Suggestions for a cable reel or drum

James1979 · Dec 13, 2020

8ob said:
A mate uses an old car wheel rim to wrap his leads on,they live on a hook on the wall when not in use.

Bob

that’s what I do. For airlines also. Garden hose is on an alloy. It was a compromise with project management....

@mdr google ‘daisy chain’. It’s how you store rope and hang it up to dry. Yours isn’t quite the same. If you do a daisy chain it collapses with one tug.

Maker · Dec 13, 2020

mdr said:
It's just for me at home. Bit of stick welding outside down the bottom of the garden hence it will be stretched out when in use.

The old reel (standard B&Q thing) started playing up. I thought I'd "upgrade" to a 2.5mm² cable size as I think that would be better for the welder over 25 metres. My plan was to wind the 2.5mm² on to the old reel and I bet that would have worked. However, as I've said I've ended up with 4.0mm² and it's..well overkill...and also it won't fit on a small reel. I just need a method of keeping it tidy when not in use.

I'm currently using the "looping it thru itself over and over so it looks like a tangled mess but it's actually not able to become a intertwined mass of flex" method or whatever the official name is ...

View attachment 263731
View attachment 263730

It's called chain stitch, I've got a load of rope stored like that. I like it because it doesn't introduce any twist so it doesn't try to coil back up when you undo it.

WorkshopChris · Dec 13, 2020

I just coil cables up by hand into reels that would be the equivalent to about 3-foot in diameter.
Then a reusable cable tie around them and hang on an empty mig wire reel wall screwed to a wall.

johnik · Dec 13, 2020

i use a wooden drum that cable comes on , maybe try a building site as sparkes would just leave them there. :dontknow:

Agroshield · Dec 13, 2020

A possible option might be an Clansman radio cable reel. Ex-MOD.

See also: https://www.conceptcables.com/technical/cable-reel-capacity-calculator

mtt.tr · Dec 13, 2020

Maker said:
It's called chain stitch, I've got a load of rope stored like that. I like it because it doesn't introduce any twist so it doesn't try to coil back up when you undo it.

We call it daisy chain

Maker · Dec 13, 2020

mtt.tr said:
We call it daisy chain

I googled it after James's post and it looks like Daisy chain is more common, not sure where I got chain stitch from. :dontknow:

Woody.v8 · Dec 13, 2020

Maker said:
I googled it after James's post and it looks like Daisy chain is more common, not sure where I got chain stitch from.

Have you sat down on any unsanitary toilet seats recently? :laughing:

8ob · Dec 13, 2020

mdr said:
It's just for me at home. Bit of stick welding outside down the bottom of the garden hence it will be stretched out when in use.

The old reel (standard B&Q thing) started playing up. I thought I'd "upgrade" to a 2.5mm² cable size as I think that would be better for the welder over 25 metres. My plan was to wind the 2.5mm² on to the old reel and I bet that would have worked. However, as I've said I've ended up with 4.0mm² and it's..well overkill...and also it won't fit on a small reel. I just need a method of keeping it tidy when not in use.

I'm currently using the "looping it thru itself over and over so it looks like a tangled mess but it's actually not able to become a intertwined mass of flex" method or whatever the official name is ...

View attachment 263731
View attachment 263730

That’s what we do with all the wet ropes in the drying shed. :thumbup:

Bob

brightspark · Dec 13, 2020

Lazurus said:
coil it up in a bucket or drum

is that to keep it cool when overloaded :rolleyes:

Woody.v8 · Dec 13, 2020

brightspark said:
is that to keep it cool when overloaded

A water cooled extension cable, I like it :laughing:

mtt.tr · Dec 13, 2020

8ob said:
That’s what we do with all the wet ropes in the drying shed.

Bob

Good for the washing machine aswell, does make a bit of a noise

mdr · Dec 13, 2020

James1979 said:
Yours isn’t quite the same. If you do a daisy chain it collapses with one tug.

I thought that was I was doing. Struggling to see a difference but I'll keep looking for a video that explains it at my level!

Thanks.

Parm · Dec 13, 2020

selectedgrub said:
It's not wise to use reels unless your going to unroll the whole of your 25mtrs when in use.
A coiled up extension gets unbelievably hot and they have been known to burst into flames.

Yep, learned that one the hard way as a teenager

mdr · Dec 13, 2020

I'm checking it every 10 minutes!

brightspark · Dec 13, 2020

mdr said:
I'm checking it every 10 minutes!

View attachment 263836

put it on a drum wound up and use power for 15 mins then start pulling it out and watch the temperature rise as your getting close to the core :laughing:

power turned in to heat

mdr · Dec 13, 2020

I've a hand warmer too!

The reel is only for storage when not in use. I promise to stretch it out (have to - it won't reach otherwise).

James1979 · Dec 13, 2020

mdr said:
I thought that was I was doing. Struggling to see a difference but I'll keep looking for a video that explains it at my level!

Thanks.

This guy explains it how I know how to do it.

You reach through, grab a bight and keep repeating. Maybe that’s what you are doing, just looks different in cable to how I’m used to seeing ropes?
:dontknow:

8ob · Dec 14, 2020

How to make a small mig reel bigger :laughing:

mdr · Dec 31, 2020

Update for anyone interested in my solution...I just bought an empty reel with a blank middle panel from eBay...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cobra-Empty-Cable-Reel/152027066176

Picked up a 16 amp panel mount socket too. Fits quite well and should work for me...

Suggestions for a cable reel or drum

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