Cable Management....OY!!!

[SOUND DIAGNOSIS]

Is there a tried and true technique to wrap up long expanses of cables so they don't "knot up"? I know it is a silly question, but occasionally I get "pretzel knots" in my 20 foot cables and I KNOW there is a simple technique to achieve this. Any takers? Thanks in advance. ROB

 

[Chris Tondreau]

Are you talking about for storing/transporting cables, or for tying them up in such a way that you can plug, unplug, move, plug, unplug, etc. all within the same room, without packing them up?

If you're talking for storing/transporting cables, here's what I do, and it works great.... say you have a 20' cord.

Fold it in half = 10 feet
fold it in half again = 5 feet
fold it in half again = 2.5 feet
wrap it into a circle and tie it "over and under" itself, as in when you're tying your shoelaces, or when you're starting a "granny knot." No need to be elaborate and wrap and wrap and wrap.... just once will do.

Works for me...

Chris

 

[SOUND DIAGNOSIS]

Are you talking about for storing/transporting cables, or for tying them up in such a way that you can plug, unplug, move, plug, unplug, etc. all within the same room, without packing them up?

If you're talking for storing/transporting cables, here's what I do, and it works great.... say you have a 20' cord.

Fold it in half = 10 feet
fold it in half again = 5 feet
fold it in half again = 2.5 feet
wrap it into a circle and tie it "over and under" itself, as in when you're tying your shoelaces, or when you're starting a "granny knot." No need to be elaborate and wrap and wrap and wrap.... just once will do.

Works for me...

Chris

Thanks Chris. Sounds like "tightly wound" advice. Appreciate it. Anybody have other methods out there?

 

[regebro]

Really, really long cables (>10m) you need to wound up in circles. And theres a trick to it.

When you wind cable around something, if you do it incorrectly you will introduce a "turn" in the cable for each winding. When you wind you therefore have to counter that turn, by simoultaneuosly turning the cable while you wind.

This may sound strange, and it's hard to describe, but easy to show. Anyway, hold the cable loosely in one hand. Kinda like a cowboy holds a lasso. Then make circles with the other hand, and fetch them with the first hand. Since you are holding the wound cable loosely, you'll soon notice what kind of counteractions you need to do, because the cable will twist if you don't.

 

[subtractor]

Use velcro straps to keep unneeded length wrapped and secured off the floor.

 

[Roel]

Really, really long cables (>10m) you need to wound up in circles. And theres a trick to it.

When you wind cable around something, if you do it incorrectly you will introduce a "turn" in the cable for each winding. When you wind you therefore have to counter that turn, by simoultaneuosly turning the cable while you wind.

This may sound strange, and it's hard to describe, but easy to show. Anyway, hold the cable loosely in one hand. Kinda like a cowboy holds a lasso. Then make circles with the other hand, and fetch them with the first hand. Since you are holding the wound cable loosely, you'll soon notice what kind of counteractions you need to do, because the cable will twist if you don't.

That's the ONLY way to wind up cables! Any other way will make your cables wear out more easily because there's tension in the cable because of the 'turn'... And once you got that technique, you'll be able to wind up cables faster and cleaner as anyone else. There's alot of ways to tie em up once you have wound them up, not gonna explain those...

 

[TexRoadkill]

I stick a lot nails in the wall and sides of my wooden desks/racks. Then I coil them loosely as explained above and just place them on the nails. That way I can easily extend them if I need to. If you are going to leave them there then just tie off the coil.

The velcro straps are very cool for cables you use occasionally and store. They are a must have for your live rig. If velcro is too expensive then buy a bunch of string and tie a bit to the end of a cable with 2 loose strands hanging off. Then you can just tie them up after coiling. The string is also handy if you are connecting two cables together. You can tie one end to the other for a little extra protection.

 

[SOUND DIAGNOSIS]

Thanks for the ongoing experienced advice, guys. Another concern is what to do with the "ends". If they cross over, then it is a major hassle to deal with knots. Any sure things to do after the cable is wrapped up to prevent this? (Sorry for the stupid questions). Bear with me.

 

[regebro]

I may have misunderstood you, but there shouldn't be any knots after wrapping up correctly, ever.

 

[SOUND DIAGNOSIS]

I may have misunderstood you, but there shouldn't be any knots after wrapping up correctly, ever.

Wrapping correctly is well outlined by all of you. But Regebro, after correctly wrapping the cable, you end up with two "loose" 1/4 plugs that want to copulate and get it on and make a baby "pretzel knot" What should be done with the 2 ends? Sorry about the mental masturbation on such a trivial topic ----ROB

 

[drstawl]

You can zip-tie the two males to each other with a VERY cheap zip tie. I buy these in hundred packs for about $2.

Gidge: take note!

I deal with this at work as I have two linear products in 20- 50 ft lengths that I need to drag around the facility to use "on location".

One is 1" ID high pressure corrosive chemical resistant transfer hose.

The other is 1/2" high pressure compressed air hose to power the pumps I use.

Both of these have quick-disconnect connectors that are male on one end and female on the other so they go down on each other during transport.

I HATE wrestling a 50 foot length of chemical transfer hose into a cooperative coil but the results are worth it. And the same technique applies. You have to apply a twist for each coil so the stuff lays flat on its own.

How come audio stuff doesn't have it that together?

 

[monty]

One is 1" ID high pressure corrosive chemical resistant transfer hose. The other is 1/2" high pressure compressed air hose to power the pumps I use. I HATE wrestling a 50 foot length of chemical transfer hose into a cooperative coil but the results are worth it.

Are you giving yourself enemas at work now?

 

[TAE]

Yep Velcro

My nephew is in the movie industry and he showed me a cool econo trick aside from the flip flop winding which is industry standard. You take a peice of self latching velcro ( has the hook and the wool) about 3/8" wide and whatever legnth it takes to go around the complete wound cable with a good 6" of overlap. Poke a small hole in the end and get one them there plastic tie wraps, run it through the whole and attach it to one of the ends of the cable and cutoff the excess tie wrap. I put this set up on everything even my Wife ( a mans gotta play). Big electrical cables, airhoses, and of course my instrument cords. I go to this little electrical supply housein La Puente "Lens electronics" http://www.cheetah.net/~beta2/lens.html that sells (5) 6' long rolls of velcro for $5. That's CHEAP!

 

[Roker1]

regebros method is the standard ..I think ...I learnt that by watching a guy after a gig pack his amp and cables....when I started doing the same I realized why half of my leads would be stuffed after a year or so of usage.....
Remember: when you winding it in circles it's got to be going around easily..effortlessly....if you try to "bend " it in the wrong spot or wrong direction you will feel that the cable is "fighting" your hand....drop it down (the unwound part) and try again....it's gotta "flow smoothly"..REMEMBER...

 

[TexRoadkill]

Wrapping correctly is well outlined by all of you. But Regebro, after correctly wrapping the cable, you end up with two "loose" 1/4 plugs that want to copulate and get it on and make a baby "pretzel knot" What should be done with the 2 ends? Sorry about the mental masturbation on such a trivial topic ----ROB

Thats what the velcro or string is for. There will always be a little bit of slack on the ends if you dont line them up perfectly but it's no big deal. You can usually do the last loop a bit shorter so that the end lines up with the tie attached to the other end.

 

[SOUND DIAGNOSIS]

You guys are great! Thanks for all the responses. And I am sorry about the enema predicament.

 

[SOUND DIAGNOSIS]

Hey Monty......don't freak man.....It's a california thingie.

 

[monty]

... And I am sorry about the enema predicament.

I just couldn't resist. I envisioned Dr walking around in one of those hazmat suits connected to tubes and cables and…well…

 

[Wil Davis]

Really, really long cables (>10m) you need to wound up in circles. And theres a trick to it.

When you wind cable around something, if you do it incorrectly you will introduce a "turn" in the cable for each winding. When you wind you therefore have to counter that turn, by simoultaneuosly turning the cable while you wind.

This may sound strange, and it's hard to describe, but easy to show. Anyway, hold the cable loosely in one hand. Kinda like a cowboy holds a lasso. Then make circles with the other hand, and fetch them with the first hand. Since you are holding the wound cable loosely, you'll soon notice what kind of counteractions you need to do, because the cable will twist if you don't.

Good advice! I use a similar method when coiling XLR cables, and here's a useful trick. Lay the cable out so that it has no twists or kinks in it, and then plug the ends together (male XLR-> female XLR... ) - if you do this, there is no way that the cable will become kinked (set theory etc.) - then use the method desribed by regebro (another way of remembering it is to do a twist to the right, and lay the loop over, and then a twist to the left, and lay the loop under. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who's anal about cables, but as others have pointed out, twists & kinks play havoc with cables (especially the shielding) so it pays to take care of them.

- Wil

 

[SOUND DIAGNOSIS]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who's anal about cables

AHA!!!!!!!!! Let's review......anal .....enema ???
I think I am getting the hang of this cable wrapping questeeonie!