An automatic wire stripper is a bench mounted machine that grips the wire from one side and cuts and removes the insulation from the other simultaneously.

A wire stripper tool can not only crimp down on the wire and cut the insulation; it can actually pull the insulation off for you in the same motion. Some of the more advanced auto wire stripper tools also have the ability to set the string length, so that you can get an even cut every time.

This is especially important whenever you are going to be wire netting two wires together, or if you only need a little bit of exposed wire at the end. Having too much wire can actually be a fire hazard, and anything that touches exposed wire could cause it to short out very easily.

Although you can use a knife or manual wire stripper to strip the insulation and casing from the wire, an automatic wire stripper does it much faster. This is especially helpful when you find yourself doing this on a regular basis, for either work related applications or as a dedicated do-it-yourselfer.

While this device allows even a novice to strip most wires very quickly, it does have some drawbacks. An automatic wire stripper only works on wires in a certain size range. If a wire is too small it may be broken by the pulling force, and if a wire is too large it will not fit in the jaws. When stripping the wire, an individual should grip and pull outwards to prevent injury.

A number of additional options are available on some automatic wire stripper tools, such as the ability to crimp and to set the tension, should you happen to being doing more of the heavy-duty job. Although these can make it a little bit more convenient to use, the more options that are available, the more cumbersome it tends to be.

If you plan on using wire strippers on a regular basis you should consider getting these optional elements added to the auto wire stripper. Otherwise, it might be a better idea for you to buy the specific tool that takes care of the task and to simply keep it in your toolbox for whenever it is needed.

Some of these tools have so many available options that they become quite cumbersome, and difficult to use.  If you only occasionally strip wire, a lightweight auto wire stripper may be just what you need, as it is generally comfortable to use whenever you are using it for an extended period of time.