Is there a reason why cloth covered PVC insulated wire exists?

[evancorylevine]

Besides to break at joints, be harder to strip, and be a general pain in the ass? 

[sluckey]

yes

[John]

It looks cool. ;)


And if it's breaking at the joints, you're nicking it when you strip it.

[PRR]

It is the best stuff for re-wiring a 1933 motorcycle.

You do know Hoffman stocks the original-flavor cloth wire? On a 'cycle, I'd want some modern plastic inside; but in an amp, cloth works best.

[evancorylevine]

yes

When is it preferable over PVC insulated or plain cloth in amp building? (Or elsewhere?)

I ask earnestly.

[evancorylevine]

It looks cool. ;)


And if it's breaking at the joints, you're nicking it when you strip it.

That's it, right? That it looks cool?

And it wouldn't nick if I could strip it with a regular wire stripper! Is there a trick to stripping this junk (without nicking it) besides not cutting all the way down?

[Platefire]

I don't know if it's proper but in stripping the ends of cloth covered wire to make a solder joint, I find it easier to burn it off, then clean it up a little bit before soldering. Platefire

[kagliostro]

OK, we are talking about cloth covered wire, but I like to adopt, on the ends, a small piece of Heat-shrink tube

consider the cloth as the shield of a shielded cable

look to the images on the right bottom of this guide



Franco

[jjasilli]

@ kagliostro:  Great post, thanks!  That's an improved way to deal with shielded wire.  All I've ever seen is a long strand of bare shielded wire on one end - a short waiting to happen.  And it's better to seal-off the shield on the other end.  Also, 2 diameters of heatshrink tubing: Live & Learn!

[sluckey]

That's it, right? That it looks cool?

Isn't that why you bought it? Lot's of people like the way it looks. And lot's of people have bought the stuff you have only to find that it's hard to work with. Most end up throwing the wire in the trash and getting the good stuff. Hoffman sells the stuff you want. It's cloth over wire, no plastic. You don't even have to strip it. Just cut to length and push the cloth back to expose the bare wire. Never any nicks! Very easy.

Is there a trick to stripping this junk (without nicking it) besides not cutting all the way down?

Using a good quality stripper with sharp blades is the secret to stripping any wire without nicking the conductor. Cheap V-notch type strippers can't strip anything without nicking. These strippers work very well on Teflon and should work on cloth/plastic wire too.

https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-6-Inch-T-Type-Stripper/dp/B06WD5737T/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1504266770&sr=8-21&keywords=klein+wire+stripper

Or, much cheaper at Home Depot...

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Wire-Stripper-Cutter-11046/100630720

So, if you want to use that wire get some good strippers and make some test strips until you learn how to strip cleanly. If you still can't strip without nicking the wire throw it away and get the good stuff.

[labb]

Simple people do simple things...I'm simple. When I build an amp it is for someone to play. Most players don't and shouldn't ever look inside the amp. I don't restore vintage amps much. I use Solid Tin-Plated Copper Wire—600V AC 
from our friends over at McMaster Carr. Their number 8428T3. I use 20 gage and wire the whole amp with it. Except for the shielded stuff. Works for me.

[John]

It looks cool. ;)


And if it's breaking at the joints, you're nicking it when you strip it.

That's it, right? That it looks cool?

And it wouldn't nick if I could strip it with a regular wire stripper! Is there a trick to stripping this junk (without nicking it) besides not cutting all the way down?

Lol. Sorry, you're cracking me up. I actually have some green-cloth/pvc insulated wire in 20 ga. solid that I got off a fella in Tenn. I haven't had any problem stripping it/nicking it, whatever. Like Sluckey says, use good strippers. I like Klein from Home Depot myself. The wire I have I just use on the heaters (without twisting).

[kagliostro]

A friend of mine, at Ham Fest sell a very nice kind of wire

it is copper, plastic film an then a cloth covered with someting that seems a transparent rubber, but this "rubber" isn't a separated layer

it only impregnate the cloth

the "finished" wire looks like this tube (in Italy we call it Tubo Sterling) and all result as a sigle piece, like normal electric wire



Franco

[evancorylevine]

It looks cool. ;)


And if it's breaking at the joints, you're nicking it when you strip it.

That's it, right? That it looks cool?

And it wouldn't nick if I could strip it with a regular wire stripper! Is there a trick to stripping this junk (without nicking it) besides not cutting all the way down?

Lol. Sorry, you're cracking me up. I actually have some green-cloth/pvc insulated wire in 20 ga. solid that I got off a fella in Tenn. I haven't had any problem stripping it/nicking it, whatever. Like Sluckey says, use good strippers. I like Klein from Home Depot myself. The wire I have I just use on the heaters (without twisting).

"LOL, Sorry, I'm laughing at you." That's all I'm hearing. Redundant and unnecessarily rude post.

That's it, right? That it looks cool?

Isn't that why you bought it? Lot's of people like the way it looks. And lot's of people have bought the stuff you have only to find that it's hard to work with. Most end up throwing the wire in the trash and getting the good stuff. Hoffman sells the stuff you want. It's cloth over wire, no plastic. You don't even have to strip it. Just cut to length and push the cloth back to expose the bare wire. Never any nicks! Very easy.

Is there a trick to stripping this junk (without nicking it) besides not cutting all the way down?

Using a good quality stripper with sharp blades is the secret to stripping any wire without nicking the conductor. Cheap V-notch type strippers can't strip anything without nicking. These strippers work very well on Teflon and should work on cloth/plastic wire too.

https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-6-Inch-T-Type-Stripper/dp/B06WD5737T/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1504266770&sr=8-21&keywords=klein+wire+stripper

Or, much cheaper at Home Depot...

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Wire-Stripper-Cutter-11046/100630720

So, if you want to use that wire get some good strippers and make some test strips until you learn how to strip cleanly. If you still can't strip without nicking the wire throw it away and get the good stuff.

This wire actually came as part of my weber kit. Since there were two regular push back coils and a pvc-insulated cloth-covered coil, I was earnestly asking (despite my snark) if there was a practical application for the difference.

About the klein stripper: DUH! I totally spaced on this. I have been keeping mine around mostly for crimping and bolt cutting duties since I switched to the GB GS-394 pictured below.



I love love love this tool which I've been using to build synthesizers and other audio circuits for years.

I was using a scalpel to remove the insulation, as that seemed the fastest cleanest way to me, having totally spaced on the Klein tool that's been sitting on my desk since forever, right in front of this project.

Thanks for the clarity, for this ailing space cadet, Sluckey! Your generosity of time and energy continues to impress me.

[bnwitt]

I've been using Doug's vintage cloth push back wire for years and I love it.  So easy to use. And Fast.  Time is money.

[sluckey]

Seriously, buy the Klein I posted. You won't be disappointed. The stripper you posted will have a tough time in the corner of a tight chassis or a 2" wire. Not so with the Klein.

[evancorylevine]

Seriously, buy the Klein I posted. You won't be disappointed. The stripper you posted will have a tough time in the corner of a tight chassis or a 2" wire. Not so with the Klein.

Already have one and totally embarrassed I didn't consider using it, as stated above!  Thank you again!

[PRR]

Before PVC existed:

[SoundmasterG]

The Weber wire is not even close to the quality of the stuff that Hoffman sells. As they said....time is money. The Hoffman stuff is so much easier to use.


Greg