I don't want to charm vinyl-and-copper snakes anymore.
August 3, 2008 7:32 PM Subscribe
CableManagementFilter: I need to unroll and roll large quantities and lengths of cable about once a month. Is anyone selling a gadget that will make this easier to the nth degree?
I set up large portable A/V systems which involve electrical cable, thick video cable, CAT5/6, etc., I'm talking 300-foot reels, and about 50 of them total. Rolling and unrolling all those cables is getting tiresome, and even though I've gotten fairly good at the coiling technique, it takes a long time.
The problem is that extremely awkward transitionary phase between "coiled" and "straight"--what I'd like is some kind of portable 'thing' I can plop a spool of cable onto to easily pull cable from without it turning into an Atomic Twizzler. Conversely, it should allow me to roll the cable up on a spool (a motorized one would be really, really REALLY great since I could 'feed' it instead of cranking it); once the cable is rolled up, I should be able to take it off and tie it up with plastic cable ties, readying the machinery for the next cable.
I've been rolling and unrolling cable 'the hard way' for several years now. Please make me feel stupid by pointing me to the contraption that make these two tasks much, much simpler.
(If there isn't a device, does anyone in the theater/A/V industry have any trips for coiling-uncoiling-managing cable they could share?)
I set up large portable A/V systems which involve electrical cable, thick video cable, CAT5/6, etc., I'm talking 300-foot reels, and about 50 of them total. Rolling and unrolling all those cables is getting tiresome, and even though I've gotten fairly good at the coiling technique, it takes a long time.
The problem is that extremely awkward transitionary phase between "coiled" and "straight"--what I'd like is some kind of portable 'thing' I can plop a spool of cable onto to easily pull cable from without it turning into an Atomic Twizzler. Conversely, it should allow me to roll the cable up on a spool (a motorized one would be really, really REALLY great since I could 'feed' it instead of cranking it); once the cable is rolled up, I should be able to take it off and tie it up with plastic cable ties, readying the machinery for the next cable.
I've been rolling and unrolling cable 'the hard way' for several years now. Please make me feel stupid by pointing me to the contraption that make these two tasks much, much simpler.
(If there isn't a device, does anyone in the theater/A/V industry have any trips for coiling-uncoiling-managing cable they could share?)
What is the reason for the price limit? Is this set by your employer? You can probably make a business case for spending more if it saves a lot of time/money. (e.g. cost per hour of set-up/tear-down X number of hours saved > money spent)
posted by winston at 7:46 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by winston at 7:46 PM on August 3, 2008
Response by poster: The "time equals money" angle doesn't work because it takes as long as it takes. Typically I work unpaid overtime to lay down and suck up all that cable. I would be buying this out of my own pocket. If there's something that would work well that's much steeper than $100 I'd still be interested in hearing about it!
posted by ostranenie at 8:13 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by ostranenie at 8:13 PM on August 3, 2008
Best answer: Piece of advice for when you're doing it manually, FWIW: Pull out a full two-arms' length, and coil it into your palm at your thumb. Like normal. The next pull, place the coil on the other side of the already-coiled cable, like, just under your fingers.
What you're doing is giving the cable a right twist, then a left twist. After coiling like this, I can hold on to one end of a 12/3 power cable and throw the coil, and it'll just open up, no knots or anything.
posted by notsnot at 8:14 PM on August 3, 2008
What you're doing is giving the cable a right twist, then a left twist. After coiling like this, I can hold on to one end of a 12/3 power cable and throw the coil, and it'll just open up, no knots or anything.
posted by notsnot at 8:14 PM on August 3, 2008
Best answer: Have you tried looking for one of the wire-wrappers as seen in Lowes/Home Despot? They're generally blue, have a center depression and "wings" on the sides. You start your cable in, flop up the wings, wind wind wind, then flop the wings down and slide the cable off. They generally even have counters to measure length, which I would think would be handy for minimizing waste.
posted by TomMelee at 8:26 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by TomMelee at 8:26 PM on August 3, 2008
There are spools in cases made just for this (they are also called cable drums or reels, if that helps). Every AV company I've worked with had spools for most types of cables (XLR, video, lighting, power...). There were 250' and 500' spools. You could just pull the cable out, and wind to bring it back. Examples here and here, but you can google them too. And with a 100$ budget, there's also the option of making your own...
posted by ddaavviidd at 8:30 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by ddaavviidd at 8:30 PM on August 3, 2008
Response by poster: TomMelee - No I haven't, but I'm buying one tomorrow. Thanks!
posted by ostranenie at 9:04 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by ostranenie at 9:04 PM on August 3, 2008
Can't point to any US suppliers, I'm afraid, but if your cable is already on drums then these things are pretty handy. (You sit your drum on the rollers, and it just spiiins.) Also available, and cheaper; Portable spindles for drums/reels
I realise those are above your $100 price point, but it might give inspiration on how to build something yourself, or what to look for. (I have used the expensive ones, and they're solidly built enough, and save enough back-ache, to be worth it)
posted by Luddite at 3:04 AM on August 4, 2008
I realise those are above your $100 price point, but it might give inspiration on how to build something yourself, or what to look for. (I have used the expensive ones, and they're solidly built enough, and save enough back-ache, to be worth it)
posted by Luddite at 3:04 AM on August 4, 2008
Response by poster: one of the wire-wrappers as seen in Lowes/Home Despot
"wings" on the sides
Has anyone else seen one of these before I go and manufacture my own? I don't know what to ask for and when I ask for what I think I want, they look at me like I'm crazy. (Which isn't unusual most of the time at Lowes/Home Depot, but this is with several people including managers.)
posted by ostranenie at 6:02 AM on August 20, 2008
"wings" on the sides
Has anyone else seen one of these before I go and manufacture my own? I don't know what to ask for and when I ask for what I think I want, they look at me like I'm crazy. (Which isn't unusual most of the time at Lowes/Home Depot, but this is with several people including managers.)
posted by ostranenie at 6:02 AM on August 20, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by ostranenie at 7:35 PM on August 3, 2008