Not your usual extension cord question.

[Bill Edwards(2)]

I searched and did not find anything, so....

Like most here I have extension cords, NOT being used in the shop, but
for DIY projects and such.

Anybody have a clever way of storing these? Sometimes they remind
me of a snake pit and I wouldn't want to sort through one of those either.

:confused:

[Scott T Smith]

Bill, as you can imagine here on the farm we have a lot of extension cords. I store mine on large cast-iron harness hooks in the shop and barn. Sometimes a strip of velcro tape will be wrapped around a cord to keep it separate from the others.

[Van Huskey]

Having been a rock climber and mountaineer most of my life I could them like a climbing rope and hang them. In the video I post below what he is saying when the sound crews up is start from the middle, which is how I do it and have a piece of electrical tape in the middle of my ext cords. You can also do the same thing with both ends in one had and then tie it with a first loop around your head. You can also make the loops in front of you but it is easier (at least for some one that has done it one way for year) to flip the loops behind your head as he does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXSY0EB5N4c

[Prashun Patel]

Google "daisy chain cord storage". It's a neat way to store cords in a way that requires no ties, and keeps them tangle free. I've been using this method for a few years. It works best with longer cords (> 20ft or so)

[Neil Brooks]

You could really do something as simple as mounting a board across some studs, and then putting a number of dowels, angled downward, into the board.

Then, simply coil the cords, loosely, winding them around your palm and bent-at-90-degree elbow (you know what I mean, right ?), putting a piece of Velcro strap on them, and hang them.

You just don't want to wind with much tension, to avoid putting kinks in the conductors.

You could double stack cords, on longer dowel segments. Probably 1/2" diameter dowel, for strength.

With your router, you can then get silly, routing something like "My Honda Ac-CORD" into the board ;)

[Van Huskey]

Then, simply coil the cords, loosely, winding them around your palm and bent-at-90-degree elbow (you know what I mean, right ?), putting a piece of Velcro strap on them, and hang them.



When I do it that way, especially on a long cord, I wind up with a near ball and a LOT of twist in the cord. Your mileage apparently varies, plus you may have longer forearms.

[Neil Brooks]

When I do it that way, especially on a long cord, I wind up with a near ball and a LOT of twist in the cord. Your mileage apparently varies, plus you may have longer forearms.

At 6'2", I suppose my forearms are fairly long. I also don't have any cord longer than ... maybe 50', and probably only one that long.

I think the key is that the moving (not stationary) hand should never grip tightly. You're never supposed to "wind --" only coil. I also try to watch to see that I'm winding cord next to cord, and 'traveling' back and forth, the way those super-fancy garden hose storage/coiling boxes do.

It actually seems to work pretty well. Virtually never have a mess to sort out.

The "daisy chain" thing IS supreme, but ... yeah ... pretty much only for longer cords, and you have to develop the technique.

[John Coloccia]

Like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4zVGGWlvkU

The idea of twisting every other coil (or reversing direction, if you wish to think of it like that) is when you stretch it out, it will have NO twists in it. I've been coiling all of my instrument cables and extension cords like this forever.

Of course, I don't actually use extension chords like you think of them that much anymore. I have a retractable reel mounted in my shop, and use that for everything. Supremely convenient.

I've done the daisy chain too, and it works well, but I just don't find it convenient to do or store. If I were a contractor, that's probably the technique I would use on site and to hang in my truck.

[Bill Edwards(2)]

Of course, I don't actually use extension chords like you think of them that much anymore. I have a retractable reel mounted in my shop, and use that for everything. Supremely convenient.

I don't think I can find one long enough to reach to my MIL's house.:D

[Neil Brooks]

I don't think I can find one long enough to reach to my MIL's house.:D

Stealth gloat ? ;)

[johnny means]

Stealth gloat ? ;)

No pictures, didn't happen:D

[Joe Angrisani]

.....Anybody have a clever way of storing [extension cords]......

I like to simply coil them and hang them on a dowel or hook. But the subtle difference is I always like to make large loops. For one, the coiling goes much faster. For two, the cords don't take on a Slinky-esque memory (bye-bye snake pit). Think big loops, so the bottom of the loop is about 6" off the ground when hung on a peg 5' off the ground.

[Bill Edwards(2)]

No pictures, didn't happen:D

If there were pictures... would it still be stealth?

I did have (might still, on the bottom of snake pit) a very unusual one.

SWITCH______20'_____________MALE PLUG________10'____FEMALE PLUG

At Christmas I hung the switch by the side door into the garage, over the garage
door tracks to a wall plug to under the garage door to Christmas lights:D

[Van Huskey]

Like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4zVGGWlvkU

Of course, I don't actually use extension chords like you think of them that much anymore. .


First, I am horrible about mis-using homonyms when I am typing, never understood why.

So which do your chords look like? Since you are both an engineer and a musician I dunno. :D

225968

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I have one from Sears. Self retracting. Winds up every time. Pricey though. How much are you willing to spend? It's like 500 bucks. I got mine free as a hand me down. I personally would not spend my own money on it.

[John Spitters]

I have a few of these and they are one of the best ways to store your extension cords without them ever getting tangled up. A big plus is that you do not wind up with twists in your cords.John

[Rick Moyer]

I hang some high overhead and use a wooden dowel like a broom handle with a hook on it to get them down when needed.