Ripley US16 and US16 MAX Drill Operated Jacket Removal Tools: How They Work and Which to Choose

January 15, 2025

Taking the outer jacket off medium voltage power cable by hand is slow, and it is hard on the wrists and elbows. The Ripley US16 does the job with a powered speed drill. You feed the cable through a bushing, the tool cuts the jacket, and it exposes the cable shielding without you pushing it through the cut. This guide covers how the US16 and the larger US16 MAX work, how they differ, and how to choose the right bushing.

What is the Ripley US16?

The US16-7000 is a drill operated jacket removal tool for power utility cable. Ripley introduced it in 2022 as a tool built to speed up jacket stripping in the field. Ripley Labs developed it with input from field engineers and builds it in the USA.

Ripley lists these features for the US16 and the US16 MAX:

Self-feeding design. The tool pulls itself along the cable, so the operator does not have to push it through the cut.
Micro indexing blade depth control. A simple adjustment sets the blade depth so the cut does not damage the cable shielding.
Interchangeable bushings. A bushing guides the cable through the tool. Bushings come in multiple sizes, and custom bushings are available for a precise fit.
Ergonomic handles. Ripley designed them to reduce the load on the wrist and elbow compared with manual jacket removal.

US16 vs US16 MAX

The US16 MAX is the larger version for bigger cable. Both run on a powered speed drill. Ripley does not list drill torque, speed or chuck size for either tool.

	US16-7000	US16 MAX
Maximum cable OD	1.5 in (38 mm)	2.625 in (66.675 mm)
Cable	Medium voltage power cable	Medium voltage power cable up to 1000 kcmil at 35 kV
Dimensions	13 x 10.5 x 4.25 in (330 x 266.7 x 107.95 mm)	13 x 11.5 x 5 in (330 x 292.1 x 127 mm)
Weight	4.55 lb (2.06 kg)	8.5 lb (3.9 kg)
Bushings	US16-7100 series, 32 bores from 0.700 to 1.475 in	US16-7200 series, 46 bores from 0.800 to 2.450 in
Included bushings	Three basic bushings with 1.025, 1.1 and 1.325 in bores	Sold separately
Replacement blade	US16-7500, select it from the options on the US16 page	US16-7510, select it from the options on the US16 MAX page

Choose the US16-7000 for most primary cable. Choose the US16 MAX when your cable is too large for the US16-7000, such as large conductor 35 kV cable.

How to choose a US16 bushing

The bushing guides the cable and has to match the cable OD over the insulation or semi-con. The US16-7000 ships with three basic bushings (1.025, 1.1 and 1.325 in). Additional US16 series bushings are sold separately for both tools.

For the US16-7000, each US16-7100 bushing has a bore sized 0.010 to 0.035 in above the cable OD it covers. For example, the 0.700 in bore (US16-7100-0700) covers 0.665 to 0.690 in, and the 1.475 in bore (US16-7100-1475) covers 1.440 to 1.465 in. Bores step up in 0.025 in increments.

The US16 MAX uses the US16-7200 series. The bores are 0.800, 1.100, 1.150, 1.200, 1.250, 1.275 and 1.325 in, then every 0.025 in from 1.500 to 2.450 in. Ripley does not list the cable OD range for each MAX bushing, so send us your cable OD and we will confirm the bore.

Measure the cable OD over the insulation or semi-con, in inches.
Find the bushing whose range includes that OD.
On the US16-7000, check whether one of the three included bushings already fits.
If you work on several cable sizes, order several bushings. They are interchangeable.

See our Ripley bushings, blades and replacement parts guide for bushings on Ripley's other tools.

US16 or a hand tool?

The US16 saves the most time when a crew strips a lot of cables. For one-off jobs, or where a drill is not practical, Ripley's adjustable hand strippers such as the US01 and WS 64 handle jacket and insulation, and the US15 slits jackets on large cable. See our Ripley cable stripper guide to compare them.

Frequently asked questions

What does the US16 do?

It removes the outer jacket from medium voltage power cable using a drill, and it cuts clean so the shielding underneath stays intact.

What size cable does it handle?

The US16-7000 handles cable up to 1.5 in OD. The US16 MAX handles cable up to 2.625 in OD, including medium voltage cable up to 1000 kcmil at 35 kV.

Does it come with bushings?

The US16-7000 ships with three basic bushings with 1.025, 1.1 and 1.325 in bores. The US16 MAX listing does not include bushings. Other sizes are sold separately, and we can match the bushing to your cable OD.

Can the blade depth be adjusted?

Yes. Both tools have a micro indexing blade depth control so you can set the cut depth to protect the shielding.

What are the replacement blades?

The US16-7000 uses blade US16-7500 and the US16 MAX uses blade US16-7510. Each is an option on its tool's product page in our store, so pick the blade from the options list instead of looking for a separate listing.

Do I need a special drill?

Ripley says the tools run on a powered speed drill but does not list torque, speed or chuck size. Contact us if you want to confirm your crew's drill.

Are custom bushings available?

Ripley says custom bushings are available for a precise fit. Contact us to ask.

Is there an instruction sheet?

Yes. Ripley publishes instruction sheets and cut sheets for the US16 and the US16 MAX, and a bushing interface drawing for the MAX. They are linked from the product pages in our store.

Where to buy the Ripley US16

Powertech Associates and Utility Power Supply Company carry the Ripley UtilityTool line. Browse the Ripley tools in our store, or contact Powertech Associates at info@powertech-upsc.com or (860) 678-8772 with your cable size and we will match the tool and bushing.

Last updated: November 2026.