjusting stripper! Especially for working on the house electrical wiring. I wished it worked on really small rc wiring as well.

I love the self adjusting for house wire but I think why I ended up using the other strippers all the time cuz they work on virtually everything I work on, including the small stuff

That old coax stripper made me chuckle!

Right! It doesn't see much use these days but every now and again.

 

[Xraycer]

Right! It doesn't see much use these days but every now and again.

I'd finally cut and freed myself from cable tv a couple of years ago! With TMobile home internet for $55/mo, I couldn't be happier!

 

[Greywolf74]

I'd finally cut and freed myself from cable tv a couple of years ago! With TMobile home internet for $55/mo, I couldn't be happier!

Yeah, I haven't had cable TV in 20 years but I have cable internet. Best thing I can get atm in my area. I'm waiting for fiber so i can tell Spektrum to stick it where the sun dont shine.

 

[tntpoof]

I use my FAR terminal strip/crimping tool most made by Ideal

 

[Jerold]

I actually have come tools for coax cable and Ethernet cables too, but they aren't much use these days.

 

[Greywolf74]

I actually have come tools for coax cable and Ethernet cables too, but they aren't much use these days.

Right! I have RJ45 crimpers and ethernet strippers too but like you said they don't get a lot of use these days but every now and again...

 

[Warby]

At home, I just use side cutters or a craft knife to strip insulation off wires.

My go to pliers are Knipex.

Side cutters

StepCut Cable Shears for cutting bigger wires cleanly

Flush cuts for small wires and cable ties

These small needle nose pliers come in handy

I have Bluepoint crimpers like these

These crimpers for the small pins for servo plugs etc

Craft knife like this.

One of these cheap third hand for soldering

At work I have a completely different list of tools I use.

 

[22SSragtop]

I started my career as a bench tech... then to a "field eng" for a POS company, in the 70's- early 80's I crimped maybe 100k wires doing installs with a milspec crimper and wire cutters similar to the simple ones above. I got used to stripping the wire by feel and it was much faster than the auto adjusting stripers they gave us. My old yellow handles pair can be seen in the back of this pic from my desk. They are a little rusty and about 50 years old. (lol)

 

[CertifiedMike]

It kind of depends on the job. Lol!
I also strip wire by feel with a small pair of side cutters. I use a pair of snap on but they are old and not so sharp any more. Sort of like me.
I bought a Klien but they are pretty heavy. Good tool but not a good "feel" for how I strip wires.
For I use a pair of Thompson(? Can't read anymore, they're old too) crimpers that work perfectly, every time.
I find the quality of the connector to be as important as the tool. A good crimp is not "split" in the barrel where you crimp. Rather, for a consistent, solid holding crimp, solid, no break barrels.
Solder that SH*T!!!
The Hakko FX-888D is the best soldering iron I've ever used. It heats ultra fast and the temp is "to the degree" precise. Its expensive until you consider the cost of frying electronics through ESD or burning components/boards.
The reason I picked THIS one up is because "I bought it when I saw it
at Marden's".
Thats actually a joke for the 3 ppl here who live in Maine.
Marden's is a discount store. This box had a tear in the packaging. It was under $100.
Sold!
Heat shrink EVERYTHING!
I use marine shrink or I slice a bit of hot glue stick in the shrink. (my colored shrink wasn't avail in marine) The glue works great to help protect from moisture AND adds a bit of strength to the wires.
Now the bolt cutters... those may very well be older than me! (They may have been used during the actual construction on the earth)
The bolt cutters fix EVERYTHING... ONCE! Lol!

 

[Jerold]

At home, I just use side cutters or a craft knife to strip insulation off wires.

My go to pliers are Knipex.

Side cutters
View attachment 198034

StepCut Cable Shears for cutting bigger wires cleanly
View attachment 198031


Flush cuts for small wires and cable ties
View attachment 198033

These small needle nose pliers come in handy
View attachment 198032

I have Bluepoint crimpers like these
View attachment 198035

These crimpers for the small pins for servo plugs etc
View attachment 198037

Craft knife like this.
View attachment 198036

One of these cheap third hand for soldering
View attachment 198038



At work I have a completely different list of tools I use.

I ditched the classic helping hands a few years back and replaced it with this. It's much more flexible although it's not going to last a life time like the originals. Most of the time I stick to the metal on my bench and don't eve use the plate.

The Hakko FX-888D is the best soldering iron I've ever used. It heats ultra fast and the temp is "to the degree" precise. Its expensive until you consider the cost of frying electronics through ESD or burning components/boards.

I have the Hakko as well and it's very good, probably (hopefully) the last solder station I buy. It's not the best I've used though. That was at work a professional Weller station and worth more money than most of our RCs. It had dual irons, heat gun, fume extractor, tweezers and all the other goodies. Super nice but also over kill for soldering connectors.

 

[CertifiedMike]

Indeed, not the best soldering iron ever, just the best one I've ever used.
The old 40,60-6000 watt pencil irons that burn more than they fix is what I was trying to compare with. They are fine for a wiring fix etc usually but they have been replaced on my repair bench.
I have wanted to get s solder vacuum station but I don't do enough repairs to warrant the price or the space on my bench any more. I honestly haven't looked up an iron since I bought this one a few years ago.
I've come across a few jobs where the tweezers would have made my day OH SO MUCH BETTER!!! Lol!!
If ppl are doing board level repairs or temp sensitive work, this iron works GREAT!
I'm not sure what else is really out there for good options.

 

[Xraycer]

I ditched the classic helping hands a few years back and replaced it with this. It's much more flexible although it's not going to last a life time like the originals. Most of the time I stick to the metal on my bench and don't eve use the plate.
View attachment 198087

Got me one of those, too! So much better than the old fashion helping hands with the ball joints like the one Warby showed.

 

[Warby]

Got me one of those, too! So much better than the old fashion helping hands with the ball joints like the one Warby showed.
View attachment 198092

So mine isn't good enough for you, you helping hand snob. Fan boy

 

[Xraycer]

So mine isn't good enough for you, you helping hand snob. Fan boy

Come on, everybody knows that 4 "hands" are better than 2!

 

[Warby]

Come on, everybody knows that 4 "hands" are better than 2!

Well, well, mine is metal and already rusting. Bet yours isn't rusting