Cable Storage

  • Thread starter Thread starter Twiggy
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Twiggy

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Just curious. Wanted to know what u guys do for cable storage. Trying to keep all my cables neat and in order.
 
I use a big pegboard and lots of sturdy hooks and releasable cable ties. I'd post a picture but I don't have it with me.
 
I store unused cables in plastic bins, sorted and organized. I use the wall mount "cable claws" for cables that get used more frequently, like patch cables.
 
if you have the rack space and the money, there are several companies that sell 2-4 RU drawers. They put the cables right where you'd need them. Unfortunately, the drawers are somewhat expensive, however, the cool factor still remains. :cool:

Alternatively, if you have a closet in your recording area, pegboards or cable hangers work well, and you can make your own.

Or, you could always do what I did; find a filing cabinet (wooden lateral cabinet, in my case) at a yard sale or flea market for cheap and use that. you can also paint it to match you studio if you're so inclined.

Rubbermaid, I think, make plastic tub-type things that can easily slide under a bed. these can be used for cables too. they can be stacked (E.g. in a closet) or, they may fit under a couch or something else.

Jason
 
I use a file cabinet. Put a plastic file holder in it. Put cables in file holder. Take cables out when needed. If it is a remote recording, take whole file container with me.

If you don't know what I am talking about when I say plastic file holder, it is like a tupperware container for transporting files, or in this case cables. The container could probably hold 10+ cables filled to the brim.
 
great cable storage

My desk came with a very sturdy long hard black plastic tray that once screwed into the back of the desk not only hides all cables from one end to the other, but I can add more cables along the way! I have also added a multiple outlet strip inside the tray, so only one power cable coming out from the desk to the nearest outlet! Very nice and everything is out of sight.
 
Gently coiled and each held in place with velcro straps. I keep them on the bottom shelf of my mic cabinet. I maintain that most of the wear and tear on mic cables come from excessive twisting which occurs during stowage and deployment. Not forcing the cable to bend and twist while coiling them saves on wear and tear. The wires are wound multiconductor cables...you don't want to unwind the natural state of the cable.
 
I used to get Rubbermaid (?) coat hooks from the hardware store - Plastic, 5 hooks each - Easy to keep around 3 25' XLR's on each hook. A few of them for cables, one or two for headphones...

Maybe one for coats...

About $2 each.
 
Most of my cables are used for live work, so I have to transport them. I use a simple large plastic toolbox, remove the tray, and keep XLRs coiled in roadie coils held with velcro or florists tape ("velcro lite"). The roadie coil is a loose coil with every other winding in the reverse direction so the wire "wears" evenly - avoids twists inside the jacketing. When done consistently (e.g. always start from the female end) the coil can be cast across the room like a fishing line, where it needs to go. I'm still working on that part. I can get about thirty cables to a box if they're neatly coiled. The boxes end up being modular if you get three or four of them, so each can be marked for a particular type of gear. Marking each box with a big magic marker ("XLR") ("Guitar") and so on helps with setup and tear down time.
 
Treeline said:
Most of my cables are used for live work, so I have to transport them. I use a simple large plastic toolbox, remove the tray, and keep XLRs coiled in roadie coils held with velcro or florists tape ("velcro lite"). The roadie coil is a loose coil with every other winding in the reverse direction so the wire "wears" evenly - avoids twists inside the jacketing. When done consistently (e.g. always start from the female end) the coil can be cast across the room like a fishing line, where it needs to go. I'm still working on that part. I can get about thirty cables to a box if they're neatly coiled. The boxes end up being modular if you get three or four of them, so each can be marked for a particular type of gear. Marking each box with a big magic marker ("XLR") ("Guitar") and so on helps with setup and tear down time.
Click to expand...

bingo! :D :D :D
 
i have my cables sitting in shoeboxes on my studio bookshelf assorted by type (XLR, instrument, TRS). works for me, haha.

oh and they're all coiled up neatly the way Treeline described his. "roadie coil" i guess is the term? :)
 
I use a gym bag for the big stuff, and three smaller canvas bags for mics/mic cables, midi cables,and connectors.
 
Like Treeline, but I use milk crates. At this point, by habit my cable loops fit inside them, and they stack nicely.

I have two p-touch label printers, one that marks shrink tubing. All my cables are labelled at both ends with length and number. The heat shrink labeller is for cables I make myself. So I have 30' 1-10, 20' 1-10, etc. Inserts and FX are labelled at the console, and so on. I never have to guess what cable I'm looking at when I'm looking through a pile at my mixer, which happens a lot :D. I buy Radio Shack velcro ties, a five pack of red, yellow, green, blue, black for $3. The velcro goes on the female end, in ROYGBIV order. Red=30', Yellow=20', Green=10', Blue=6', Black=50'.
 
God, you're so organized it makes me sick.

I may pick up a few of those ideas, if you don't mind... :cool:
 
I store mine in used plastic containers of Cat Litter. Approximately a 2-gallon container with waterproof lids and a handle.
 
Treeline said:
God, you're so organized it makes me sick.

I may pick up a few of those ideas, if you don't mind... :cool:
Click to expand...

:p

I was just listening to a book on tape by David Sedaris, I may be a touch OCD. Excellent author.
 
Within a day or two of when I use a cable, I wind it up and secure it with a twist tie, rubber band, piece of old t-shirt, or whatever I have. Then I put it in a cardboard box on top of my bass head.
Prior to this, I usually leave them on the floor for a day. I put my bed down on top of them, so they should be safe.
 
2 by 4, screwed into the drywall, with a bunch of 4 inch drywall screws evenly spaced on that. Cables go on the screws.
 
notbradsohner said:
2 by 4, screwed into the drywall, with a bunch of 4 inch drywall screws evenly spaced on that. Cables go on the screws.
Click to expand...

Are you concerned at all about the threads cutting into the cables? Drywall screws typically have pretty sharp threads. I guess you could wrap the exposed part of the screws with a bit of electrical tape or something. I'm probably overly paranoid on this one.
 
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