Coiling a cable....

[iamchristuffin]

Mac, it gets people annoyed, because in MOST UK rental/production companies thats how it works. We do our cables like that. Simple as. It gets people annoyed when on a job someone can't coil the cable the way it needs to be done, and has to be re-coiled in the warehouse - they may as well not bother in the first place.

 

As with Piers, about 70-80% of all cables are recoiled when they come off hire - a couple of weeks ago I spent an entire day coiling about 2km of Pyro cable, beause it had just been thrown in the back of a van. To be honest, even if the coiling of them had been ****, it would have saved me a lot of time untangling them.

[Old Bloke]

I briefly encountered a group of fellows recently who were 'coiling' 6m mic cables by folding them in half three times and then tying them in a knot.

Interesting technique! I always tie a knot in cables when they are faulty. Easy to find & repair when back at base.

[Yorkie]

There was previously a discussion of how people indicate faulty gear here

[JDP]

http://stagecraft.theprices.net/gallery/ca...lewrap-avi.html

 

Just found that on tinternet

[tolley1466]

Well the connectors should be close together to stop tangling in the case. It doesnt matter if you make a smaller coil so you can get them close together.

[adamharman]

Out of interest Piers, did you have any issues with the cable winder in terms of how it 'treats' the cables? Wondering as recently we had some new cables made, which were wound on a winder. The cables have done nothing but twist and end up nasty - so wondered if you had the same issues?

Sorry off topic.

 

I've got some cables like that, and all mine were hand coiled when I made them up.

The problem gets worse towards the end of a drum of cable, and is worse with certain types of cable. Never had any problem with good quality trs, but pvc seems to have a memory for the shape it was on the drum. I assume it's to do with still being warm when it's originally put on drums, and setting in that shape.

 

I also find that if somebody's coiled a cable differently to me, it can be a pain the next time. I always start with the connector pointing away from me in my left hand, and pull the cable in with my right. Others must do it the other way round or left handed. After the village panto is a particular favorite for this. Lots of willing parents to help (which is great) but it takes longer to sort the mess out than do it myself! Compromise last year was they derig everything and bring it to me for coiling, which worked much better.

 

Edit because "pointing away from me in my left cable" didn't make much sense!

[david.elsbury]

Compromise last year was they derig everything and bring it to me for coiling, which worked much better.

Which also has the added benefit of you staying in one place and not moving. This appeals to my lazy side ;) :blink:

[paulears]

I've got a pet theory on the subject of big cables and drums. Very often, large diameter multis refuse to lie flat when unrolled onto the floor - but have been stored really neatly. I wonder if when they get re-coiled on the drum, they automatically fall back into the lay they were last in - especially when recoiled slowly and carefully so the turns lay close and tight. This constant recoiling into the same position would, certainly nearer the centre, stretch the outside and compress the inside. Maybe the cable develops a 'memory' of this position and this is what puts those weird waves in the cable when uncoiled?

[berry120]

Think you might be right there paul!

 

I wonder whether coiling it alternate ways (so when it gets recoiled, the outside becomes the inside and vice versa) would solve the problem, since it'd be routinely swapped over?

[adamharman]

Although the theory of the twist they put on the cores is that when rolled each core is alternately on the inside then the outside of the cable, so overall it should balance out.

 

I've seen the same problem though, so maybe the theory doesn't work? Perhaps the cores don't slide against each other well enough?

 

Just thought about it more and realised it's probably the outer sheath that's causing it so I think Paul's right.

 

Unwinding it all from the drum and turning it over would probably help, but may not be as easy as it sounds.

[berry120]

Although the theory of the twist they put on the cores is that when rolled each core is alternately on the inside then the outside of the cable, so overall it should balance out.

 

I would've thought it's less likely to be the cores and more likely to be the insulation being stretched and compressed that'd cause the problem.

[markk]

I would have thought that winding the cable round your elbow would not help as the cables will end up being stretched and become out of shape, even thought this is not a major problem, there are better ways.

[berry120]

I would have thought that winding the cable round your elbow would not help as the cables will end up being stretched and become out of shape, even thought this is not a major problem, there are better ways.

I carry a theoretical gun for people who coil cables like that...

[Andrew C]

as the cables will end up being stretched and become out of shape

Sure your cable will be coiled, fairly neat and easy to store. However it will never lay flat, nor will you be able to coil it properly again, ever! That is why we all hate people that do it. :P

[JimWebber]

I'd like to add (What I consider to be) a handy hint.

 

When coiling or figure of eighting large cables, that have to be done on the ground, after I lay the first "loop", I tape the connector to the cable. Then when the cable is fully coiled, I will tape as normal.

 

The rationale behind this is that when the cable comes to be un-coiled, it is immediately obvious what end to start uncoiling from.

 

HTH

 

Jim