(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best wire strippers

For (bigger) diagonal cutters/pliers, I think the most BIFL are NWS with their "Titan finish". Knipex is a fairly close second, but I like the finish on NWS better. Both can handle hard and medium hard wire (including nails and screws) without a problem, unlike most Klein, Snap-On, etc. The biggest issue is finding NWS in the US. The NWS Fantastico Plus are the best diagonal cutters I've ever laid my hands on.

For precision cutters/pliers, Xuron. They're semi-flush (Xuron call them flush, but I'd still call them semi-flush) micro sheer cutters are great but thankfully don't seem to nick up easily like (Xcelite, Snap-On, etc.) flush cutters do. I like the ones with that are ESD safe, with extra long handles, and the lead retainer best if you're going to be populating a lot of circuit boards. Otherwise, their cheaper models are just as nice.

Wiha precision screwdrivers. I've given this set as a gift before. Wera for the bigger stuff if you need it. Wiha or Wera bits (only larger sizes, I've never found precision bits I've particularly liked).

Klein to fill in gaps.

Bondhus hex keys.

Find a nice used Fluke multimeter on eBay. 89IV go for under $200 and have pretty much identical features to the 189 (believe the 189 mostly just has a bigger inductance/capacitance range). Most universities will have someone tasked with calibration/maintaining the measurement equipment. Make friends and he'll probably calibrate it for you/teach you how/just let you jump in and try. Mine was falling out of the box after UPS drop kicked it to my door, but the calibration was still super boring as nothing needed adjustment.

Hakko or Weller soldering station. Easy to find tips, especially for Weller. WESD51 dropped to $99 on Amazon a couple times in the last year, great time to scoop one up for little more than the analog version. The Stahl Tools one Amazon sells is also good for dirt cheap, but not really BIFL; good luck on finding tips. Metcal is too rich for my blood, but if you ever happen across one that is cheap.

Kester "44" solder, accept no substitute. 63/37 or 60/40, but since the spool will last you half a lifetime, I'd probably go with the 63/37.

I have a love/hate relationship with wire strippers. Something like this usually gets the job done, but sometimes you'll get wire with a strange jacket size and they'll fail. For the automatic kind, this style works ok (especially if you adjust it to what you're stripping), but I usually like this style better; again, as long as the jacket isn't too small and you wire is in the right range. Sadly, I probably most often grab for cheapies like this. The adjustment screw is great if you have to do a lot of a certain size, but I tend to free hand them. It takes quite a bit of practice, but once you get the hang of it, it's the fastest. Thermal wire strippers are just too pricey for the home user, especially if you want to do PVC, teflon, etc. jacketed wire.

I also have a love/hate relationship with crimpers. I have some crimpers I got for Anderson Powerpole connectors from West Mountain Radio (largely because I couldn't believe how cheap they are-- connector-specific crimpers are usually many times the price they charge) and they were great for the Powerpoles. I even bought some of the other die sets, but I've been less happy with those. I often end up using a similar pair to these or the die on a pair of Klein lineman's pliers for the larger crimps.

Well, I'm no expert, but I have absolutely fallen in love with this kind in particular, with a soldering iron (No! Bad!) temperature of ~300°C. ('Kester' is another brand of very high repute.) (EDIT: Damnit! That version of the iron keeps breaking on me if I take it over 350 degrees. They've since improved the design. Sorry if anyone here bought it 'cause of me. ._.) (THIS is what you REALLY want, though. ...probably.)

Here's one of the better instructional videos to watch, although his setup is definitely a lot fancier than you need.

Edit: To add to why I like it so much, having your solder melt and wick quickly & easily at a low temperature (and also clean the joint effectively & solidify neatly) is *very* useful, particularly when you're just learning and can't recognize exactly why something isn't working. It is astounding how effective a tiny, heat-induced oxide layer (which can form frustratingly quickly) will prevent the heat from transferring to what you're trying to melt (or the solder from wetting the iron's tip), even/especially if the iron is hundreds of degrees hotter than what you're trying to melt.

It's not just about lead being a more effective solder, or there being less contaminants in the alloy: the quality of the rosin in the core can make a huge difference, too. (Which is why a jar of quality paste can be one of the most useful tools in your kit, too, as it'll help to resolve almost any of the most common reasons for having trouble.)

Edit 2: I've also recently discovered that the little punchdown/stripper combo tools (that you often get for free with ethernet cable installation kits) are far more practical than their price would suggest, when you're stripping multi-core wire. Nothing else that you're likely to find in your average household toolbox even compares to the ease and efficiency of those cheap-looking thingamajigs.

Cable Technician Here: Make sure that when pre-wiring a house, you consider WHERE the equipment is going and WHAT equipment is going where.

Cable Television will for the forseeable future always require dedicated lines, installing a home director's panel is highly advisable.

Also, When choosing coaxial cable, I'll go ahead and tell you some of the best stuff to go with is either Perfect-Flex or Commscope Coaxial cable.

This Stuff Here Is awesome, because it has good shielding, AND it's cross compatible with Satellite and Cable Television. The big thing you're looking for is it's capable of doing 3Ghz frequencies. Cable televsion only uses 5-860Mhz as a standard right now, but Satellite uses freq. as high as 2.85Ghz.

Alongside the equipment itself, you're going to want the proper end connectors, for that, leave that to TWC. Essentially after you run the wiring TWC will do ALL the connectorization for you. If you do want to do it yourself...

You'll Need a Compression Tool, a Cable Prep Tool and Fittings.

Splitting, you want to do the Home run for this reason. All footage matters greatly, its easiest to get the best splitting, and most equal distrobution through your house by using a smart panel. Preferably located as close to the Electrial Meter (because your Feed line must be close to power for grounding) as possible.

Aside from that, I'd be glad to help if you wanted to drop a pm to me sometime, I can assist with all aspects of your setup. I just enjoy doing cable work, and would love to help.

The following are the tools I used to add a new cable line for MoCA to an old room on my land:

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*NOTE: THIS SETUP DOES NOT APPLY TO A FIOS SERVICE PROVIDER.*

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(optional) MoCA POE Filter for Cable TV Coaxial Networking - This goes onto the incoming COAX Cable. Sometimes your provider does use the same frequency as the MoCA signal to manage with its devices. So This makes sure that your signal is safe to use, and doesn't interfere with your providers own management. This is optional because it depends on your layout. If you live in an apartment complex or area with multiple houses connected (wall to wall) , I HIGHLY recommend you purchase this to prevent your neighbors from receiving and possibly connecting to your network. You should connect this as follows: |Incoming COAX > MoCA POE Filter|

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2-Way Coax Cable Splitter Bi-Directional MoCA - This allowed me to split my incoming cable so that I can reuse the same line leading to the outside of my house. You can also use it if all your lines are internal, but I digress. It allows you to split and connect multiple rooms (while being safe for MoCA signals). Ideally it goes: | Incoming COAX > MoCA POE Filter > MoCA Cable Splitter > Every room you want connected (including router) |

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MOTOROLA MOCA Adapter for Ethernet Over Coax, 1,000 Mbps Bonded 2.0 - This is what you use to connect both ( or more) ends of the MoCA network. At the end of it all, this is how your network should look:

The internet comes into your house via | Incoming Coax > MoCA POE Filter > MoCA Cable Splitter > COAX Cable leading to MoCA Adapter > MoCA Adapter > Modem > Router (WAN port). |

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At this point your router is connected to the internet. The connection to the rest of your house is a follows: | Router via LAN port > MoCA Adapter that's connecting to your Modem > MoCA signal travels down your internet Coax > returns to the MoCA Cable Splitter > Coax split from cable splitter, leading to other section of house > MoCA Adapter > Device or switch |

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(optional) QUAD SHIELD SOLID COPPER 3GHZ RG-6 Coax Cable - I needed to order cable because the room I connected had no coax leading to it. If you need to buy cable, make sure you measure the distance away from the splitter, BASED ON the path you plan to lay the COAX cable on. Then add a few feet "just in case". If you don't need to run new cable, this is a non issue, and can be safely not purchased. Also, this particular cable was not pre-terminated, so I had to terminate and crimp the ends myself which may not be for everyone. Pre-made cables are available, albeit a bit more expensive.

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(optional) Waterproof Connectors Crimping Tool - This is the tool I used to crimp my COAX cable. If you don't need to terminate your own cables, you don't need to buy this tool.

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(optional) Rotary Drill Bit - I only needed this because I had to drill in from the outside (old house). You may also need to use this if you have to add a new hole in your wall, for a brand new coax connection. Needless to say, this is optional.

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(optional) Coaxial Wall Plate - I used this to add the coax cable to my wall. It makes it look nice but isn't "technically" necessary. Use it as you see fit.

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(optional) 3ft BLACK QUAD SHIELD SOLID COPPER 3GHZ RG-6 Coaxial Cable - This connects the coax wall plate to the branched off network (and devices) Use as you see fit.

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*NOTE: THIS SETUP DOES NOT APPLY TO A FIOS SERVICE PROVIDER.*

​

If you have any questions, let me know. all the items I listed above can be swapped out for cheaper or more locally accessible items at will. Just be sure yo do your research first.

I'm an access control technician, I strip and terminate these types of wires hundreds of times a week.

The tool I use the most are regular Klein strippers. You get pretty good at stripping the jacket without getting to the wires. Sometimes the #12 stripper hole fits the wire pretty well, especially on 18/2 or 22/4. 18/4 (what you have pictured?) is too big and you have to use the cutters.

The tool I use when I'm sitting and doing a panel are Knipex snips. The circular groove in them is perfect for stripping cables, also really useful for stripping cat5/6. And of course the scissor end is great for cutting the shielding foil and string inside the cable. There are a couple other brands that have a similar design, but the Knipex ones are my favorite, and they're very reasonably priced. Knipex also has a few cable stripping tools like this one. I've never used one, but its designed to do exactly what you're describing. In Germany/Europe, they use jacketed multiconductor cables for running electrical power, similar to an SO cord, so many electrical stripping tools are designed for these bigger, thicker, heavier duty cables and may not work as well on smaller stuff like 18/4.

You can use a dedicated cable stripper like this fluke one, but you have to calibrate it for each cable diameter, and it really isn't practical most of the time. At least in my field, you often terminate several sizes of cables in one sitting. If you're in a setting where you have hundreds of identical cables or something it might be the way to go.

Another poster mentioned a similar type of stripper but the Stripax Pro is the best stripper I've used if you are doing any sort of repeated wire stripping. The adjustable stripping mechanism allows you to set a stripping length to ensure that every action strips away the same length of insulation to make production easier, especially when crimping on ferrules. There are cheaper knockoff brands that may perform as well as this model if the price is a concern.

When I was roping houses, I was pretty fond of the Ideal Reflex strippers.

Wow.. My shop is of similar size, not far from the house to flip a breaker, so in my case, I decided against a subpanel for simplicity.

I'm no electrician either, but I am mostly replacing things.. Plus I argue it's safer now than what it was. If I ever win the lottery, maybe I'll hire someone to cover the corner cases. I'm also ok with the risks with the law and the sale of my home, if ever. I bought my house AS-IS with knob and tube wiring.. and I'm ok with the risks of DIY. YMMV.

I'm doing this on the cheap too, but I refuse to scrimp on tools and materials, and I'm all about making a little go, getting by, then adding more.

Mine didn't have a subpanel, and I didn't bother adding one. I spent about an hour attempting to figure out what the hell someone else was thinking. Then I gave up, said 'clear the canvas'.. what do I want here..? I committed myself to the philosophy that it everything above ground was crap and I have not regretted that decision thus far.

I found the original crusty pipe in the ground which fed the wires. I sawzalled what was left of the box. I carefully fished out what was left of the ALUMINUM WIRE (!! Google the horrors!!) So glad I had the No Wire Untouched Policy and didn't trust it.

I hooked on 3 fresh 10 gauge wire pairs (3 pair to replace the single pair) fed individual circuits from the house. Two pair are 110v, one pair is for 208v. I did this by myself. The old wire broke halfway on my pull, so I had to use an electricians fish and pull the new wire through. That alone took a full day to pull 20 feet. That's a serious amount of copper in a tiny, tiny pipe. There was much cursing. Then some yellow wire pull lube. and more cursing.

Meanwhile, I was "getting by" with a simple extension cord across the yard. Protect it from water, coil it up when done for the day. Tedious.

After spending many hours in the freaking isles of big box stores.. going pro/con and comparing dollars.. here's a list of crap that made my life so much easier.. Much of this you may already know; ignore if so, but you can use it for budgeting and planning.

1.) Klein wire stripper. (Home Depot) Has a little cutout for making romex into individual strings without thinking. I can do this in the dark now. It's amazing. Here it is on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Klein-K1210-Klein-Kurve-Stripper-Cutter/dp/B000OFU4SO

2.) Ideal Wire Nuts aka Push Connectors (Lowes)
Very easy to add branch circuits or layout a mesh grid pattern of outlets. Best of all, you can add to something later on REALLY fast and easy.. These only work on solid wire though.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_21985-12704-30-286L_0__?productId=3365796

3.) ENT Tube (AKA Smurf Tube) I've thought about this quite a bit. If you're shop is anything like mine, it's .. semi finished work... sorta "exposed work". I don't really like having naked romex around in a workspace, but I hate that BX metal shield stuff.. 3/4" Smurf is just right for 12/2. Don't forget fittings, I use the "click in" type, only I smack them in with a hammer in metal boxes (below). I don't know how to make it not curly, I tried sun and a torch and got mixed results. I use conduit clamps (lowes) to force it into place.

conduit:
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=78517-223-12007-100

tube to box connectors:
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=174404-223-A253E-CAR

clamps (5 pack), they have a 20 pack for cheaper too.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_3522-223-E977EC-CTN_4294822655

4.) Cheap & big electrical boxes. I like the big 4" metal ones. Make sure it has 3/4" knockouts. I like to keep it simple and only go with 1 or 2 types of boxes. the 4" has a wider variety of faceplates than the 4 11/64whatever box (aka 5" box?).

http://www.lowes.com/pd_70965-427-8232_4294722500__?productId=3129407

5.) Receptacle faceplate for boxes. The receptacles screw to the faceplate.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_72451-427-907CX_4294722499__?productId=3129499

6.) Receptacles: Backwire (for ganging many together easily). Not the Cheapest, but not the most expensive, receptacles. I tried the weather resistant ones at first, they suck.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_24356-334-BR15W-L_0__?productId=1069067

7.) Fish. Not only for when it all goes wrong.. to string the electrical through the smurf tube... 25 foot is nice. I have an old red Gardner Bender Cheepie, but new they can't be more than 20 bucks.

8.) Hot stick. I use a Klein idiot stick. Lots of people here hate them, but I have yet to shock myself. I only try to detect within a box though, just to make sure I remembered to turn the power off when I start. Since I said "screw the old junk", and was relentless at simplifying my design, I'm less reliant on these things since the layout is MUCH easier. I have a multimeter in the toolbox if it gets tricky.

Anyhoo.. That's what works for me.

Good luck!

>Any chance you could be more specific on the dupont connectors required?

You'll need 4 pin dupont housings and dupont female connectors and a crimper for them. That's assuming you have something to strip the wires as well. You can find the dupont female pins and housings cheaper places like aliexpress, ebay, etc.. but I recommend buying a quality crimper instead of whatever is the cheapest you can find as a quality tool will make the job a lot easier. If you're really strapped for cash, there's video's of people crimping dupont connectors with pliers online instead of the crimp tool.

>So <motor><cA> => <cB><cable><cC> => <cD><RAMPS board>

The wires transfer over to the same place from melzi to ramps, and pretty much any board. You'll have a X endstop, y endstop, z endstop, then connectors for the X motor Y motor Z motor and extruder motor, and so on and so forth. A ramps guide will help you visualize what to connect where.

>Any idea how big a cable for the power?

IIRC, the stock wires at 18ga, which is fine for the ramps board since it only draws 5A for all the motors, hotend, etc. The only other larger gauge connectors are for the heatbed, which I believe are also stock 18GA. FWIW, I'd go with a external mosfet instead of using the ramps on board ones which are rated for 11A, which is just within spec of what the bed draws.

Alright, you and /u/PioneerStandard have convinced me.

Would you mind helping me figure out which would work best?

Would a ratcheting one like this be best despite the cost? https://www.amazon.ca/Titan-11477-Ratcheting-Terminal-Crimper/dp/B0069TRKJ0

Or would a nice/decent wire stripper/cutter/crimper like this work alright? https://www.amazon.ca/Gardner-Bender-GS-366-Multi-Purpose-Crimp/dp/B00164C0KW

Also, would a more "plier-type" tool work as well? https://www.amazon.ca/Irwin-Industrial-2078309-Stripper-ProTouch/dp/B000JNNWQ2

Thanks by the way.

You would be better off making your own. I've found that a lot of the sets are cheap.

Here's my take on it.

1.Cable tester:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d
/B000P1OA1O?cache=6447edf9df8336c37ffb445471642e6b&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1412645606&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

Simple cat5 tester, cheap and works decently.

2. Cable stripper:

Here I've given two options, one is a spinning stripper made for things like taking the jacket off cat5, the second is a more of an electrical stripper for a bunch of gauges of wire with cutters at the back side. If your comfortable with it you can use the cutters to strip just about anything.

2.a http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0099DIV4G?cache=6447edf9df8336c37ffb445471642e6b&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1412645735&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

2.b. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00080DPNQ?cache=6447edf9df8336c37ffb445471642e6b&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&qid=1412645735&sr=8-12#ref=mp_s_a_1_12

3.punchdown tool :
If your in a spot where you get to do punchdowns it's nice to have, they are cheap and work well,

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000KMFDZ0?cache=6447edf9df8336c37ffb445471642e6b&pi=SX200_QL40&qid=1412646040&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

4. Cat 5 ends:
Always keep plenty of these, a bag of them is cheap and you will be glad you have them.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003M5BIII?cache=6447edf9df8336c37ffb445471642e6b&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1412646222&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

5: crimper:

Never underestimate a good crimper. I have had no luck with the cutting portion of them but that's why I have other tools.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000AZK4G?cache=6447edf9df8336c37ffb445471642e6b&pi=SX200_QL40&qid=1412646393&sr=8-2#ref=mp_s_a_1_2

6. #2 philps head.
I like ratcheting screw drivers with multiple heads but this is easily the most used screwdriver in my set.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000NNK9MS?cache=6447edf9df8336c37ffb445471642e6b&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&qid=1412646575&sr=8-5#ref=mp_s_a_1_5

The flat head out of this set is also nice, depending on your bag keep them all handy.


Everything beyond this point is optional or situational.

8. Power supply tester: if you do any sort of computer repair these are very handy to hold on to.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001MKCALY?cache=6447edf9df8336c37ffb445471642e6b&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1412646902&sr=8-3#ref=mp_s_a_1_3

9. Tweaker: good for laptop repair or if you deal with any sort of building controllers/ low voltage electrical.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0058I6VNE?cache=6447edf9df8336c37ffb445471642e6b&pi=SX200_QL40&qid=1412647026&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

I also have a similar sized Philips head screw driver but I use it much less frequently.

10. Electrical tape: some people say it's for those who mess up doing electrical, I call it insurance.

11. Linemans: I use mine to crimp chicklets mostly but they come in handy a lot. I couldn't find the exact ones I use b

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000A0S4XK?cache=6447edf9df8336c37ffb445471642e6b&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&qid=1412647275&sr=8-4#ref=mp_s_a_1_4


12: a bag:
Personally, I use an old back pack. I find its a lot easier to carry that along with a box of cable. This is entirely preference.

If he's working with Romex a lot, the heavy duty version may be preferable. I use the standard pair but to strip romex it's a two tool process. I use my linesman to remove the out sheath, then the strippers to trim and strip the individual wires. The heavy duty strippers work fine to remove the outer sheath.

On the other hand the standard strippers are a little lighter and superior at bending hooks to go around screws.

I've typically done more commercial work than residential, so the standard strippers are good for that. The heavy duty are a better option for residential.

https://www.amazon.com/Stripper-Stranded-Klein-Tools-K12055/dp/B071G1QJ7G/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1541358132&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=klien+heavy+duty+stripper&dpPl=1&dpID=419g0yPrBxL&ref=plSrch

A breadboard and some jumpers.
A soldering iron.
Some resistors and LEDs like in this kit.
A multimeter. Get a digital one, and plan to spend about $20-$40.
Wire cutter/strippers.
If you want to learn about programming, something like an Arduino Nano might be a good place to start.

You can probably get this all in one place if you want, but I want to point out that you have plenty of options.

A good first project might be to take an old 5V phone charger, cut the end off, and solder on some pins that you can attach to your breadboard. Use your multimeter to figure out which wire is power and which is ground, and mark them accordingly. From then on, you can use that little adapter to safely power small projects like an LED or your Arduino.

here in germany we usually go to knipex for pliers and wera for screwdrivers.
what you need most of the time are
-diagonal pliers
-comb pliers
-wire stripping pliers
-cable strippers (like this one https://www.amazon.de/Jokari-Universal-Entmanteler-Nr-30120/dp/B00135402U?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-fpas-de-21&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00135402U)
-insulated electrical screwdrivers
-a set of allen wrenches
-a set of torx wrenches
and depending on if the company you work for works a lot with networks you should consider buying a crimp tool

and if you consider going fancy i can totally recommend the following two products
KNIPEX 13 96 200
wera kraftform kompakt
both of them are pretty great for their portability and wide variety of funktions though you should first know your way around the normal tools before buying those.

though watch out if you buy knipex: only the red and yellow ones are insulated.

• i dont know if knipex and wera products are allowed for electrical work where you live

Here are my personal favorite wire strippers, fabulous for automotive electrical: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BVL7M26/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_aAM9ub07HTBNJ

I'm also a huge fan of Channellock pliers.

Pick up the tools. You can get ready kits like this. The biggest problem is weather sealing it so the tech probably just ran an entire new line since it's safer in the long run than a spliced one. When my pit was a puppy she would dig up the line every couple of weeks so I just ran it in some conduit and did a splice just outside the fence with one of these. Granted this is what I do so I know most owners couldn't figure it out but the low end tools work well enough for splices and it's fairly easy.

I have a couple of pairs of VERY simplistic wire cutters/strippers like the pair linked here. They are great. I'd also highly consider Channellocks.

Yeah! Sorry for the late reply. Google “cutting and stripping speaker wire” for much better explanations than I can give, but you just need to connect two posts together with a couple inches of wire. You’ll need some wire strippers like the one below and just a few inches of speaker wire (though you might have to buy it by the spool, but you can get it cheap on amazon).


Stripper:
Stanley STHT74938 Wire Stripper, 6" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B6AXJIM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BUL4AbD7KTS6X

Hey man, I do a fuck load of wire stripping at my job and these are the best I have found. I have gone through about 6 different versions of these from different manufacturers and relabels. These have turned out the best. We've done over 1000 wires at a time before at my place.

I have this set of strippers from Paladin Tools, they're a really popular brand for data cabling and make extremely affordable tools. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000X4X23U

That's both pairs, the grip is nice on them too.

This is what I would consider basics that he shoud definitely have:

It's all quality tools that should last for a long time.

• Wera Screwdrivers (these sizes should be enough most of the time)
  
  
• Knipex cable shear/nose plier (you could get those seperate but I think having all in one is nice)
  
  
• Jokari cable stripper (fits most cables for my use-case at least but this isn't really a necessary tool. Still its nice to have if you have to strip calbes often)
  
  
• Jokari wire stripper (This is the one I use everyday but there are loads of alternatives)
  
  
• Honeywell ear muffs (basic mickey mouse cosplay equipment)
  
  
• Stanley tape measure (essential tool and for 3.50 you can't really go wrong)
  
  
• Fluke voltage/continuity tester

Pretty sure those are wire strippers, which raises more questions imho

Wire Stripper/Cutter (10-18 AWG Solid) Klein Tools 11045 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000302VP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_19XoDb5BC31VJ

I used to believe that the Klein Kurve was the best until I tried these

I don’t use them often, but the Klein automatic wire stripper works good if you are stripping a large amount of wire every day. It is bulky and some people have problems using them and don’t like them, so it may or may not be a good choice for you.

I have used the Klein kurve stripper before and it is decent, but I haven’t used one that goes from 10-24 awg. This model of Klein kurve wire stripper goes from 10-26 solid and 12-28 stranded.

I personally prefer and use wire strippers with thicker handles and use the Klein heavy duty wire stripper because of the thicker handles and I can twist wire and don’t need to carry lineman’s pliers. I don’t strip wire below 14 awg often so I just keep a cheap pair of strippers in my tool bag for those smaller sizes.

Here is the non-mobile link from the comment above
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ok so the deal is

look on one of your splitters and it will say -3.5db if its a 1 in 2 out splitter

that means you are losing 3.5db of signal .. theoretically that means you are losing 50% of your signal.

splitters that have more ports have a higher db loss... some are as bad as -11db on a 8port splitter like this

https://www.amazon.com/BAMF-8-Way-Splitter-Bi-Directional-5-2300MHz/dp/B01M34OZ2S/

so that splitter would really suck for antenna signals but for cabletv the cable company can adjust their amp outside to pump enough power to get to your home.. unfortunately for cable modems they need a return path so some of those 8 port splitters will have a single port that has much less gain and they hook your cable modem to that..

ok so thats splitters

coax cable also has attenuation problems... the longer the cable the weaker the signal until it is too weak to get to the other side. it is trying to push electrons / small amounts of electricity that the antenna picks up.. push it through the wire.. but it can't after a while.

Theoretical is 300 feet maximum but that is only with the strongest signals such as cable tv.. after 300 feet you need to use an amplifier in the run of coax.

100 feet of cable is supposedly -1 db loss but bad connectors really cause problems .. you need to use the waterproof connectors not the old crimp on type and you have to get that white center insulator all the way up flush after your crimp.

https://www.amazon.com/Coax-Crimper-Compression-Stripper-Connectors/dp/B06W5G64VQ

So in your situation you probably have weak to reasonable signals

and you are trying to push them through splitters and long lengths of coax and blah and loose connectors and ...

so what they make is a preamplifier.

https://www.amazon.com/Channel-Master-CM-7777-Antenna-Preamplifier/dp/B000GGKOG8/

this is when you take about 3 feet of coax off of the antenna.. shortest is best.. and then you attach an amplifier that takes your signals and pushes them through the long lengths of coax and through the splitters.

to power the preamplifier you need to use special power passing splitters ... you put the amp on the antenna.. you bring the coax into your house... you install what is called an Injector that shoots dc power up to the amp to power it... but only some splitters will allow power to pass through them so you have to get the ones that say power passing on all ports and the splitter has to be bidirectional ... like this one

https://www.amazon.com/CHANNEL-2532-2-Way-Splitter-Combiner/dp/B00006JPE1/

​

so now you have that preamp boosting your fresh off the antenna signals 26db... use to be 30.. the ones i have are 30 but the new ones are 26 which is still good...

hopefully that is enough power to get to your rooms

However in my case it is not since I am 60+ miles out from the broadcast towers

So instead of splitting the coax with splitters I have to run a distribution amplifier.

so I have

Antenna - preamp - 50foot coax to the injector - distribution amp - single coax lines to each room

a distribution amp cuts out the need for splitters and it amps the signal a tiny bit more to get it through the coax to each room.

I run a 8port distribution amp

https://www.amazon.com/Channel-Master-Distribution-Amplifier-Antenna/dp/B002M1EPL0

the fewer the ports the stronger the distribution amp is going to be but i need more than 4 ports out.. i don't have that many TVs but I did wire rooms that don't have TVs because why not.. also i tried a 4 port to try to get a bit more signal and there was not much improvement so 8port is what I need.. 3 bedrooms, basement, kitchen, living room and the house is all wired.. some day i will setup my DVR again and put it on an unused port

​

so thats the deal man .. heh

it would be good if you could provide your www.rabbitears.info search results as I could tell you the best situation..

but you do need to limit your use of splitters and I would guess a preamp is really in your future

go do this

https://www.rabbitears.info/searchmap.php

then put the link here

I use these Klein strippers.

I'm an elevator mechanic, so I handle tons of wiring from 22AWG to 3/0AWG.

For 22-10AWG, I love these. I mostly strip 18, like hundreds of them.

I took off the spring and the wire sizing nut and just go by feel. With enough experience you'll be able to feel when you've broken through the jacket only.

You have to bond the two wires together in the same solder point. It is just a little more difficult. It also has a braided shield which is great, but also a little more difficult to deal with. Great cable, but a couple extra tricks to get right. You should also buy a wire stripper.

Either these Greenlee 1917-SS Stainless Wire Stripper and Cutter, 16-26AWG, 6-Inches https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GFXD1TI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_KwkGAbTN07M58

Or Home depots brand commercial electric 8 in wire strippers, specifically because they go 12-26 and are like 8 dollars. You can remove thr spring easily if you don't like it.

Its on the you tubes, Youll need a bnc male and a bnc female twist on connector and a thin wire cutter stripper like this https://www.amazon.com/Stripper-Stranded-Klein-Tools-1003/dp/B000V6W5QU/ref=sr_1_29?crid=1ESPB45V40HUJ&keywords=wire%2Bcutter%2Bstriper&qid=1564051442&s=gateway&sprefix=wire%2Bcutter%2Bstr%2Caps%2C348&sr=8-29&th=1 You can use scissors but as someone who has done probably 50000 reconnects this is what we use.

​

You can get all of these at HD, LOWES, maybe even walmart.

The hardest part is peeling back the layers to get it ready youll trim the outer layer back an inch, then pull the shielding back over that. then with the little notch on the cutters trim the core insulation back about 1/2 an inch leaving 1/2 inch of the core wire exposed. Then twist the connectors on, wrap with e-tape. connect them together.

There are tons of videos on youtube. and references on cutting the coax.

This is the stripper and this is the compression tool I use whenever I'm working with coax, usually perfect vision cable. Havent had and real issues yet, just make sure you trim properly when working with quadshield or it can be a royal PITA.

To each their own, I personally feel I lack the patience for them. I keep a pair at my desk in case I'm in a pinch. For daily use though, they're just no match to the pairs ((1), (2)) I keep in my tool kit. A firm grip and a nice straight pull and I've got confidence that the insulation is cut cleanly and the conductor isn't nicked.

Something like this:

Coax Cable Crimper, Coaxial Compression Tool Kit Wire Stripper with F RG6 RG59 Connectors https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06W5G64VQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8luXzbEQ6V7DW

You might need to chop off the plastic part of the white cable to put on a new connector

Marine electrician, former avionics tech.

I would say these, but since they're my EDC on my belt, and not in my toolbox, technically they don't count. Same with my 15 year old Leatherman Charge.

So for my toolbox (or more correctly my Veto ProPac XL toolbag) it's a tie between my Knipex Ergostrip and my Ancor Crimpers.

Runner up goes to my Panduit Powered Banding Tool and my Milwaukee M18 10T Knockout Tool. I don't use them on a regular basis, but when I have to they are worth their weight in gold.

Personally I've used Green Lee (Paladin Tools) PA1123. It is a pack of 2 that covers from 10awg to 30awg. Always sharp and the pliers always work well when needed for twisting without switching tools.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000X4X23U/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1414531802&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40

Here is what you need. You can use one of these to reconnect the cable in the office if you want to move it back. And this will let you have it active in both rooms at the same time. You could certainly pretty it up by mounting wall plates back to back with a short jumper (or a 2-way splitter for that matter) between them, but you are in a rental. You already have holes in the baseboard. No reason to make more.

If you wanted to invest in the tools to do it yourself, you can get a compression tool, fittings, and a coax stripper for around $20, and they will be just fine. Compression fittings are what comcrap uses.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016BCZATG

> diagonal cutters

www.amazon.com/TEKTON-3794-Adjustable-Wire-Stripper/dp/B000NY4T5U

This type of wire stripper also works very well. I've always used it to cut zip ties. Came as part of a kit for pc repair for whatever reason.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyQSlMxT5RA

https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Electronics-Adjustable-Temperature-Desoldering/dp/B077VR96GH

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B6AXJIM/

https://www.amazon.com/Duck-299006-4-Inch-Utility-Electrical/dp/B001B19JLS

Tip: put a towel on the ground and just take it off from the bumper and then do all the work behind the car. And either disconnect the brake light and the reverse light, or disconnect the battery. Finished product: https://i.imgur.com/uGGyVUC.jpg

Just a test

these guys

I didn't shop the price

These because they get in tight spaces.

I do not like the type of wire strippers in OP's links.

I prefer this style for most everything

and these for electronics and panel work.

If that helps...