Wire rope coiling, unwinding, snarling solution?

[bcp]

Anyone found a good way to keep their cable wound up so it doesn't tangle when unwound? Maybe something like an extension cord reel.

I've got three 50 ft. coils of 3/8 cable. It often takes more time to unwind it than to use it and wind it up again. The ends keep falling through the loop during handling and moving, then try to make a knot when unrolling.

Thanks,

Bruce

 

[Gordon Gould]

Get a large diameter pot like one of those 14" 1950's blue canning jar boilers and wind/coil it inside that.

 

[jenkinsph]

Wire rope is tough to handle under the best of conditions, but I would recommend you coil it in about three foot diameter sections that way you only have about five or six loops.

Trying to wind it into a tight coil then you need a winch suitable for your wire rope size and a way to keep tension on it as you wind and unwind.

 

[JerryK]

I handle wire rope just like I do air line or the new water hoses. Start with the cable completly straight on the ground. Then start laying about 2 or 3 foot loops on the ground by your feet whilst you twist the cable to get is to lay flat in the loop. When you uncoil it, you can either reverse the process, or just roll the loop on the ground vertically to straighten it back out. If you don't twist it as you coil/uncoil it, it will just kink. Unkinky good, kinky bad......

 

[Brad_Blazer]

A cheap extension cord reel should work:
Shop Bayco 150' Plastic Cord Reel at Lowes.com

Otherwise try a figure 8 coil which will have no net twists. If it's not greasy you can grab an end and figure-8 it around your wrists, then drop the coil flat on the ground or hang it on 2 pegs. You can also fig-8 it directly onto the ground or a pair of pegs. Since the coils cross they will stay in order.

 

[RoyJackson]

All good posts and suggestions.
I'll add:
Do wear safety glasses (better yet, safety goggles or a face shield) when working with wire rope!

 

[gwdixon]

Wire rope comes on roll in the hardware store, Tractor Supply, etc. Make friends with the manager and get one after the wire rope is sold. Not sure if they have to pay a deposit on them but they may be free.

Then put a piece of pipe through the center hole and roll up your wire rope. You could even get fancy and put a handle on the edge to speed up the rolling.

The bottom line is that the only way to take out the tangles in a roll is to wind it like a garden hose reel does. (Hey, there is an idea - buy one of those cheap plastic garden hose reels. It might last a couple of years.)

If that doesn't work out then you can buy a couple of 18" diameter plywood rounds (or cut them yourself). Then put 4 threaded rods in a 6" box pattern through the middle of the rounds (making a roll like the hardware store ones). Each rod end would have two nuts and two washers (16 pairs) to hold the plywood in place.

Drill a hole in the center for a pipe and there you go. If you are handy with a welder a frame/stand could be made for the pipe.

On the other hand - you may just want to deal with the tangles.:laughing:

 

[Redneck in training]

A cheap extension cord reel should work:
Shop Bayco 150' Plastic Cord Reel at Lowes.com

Otherwise try a figure 8 coil which will have no net twists. If it's not greasy you can grab an end and figure-8 it around your wrists, then drop the coil flat on the ground or hang it on 2 pegs. You can also fig-8 it directly onto the ground or a pair of pegs. Since the coils cross they will stay in order.

Since the even and odd loops twist in opposite direction the rope doesn't kink when unwound.
I use those for my cables
Shop Gardner Bender Plastic Cord Reel at Lowes.com

 

[T_e_r_r_y]

Plain wire rope, with grab or slip hooks?

Old tire that is no good for spare. Coil wire rope inside, twisting the coils as you

feed it inside of the tire. Grab the end and untwist it as the wire rope comes out of the tire

Makes a great way to move it where you need it, just roll. When done just reroll wire rope

into tire, roll to tractor bucket and into shed.

T.J.

 

[2458n]

Terry has been around. Good use for old tire used when working with 3/8" cable. Larger cable like 3/4" needs a wooden spool.

 

[maps]

If you find yourself moving the cable around (and don't use it daily) get a big bundle of cheapo light-duty zip ties and try this. As mentioned earlier, lay big loops or figure-eights on the ground and zip tie in 3 or 4 places every 8 to 10 loops as you coil. When getting ready to use, start pulling loops off. As long as you use light-duty ties, the last set of ties applied will break easily freeing loops while earlier ties keep the rest of the bundle under control. This method works well to keep coils from tangling while still allowing fairly easy use...although not real practical if you need to coil and uncoil often. Good luck.

 

[jenkinsph]

If you find yourself moving the cable around (and don't use it daily) get a big bundle of cheapo light-duty zip ties and try this. As mentioned earlier, lay big loops or figure-eights on the ground and zip tie in 3 or 4 places every 8 to 10 loops as you coil. When getting ready to use, start pulling loops off. As long as you use light-duty ties, the last set of ties applied will break easily freeing loops while earlier ties keep the rest of the bundle under control. This method works well to keep coils from tangling while still allowing fairly easy use...although not real practical if you need to coil and uncoil often. Good luck.

In the first post he mentioned three 50ft lengths of wire rope, that is only about 5 or 6 big loops for each . That should be easy to deal with with a couple of ties or short pieces of small cord. Seems simple enough to me.

 

[David P]

I have two 100' sections of 7/16" wire rope that I store in a round storage tote that I bought at menards. I have attached a link to something that is only vaguely similar, but you will see what I mean. Mine doesn't have a lid but does have to rope-like handles which makes handling the container much easier.

I am able to get all 200' into this container with no problem. No real problems with tangling or anything and it's easy to pull it out of the container. I use it when my tractor gets stuck and the winch cable isn't long enough. I just put it into the back of the gator, hook up to the end of the winch cable and drive forward. the line seems to unwind very nicely this way.

20 GAL BRUTE CONTAINER at Menards

 

[moored4]

All good posts and suggestions.
I'll add:
Do wear safety glasses (better yet, safety goggles or a face shield) when working with wire rope!

Roy! you didn't mention a word about a good set of leather gloves!

 

[Doloe]

I think you should store it on a logging winch.