Author Topic: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued  (Read 13583 times)

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Offline KL27xTopic starter

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Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« on: August 30, 2015, 12:11:43 am »
The wire stripper in this tool is very handy to me. If anyone knows of a suitable replacement (or a better method of applying wire jumpers), please post!

I made a video to show what I mean. Please excuse the one needless swear word:

*Please also excuse my quirky sense of humor of late. I am in no way affiliated with Radio Shack or any other tool maker. I have enough of these things to last myself a lifetime, but there are other people I wish to keep supplied with these tools.

*updated: http://vid18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/klee27x/Public%20Service%20Announcement_zpsycns37ge.mp4


« Last Edit: August 30, 2015, 12:47:30 am by KL27x »
 
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Offline Richard Crowley

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2015, 12:18:32 am »
It seems more surprising that Radio Shack was ever selling anything associated with wire-wrap.
Both Radio Shack and Wire Wrap are well past their "sell-by" dates.
 

Offline KL27xTopic starter

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2015, 12:21:16 am »
Quote
was ever
Yeah, I remember when they used to sell logic chips and microcontroller kits. That's just not exactly main stream consumer stuff, anymore. DIY defies the whole "throw away and buy new" economic stimulus.

Quote
Wire Wrap [is] well past [its] "sell-by" date
I still use wire wrap when rigging up ICSP headers or when breadboarding. But the wire stripper in the handle of the tool is what I'm interested in, specifically, but it looks like my vid link is broken, ATM.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2015, 12:27:18 am by KL27x »
 

Offline KL27xTopic starter

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2015, 12:33:49 am »
Apologies. It should be working, for now.
 

Offline Deathwish

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Offline retrolefty

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2015, 12:45:13 am »
It seems more surprising that Radio Shack was ever selling anything associated with wire-wrap.
Both Radio Shack and Wire Wrap are well past their "sell-by" dates.

 I agree as to wire wrapping, the sockets are just too expensive these days. However wire wrap wire is still great stuff but you need special strippers with it.  :-+
 

Offline KL27xTopic starter

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2015, 12:50:25 am »
http://mil.ufl.edu/4744/admin/Wire_wrap_tool.htm

Yeah, the OK Industries tools are great. I probably still have one, somewhere. But the wire stripper can only strip a free wire end.

Quote
wire wrap wire is still great stuff but you need special strippers with it
30AWG kynar is really a breeze to strip with a variety of tools, or even just a pair of flush cutters, IME. But the Radio Shack stripper can reliably separate the insulation anywhere, not just on the ends.





 

Offline retrolefty

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2015, 12:52:45 am »
http://mil.ufl.edu/4744/admin/Wire_wrap_tool.htm

Yeah, the OK Industries tools are great. I probably still have one, somewhere. But the wire stripper can only strip a free wire end.

Quote
wire wrap wire is still great stuff but you need special strippers with it
30AWG kynar is really a breeze to strip with a variety of tools, or even just a pair of flush cutters, IME. But the Radio Shack stripper can reliably separate the insulation anywhere, not just on the ends.

 Yea if kynar is the stuff I had a small unmarked roll of was great. I could strip an end just using my fingernails.  :-+
 

Offline packetbob

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2015, 01:03:43 am »
I have used wire wrap wire in the manner you show for years in projects..
However I have always used the OK Industries WSU-30M...
The RS tool you show would have saved me tons of time and aggravation..

Too bad they can't be found any more  :-[

 

Offline Deathwish

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Electrons are typically male, always looking for any hole to get into.
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Offline KL27xTopic starter

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #10 on: August 30, 2015, 01:30:01 am »
I already grabbed four. They are the silver-bitted kind, and they are good stuff. I also picked up a vintage JAPAN, still in the package on Ebay, the other week. I was just curious looking to the future. I have a team with which I'm co-dependent, and other people cannot necessarily take as much time or care with their tools, as I do.

Quote
I have used wire wrap wire in the manner you show for years in projects..
I have tried all the alternatives that I can imagine. I have played with enameled wire. I have tried "melt-thru" insulations. I have even tried expensive Teflon insulated 30AWG (which turns out to be a nightmare to strip). I have even used pre-cut and stripped wires, and the RS tool still wins for my purposes. Once I learned how to use the RS stripper, 30AWG kynar has been my go-to, and I never looked back. So maybe someone else knows a better way to rework a pcb.

If no one replies with a suitable alternative, I may pick up 4 more. It sure hurts, though. Last time I bought these, they were $7.99.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2015, 01:41:15 am by KL27x »
 

Offline Deathwish

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #11 on: August 30, 2015, 01:39:52 am »
I have never used one before, if I want to strip a wire I just use side snips or I suppose you could get a file and file a notch into the cutting edge of a pair of side cutters just big enough for the wire to pass and the outer coating to be cut.
Electrons are typically male, always looking for any hole to get into.
trying to strangle someone who talks out of their rectal cavity will fail, they can still breath.
God hates North Wales, he has put my home address on the blacklist of all couriers with instructions to divert all parcels.
 

Offline alsetalokin4017

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #12 on: August 30, 2015, 02:53:36 am »
I have one of the RS tools, have had it for years and love it. The little stripper concealed in the handle is great for the #30 Kynar wire. I didn't pay 19.95 for it though... I guess I should move it from the "miscellaneous" tool drawer to the "precious irreplaceable" drawer now.

My favorite all-purpose stripping tool (other than my teeth  >:D  ) is a Pro'sKit 8PK-3001D, which has holes for #20 AWG (0.8 mm) down to #30 AWG (0.2 mm) and the #30 hole works great for Kynar wire-wrap wire. The very tip of this tool is a nicely ribbed gripper which works well for crimping small crimp-on connectors, too.
The easiest person to fool is yourself. -- Richard Feynman
 

Offline KL27xTopic starter

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #13 on: August 30, 2015, 03:18:01 am »
Neat. I might have to buy one of those on your glowing recommendation.

I have a collection of wire strippers of various gauges and various price tags. Many of which, I have never used in practice. I just like to see how they work, what's new, what's old, I suppose. But maybe it's more than that? I have made my own wirestrippers, including a battery-operated thermal stripper that handles 30AWG up to maybe 20AWG (depending on the insulation thickness!)

I have recently acquired my first ProKit combo wire-stripper/flush-cutter. It looked deliciously complicated. It's in the collection with the others... no practical use for it at this time. :) I mostly work on firmware and hardware design on the pcb-level.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2015, 03:30:44 am by KL27x »
 

Offline nanofrog

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #14 on: August 30, 2015, 01:57:25 pm »
Have you considered a Jonard ST-100-2830 (i.e. $52.29 @ Mouser; here)?
 

Offline KL27xTopic starter

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #15 on: August 30, 2015, 05:17:09 pm »
OK, thank you! That looks like it should work, great. I have already ordered some blades in different sizes!
« Last Edit: August 30, 2015, 05:33:08 pm by KL27x »
 

Offline Deathwish

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #16 on: August 30, 2015, 05:45:20 pm »
You vultures !  :-DD , they had 8 last time i looked, now they have none.
Electrons are typically male, always looking for any hole to get into.
trying to strangle someone who talks out of their rectal cavity will fail, they can still breath.
God hates North Wales, he has put my home address on the blacklist of all couriers with instructions to divert all parcels.
 

Offline nanofrog

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #17 on: August 30, 2015, 05:51:53 pm »
OK, thank you! That looks like it should work, great. I have already ordered some blades in different sizes!
You're welcome.  :)

BTW, here's a photo that shows a bit more of it.

 

Offline KL27xTopic starter

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #18 on: August 30, 2015, 07:59:27 pm »
Quote
You vultures !  :-DD , they had 8 last time i looked, now they have none.

Don't worry. Jameco still has them. And they sell on Amazon, too.
http://www.amazon.com/JAMECO-BENCHPRO-30AWG-Wire-Wrap/dp/B00C9NWR1Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440964606&sr=8-1&keywords=wire+wrap+tool+jameco&pebp=1440964595238&perid=18J4VZJH8GCA2WKNXN18

I've bought from Jameco and Ben's Odds and Ends in the last few weeks, and they were the same exact model.
 

Offline KL27xTopic starter

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #19 on: September 06, 2015, 08:43:38 pm »
I got some time to fiddle with my new Jonard/OK Industries replacement blades. I didn't actually buy the whole tool, since the ergos don't look like they'd work great for what I use this for.

Even the replacement blades are huge. So I drilled out the rivets, and the 5 mil thickness blades come right out. The blades are soft enough to cut with tin snips without shattering. Some hex bar, a belt sander, a Dremel, stone files, and some JB Weld later, and this is the result (the two on the right are with the Jonard blade. On left are some of my vintage Radio Shack tools for comparison):
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/klee27x/DSC_2954_zpskqyskeyj.jpg

Closeup:
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/klee27x/DSC_2960_zps3uwyppqf.jpg

My attempts at soldering the blades were bunk. Time will tell if the JB Weld will hold up, but they work and look great. I should be set for at least the next 20 years, and I am looking forward to using the "beads-on-a-string" technique, next time I need some 26AWG kynar intra-connects.

FYI, if anyone is going to mess with their Radio Shack tool, I don't recommend brazing. One of my original wrap/strip tools (far left on the pic) is a simple butt joint that is brazed. It is rock solid, but the blade holder started to melt and was nearly ruined. Since then, I've been using regular electrical solder with a finger joint; this gives more than adequate strength.

Another FYI, although "beads-on-a-string" is really most useful for pcb intraconnects, the 26AWG stripper appears to work perfectly on the very common 26/28AWG stranded wires with thicker poly insulation that some of us might encounter in cabling, CAT-5, etc.
« Last Edit: September 06, 2015, 09:11:27 pm by KL27x »
 

Offline nanofrog

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #20 on: September 06, 2015, 09:16:01 pm »
Glad they worked out for you.  :-+

FWIW, I can't see the JB Weld letting go on you before the blade wears out (used over 30 years ago on a vise that's still going).  ;)
 

Offline KL27xTopic starter

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #21 on: September 06, 2015, 09:37:02 pm »
I hear ya on that. I use a lot of different kinds of epoxy. But when it comes to steel, I reach for my 10 yr old tubes of red and black JB.

It doesn't seem to have the best mechanical strength. But it stays a little pliable and has great adhesion on steel. I think of it as "hot glue" for steel.
« Last Edit: September 06, 2015, 10:03:37 pm by KL27x »
 

Offline nanofrog

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #22 on: September 06, 2015, 10:37:51 pm »
I hear ya on that. I use a lot of different kinds of epoxy. But when it comes to steel, I reach for my 10 yr old tubes of red and black JB.

It doesn't seem to have the best mechanical strength. But it stays a little pliable and has great adhesion on steel. I think of it as "hot glue" for steel.
I've had decent results from Devcon's equivalent as well.
 

Online Electro Fan

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #23 on: September 08, 2015, 03:05:46 am »
Presumably the Radio Shack version does unwrap too?

Is the Jameco model the same as the vintage Radio Shack recommended by the OP, or is it a somewhat lesser version (maybe equivalent to what the OP showed in the middle of the 3 units)?
 

Offline KL27xTopic starter

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Re: Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool Discontinued
« Reply #24 on: September 08, 2015, 03:32:24 am »
Yes. It unwraps, too. But sometimes the end of the wire is bent and the RS tool won't catch when trying to unwrap. The OK separate unwrap tool is a little more of a sure thing, but it is slower to use; it will get jammed if you get more than one wrap in the head.

What is better than either OK or RS tool for unwrapping is regular needle nose pliers with grooved/grippy teeth. Grab the wrapped post in line with the plier head and pull straight up. If you have to unwrap several connections this is way faster.

The one I got from Jameco was the middle kind. The only difference in the wrap is the insulation doesn't fit in the bit. So you only get a half wrap of 8nsulation. With the older JAPAN, you get a full 1 1/2 wraps.

As far as the stripper, yeah. The middle one with the almost black blade is what I got from jameco. The only difference is it seems like on the three I have like that, the blade takes more force and can stretch the insulation a little in one direction. Seems like the way they made the blade there's only a sharp corner/burr on one side. Well, you can actually see this under a microscope. But I find u can sharpen it up quite nicely by rubbing the dull side on a fine sharpening stone; it helps to have a microscope to know when to stop. It's a subtle difference, and you probably wouldn't notice or care if you hadn't used a "JAPAN" stripper for 10 years.

I have also identified a third kind of wire stripper from the Amazon seller (who is out). It is the newer wrap bit but is has a dlifferent blade, again. The blade holder is different too. Rounded on the front and with long ears, and with a light blue blade (but thinner blade stock than the JAPAN). This blade cuts as good as the JAPAN both ways, but the holder is machined a little funky and most of the ones I have like this could use some help to hold the blade tighter. A few taps with a ball peen hammer over the ears does the trick.

BTW if anyone wants a cheap RS wire wrap tool without the stripper, or maybe 6 of them, pm me.







« Last Edit: September 08, 2015, 04:35:11 am by KL27x »
 


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