You most likely have tried at some stage to strip coax cable only to find it didn’t work out as you planned. Well I will show you the easy ways to strip coax
There are two ways coax can be easily stripped. Using a knife, or using a coax cable stripping tool. I will show both to make things easier. I will show how to fit an F connector as they are commonly used for modern TV connections. I’m using twist on F connectors as they are easy for beginners to attach to cables
F Connector :
Stripping with a knife:
You will first need the following
- Utility or box cutting knife
- Coax cable of your choice
- Connectors that are designed for your grade of cable and will fit to whatever receiver you will use
- Wire cutters of pliers
Step 1
Ensure cable end is cut neatly as the following pic shows
Cable end :
Step 2
Start cutting approximately 1/4 inch from the cable end pressing hard on the blade so you cut through the outer braid, but not so hard that you damage the inner conductor as the following pic shows
Cutting the cable :
Result :
Step 3
Start stripping from where the first cut ends as shown in the next pic approximately half the length you stripped the first time. Take your knife and cut lightly so you only cut the outer insulation and not the braid underneath
Where to cut :
Exposing the braid :
Step 4
Take your connector and attach as shown in the next pic. You want to twist the connector on until the inner insulation only just sticks through the hole in the end
Attaching the connector :
End result :
Step 5
You now want to take your wire cutters and cut the excess core level with the end of the plug as shown
Cutting to length :
Step 6
Your connector should now look like this
End result :
Stripping coax with a coax stripping tool
Items required
- Coax cable
- Coax Stripping tool
- F Connector ( Screw on type )
- Wire cutters
Before you begin it is a good idea to check to see that the blade depth is set correctly, It is usually done by turning two screws on the base of the tool, the following pic shows the adjustment screws. Check the instructions that came with the tool before you begin
Step 1
Ensure cable end is cut neatly
Cable end :
Step 2
place cable into the stripping tool by squeezing handles to open the jaws of the tool as the next pic demonstrates
Inserting cable into tool :
Step 3
By holding the cable in one hand place the index finger of your other hand through the ring on the handle of the tool, This allows you to rotate the tool around the cable easier. After a few revolutions remove cable from the tool, your cable should look something like this:
Cable End :
Step 3
Screw connector onto the end of your cable until the inner insulation only just pokes out the hole in the connector as shown in the next pic
Connector:
Step 4
Your cable should now look like this if you have correctly attached the connector
End result :
