Stripping Small Jumper Wires

by Rachels Instructs

6.9K75

Intro: Stripping Small Jumper Wires

Building circuits on a solderless breadboard is fun! Debugging a rats-nest of wires looping around a circuit that doesn't work is not! Here's a little instructable on neat trick for making small jumpers.

STEP 1: Srip One:

Strip off about twice as much insulation as you would expect to for breadboarding: 1/2" to 5/8".

STEP 2: Strip Two:

Then, strip a small section on insulation, but don't strip it all the way off!
You can measure the length against your breadboard, if you want to be really tense about it. Make sure you measure the insualtion that you will be cutting and adjusting, not including the exposed wire.

STEP 3: Snip and You're Done!

Now with a quick snip, the tiny jumper is born! No more excuses for un-tidy breadboards!

(There is likely going to be an automated version using a servo motor/ stepper motor instructable somewhere in my future!)

5 Comments

mobby666 13 years ago

Am able to strip fine stranded wires with a 'stanley' knife, it's just a matter of touch...................Oh & 36 years experience helps a bit too............lol

Phil B 13 years ago

Thank you for your response and the link. It seems I often need to solder a piece of stranded wire to something, as I did in this recent Instructable.

Phil B 13 years ago

This is a good idea. I was hoping your Instructable would say something about stripping small stranded wires. It is often a challenge to remove the plastic insulation without cutting off one or two of the fine strands. Of course, you would not choose stranded wire for use on a solderless breadboard, which is a key aspect of your Instructable. I do have a wire stripper, but it is for regular electrical wiring, not for wires down to #40 like yours.

Rachels Instructs 13 years ago

Hi Phil, I have not found it useful to strip short lengths of stranded wire. Usually when I use stranded wire, I need them for length and flexibility. That said, I have the same problem when stripping and occasionally loosing a few strands in the process. I've been chalking it up to the "stranded wire stripper's tax" but also find that using a better quality stripper and matching the guage works nicely. Jameco sells a very affordable stripper that cuts 16g to 26g rather nicely.