Hi Mike
No, there is NEVER a need to remove insulation mid-wire if the strippers do their job properly. The only insulation that needs to go is at the wire ends.
When I did my 2,000 sq feet 4mm scale layout I used 120 metres of 10 gauge super heavy high quality wire as the "Master bus", and about 200 metres of 32x.2 as "sub busses" within the layout boards.... (not to mention about the same 200m or red and black for droppers!!) so I think I'm qualified to answer.
I used the two jaw type automatic strippers I recommend - this was in part also my "test" when I compared other brands at the time the wiring of the layout was started... Overall, every single bit of track and every turnout had its own droppers, and each needed connection... So I separated the bus about once per 400~600 mm on average for droppers within each layout board... sometimes more on complex boards.
The success of the tool I selected to use and to then sell to others was as a result of these very much "real world" tests... this is how I select ALL the tools I sell, and this approach is a consistent policy at DCCconcepts - we never stock any product in the tool area that I have not used and compared to others and cannot confidently call "best of its type".
When using this tool (which after the start was shared between 4 types, did about 99% of the layout) each time it took exactly one squeeze of the 2 jaw strippers with no missed attempts, no stripping errors, no broke copper strands and no need to match the wire to any slot - something that to me is an unnecessary complication and is a right pain when you are under a baseboard.
It was
never necessary to remove any insulation, no gap closed up after using the strippers and no copper strands were nicked while using the 2 jaw stripper.
You simply could not do a layout this big using a knife and retain both fingers and sanity.
I estimate choosing this tool saved me about 40 hours under the baseboard and about a million swear words compared to using a knife or any other form of stripper. Ditto for my own design/own brand small wire strippers which were used for all dropper work, but that is another story.
If others prefer to use a knife or other stripper types thats fine, but they are simply not the best tool for the job!
regards
Richard
QUOTE (16A @ 13 Mar 2009, 23:01)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Back to the original question... As I understand things, neither of these two strippers will actually remove a portion of insulation from the middle of a length of wire - or will they? Yes they will break the insulation and you may be able to slide a bit back far enough to allow a joint to be made but, if you want a piece removing, you'll have to make two cuts and then remove the bit with a craft knife or similar - so why not use the craft knife to start with?
Mike