Andrew C Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Cables being used regularly - tape. Those that come out once in a blue moon - velcro or garden wire tie for the really titchy jumpers. That way the goo is kept to a minimum. And back OT - about a metre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry davies Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I asked my thumb but all it said was; "The answer is 42." It has been known to plunge into the eye of anyone using Gaffa tape on cable coiling so I would take what it says with a pinch of salt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Velcro ties may not be perfect - mainly when they start getting friendly at the stagebox end. But they're still my preferred option as a velcro tie on the end of the cable will usually be there at then end of the night. Tape costs money and goes walkabout, I hate the residue, and there's often the impossible to undo in a hurry nature. Overall, my balance is way towards velcro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Edwards Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 1m for me too. Easily measured by holding the cable between thumb and forefingers in both hands, draw the cable up like you are readying to fire an arrow with one arm outstretched and the other held at the shoulder of the same side.* I also make sure that velcro ties are all wrapped loop side out. This way they rarely stick together and you don't accumulate as much fluff compared to hook side out. If you trim them so that you only need one wrap with respect to the cable length, then they are quicker than tape for me. The time it takes to loosely wrap the tie at one end when the cable is in use, is balanced out by not having to pick little bits of tape up from all over, including the bottom of your shoes. *mileage may vary depending upon stature but this is easily compensated for with practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam.spoons Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Under an over, length is just what comes naturally (but is likely a little under one metre) velcro for preference, tape when I run out of velcro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S&L Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 in truth the quality control on size of coiling depends on the lateness of the hour. we had to clear out a stage at a reasonable hour but in the almost dark while a disco carried on in front (large well known holiday camp - no not that one, the other one) so cables came bag a right mess and we spent an hour recoiling the next week. but many of our shows are bars and in a couple of northern towns I work the tradition seems to be that the band starts at 9.30 but has to run over the midnight line - meaning it can be gone 1am when we are clearing away - as eyes droop cable coils get more and more random. loose velcro ties for us because they do for all manner of things and being multi coloured you can find them in the dark or half light. a colleague I freelance for uses re-usable cable ties - have to say very good and very easy IF you can find the damned things in the half light - find me some assorted re-usable cable ties in florescent yellow and I will be all over them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam.spoons Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Just got in from a small gig and I find I coil my XLR cables as described above but my guitar cables are coiled more tightly though still over & under. I have coiled my two favourite (home made 10+ years ago with Schaller cable and Neutrik jacks, one silent type retro fitted a couple of years ago) neatly from new and usually to fit in a specific, smaller, box or bag which contains my guitar bits. They have Planet Waves elastic loop cable ties and I switched to over & under a year or so ago when I discovered the correct method (I had worked out something similar from first principles, looping to opposite sides of the coil rather than reversing individual loops but it wasn't as good and I reverted to 'normal' coiling for several years). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GC1971 Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Got to be tape. Velcro? Releasable cable ties? What's the point? You're only going to be ripping it apart tomorrow anyway and any extra effort is annoying.Plus the sticky out bit catches other cables in the trunk. You loose the ruddy cable tie so end up with a reef knot. Flipping hell just use tape -there's no residue with pvc. Actually thinking about it I used to work with Clair Brothers and they had some sort of special tape that tore clean though with a sort of snap. Anyone remember that stuff? Came from America I think.As for size it's your waist. Big fellas end up with big loops. Best keep the fatties on speaker cables or multi ☺ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S&L Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Got to be tape. Velcro? Releasable cable ties? What's the point? You're only going to be ripping it apart tomorrow anyway and any extra effort is annoying.Plus the sticky out bit catches other cables in the trunk. You loose the ruddy cable tie so end up with a reef knot. Flipping hell just use tape -there's no residue with pvc. Actually thinking about it I used to work with Clair Brothers and they had some sort of special tape that tore clean though with a sort of snap. Anyone remember that stuff? Came from America I think.As for size it's your waist. Big fellas end up with big loops. Best keep the fatties on speaker cables or multi ☺ no not tomorrow - some will open again every week, some may lay there for a month or two - and get very sticky. if you have a tape that guarantees quick rip, neat tidy and sticky free I'm all ears. most with velco use the locking stud type (I'm thinking of making the change this summer) so no you don't lose it. if you work with loose ties you just end up with 3 or 4 spare loose ties in your pocket - lighter in any case than a role of electrical tape. oh and we object to fatties as stigmatizing - we prefer gentlemen of advancing girth ;o) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GC1971 Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Haha fair enough.. I'm in the advancing girth camp myself. Now I know what the middle age middle bit is all about..That tape was excellent. I haven't found it used in other pa companies but the Clair Brothers uk lot at Sensible Hire. Fella who knows would be the pa boss at the time about 1998. Steve Rispin. Hello mate if you're here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jevans Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 I've seen something similar used elsewhere; HTS tend to use a tape that's basically a cloth backed sticky velcro strip, so you only need to use just over a turn, and it rips stright through. As ever, it's a case of knowing what to type into Google... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbotsmike Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 I've seen something similar used elsewhere; HTS tend to use a tape that's basically a cloth backed sticky velcro strip, so you only need to use just over a turn, and it rips stright through. As ever, it's a case of knowing what to type into Google... Bit of a thread revival, are you sure it's velcro? Cloth loom tape might be what you mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave m Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 camera tape? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swampman Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Navy rope discipline for tidy coiling sizes depending on type of cable, each round is about a the size of the fish you caught (!?) Mike cables Colour marked for 3m,5m,10m,15,25, (50m pa emergency run or radio/TV/DMX !!) XLRs male to connect to stage box looped around the coil and coiled so as to mate conectors (sometimes a rewind is necessary to avoid straining cable entry into connectors) female with remainder coiled TIDILY at sound source to allow for stage changes; 1m, 5m, 10m jack-jack for instruments - all with velcro; short patches - small coils. Speaker 2.5/4mm twin/quads a real pain usually one loose end wrapped around coil (admittedly they do not always lie down well but a bit of warm sun helps !) or velcro. Tape WHAT ? Economy is tight around here, boy! All coincidences of the above with the reality of a 4a.m. load out are just random happenings ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyP1955 Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Tie Line/Trick Line*, affixed to the male end. *1/8" = 3mm or 4mm black rope. Don't know what you call it over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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