proper way to coil a wire or small rope

[Chuck Wintle]

In my job i frequently have to coil small gauge wires after testing is finished. It seems I cannot coil them properly because the wire just wants to twist up or kink. is there a specific way to coil it without all the kinking and twisting happening?

[Dan Hintz]

Bit of a vague question, but I'll try...

If the wire is already stretched out straight, the best way to coil is to have the axle of the retaining hub perpendicular to the wire and spin the hub. Unwinding is just the opposite, pull the wire straight off of the hub. Don't wind the wire over the hub as if you're putting away a yard extension cable and wrapping it around your arm (same with removing it, don't pull parallel to the hub's axle)... doing so will introduce a full 360 degree twist into the wire with each revolution, and if the wire isn't short enough to wrap/unwrap naturally, you'll get kinks.

[Ole Anderson]

With extension cords or mic cords, use the over/under technique, that way the twists even each other out. Coiling over your arm like mom did clothesline will put one twist into the wire for each loop. Don't know if that applies to the type of wire you are speaking about.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Probably not a useful analogy, but coil it like a throw rope. The cord or wire has tension in it, unless it has been laid out straight and the whole length can roll as its wound. To roll, grab the business end and roll the cord as you start the loop. Rolling it one way causes the loop to go forward, and the other equals backwards. By rolling it though, you can make kinks, so its important to let the whole length twist if it needs to, or you can manipulate the coil to match the loop the cord wants to make. Basically don't fight the built in tension, use it to your advantage. It takes some practice.

[Gordon Eyre]

Make a figure eight as you coil it then when you have finished just bring the top and bottom of the eight together. This works great for coiling hoses as well.

[David G Baker]

I worked in TV broadcasting for years and did a lot of remote live shots. Many times I would have around 500 feet of twin lead wire out from the live truck to the live shot location. The wire was not on a reel but was hand wound just like Ole Anderson described. By the time it was all wound it became very heavy but it had to be done this way because on many occasions we had very little time to set up the live shot. Most of the fast live shots were done with shorter lengths of cable 150 feet or less, this way I could grab the wire, anchor the inside leg, hold the outside leg and throw the roll of wire and it would unwind with out any twists. I would carry the outside leg to the cameraman so he could hook the cable to his camera and microphone. Many times we could be live in around 3 minuets or less.
I do smaller wires in a similar way. Dan H's description is one of the best ways to work with wire on a reel.

[Pat Barry]

Not following the over under idea. What are you going over and under?

[Grant Wilkinson]

Here's the over and under idea in video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEd7ru24Vx0

[Pat Barry]

Holy smokes! I don't know why I never heard of that before

[Wade Lippman]

Here's the over and under idea in video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEd7ru24Vx0

Thanks, I will play with that idea. I have just always wrapped it around my hand and elbow and it has never worked terribly well.

[Chuck Wintle]

Here's the over and under idea in video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEd7ru24Vx0

Yes thank you for the video link.....maybe now the wires won't twist and kink.

[David G Baker]

I have done it like Grant's video demonstrated for so many years I doubt that I can do it any other way. Visualize having 500 feet of cable that you need to unwind in a hurry and someone else has wrapped it with out the twist. It would take around an hour to untangle the mess.

[ray hampton]

watch the firemen unrolling the fire hoses, to roll a water or air hoses and electric wires up will require spinning the remaining hose to remove the kinks

[Jason Roehl]

I have done it like Grant's video demonstrated for so many years I doubt that I can do it any other way. Visualize having 500 feet of cable that you need to unwind in a hurry and someone else has wrapped it with out the twist. It would take around an hour to untangle the mess.

I'm a recent convert to the over/under technique, and I am a firm believer now! It takes me a little longer to coil long extension cords, but it's well worth it for the time savings of not having to untangle the mess when I want to use it. My 10-ga, 100' extension is a challenge no matter the method...it's a workout to coil that beast!

Years ago, I was involved with Purdue Grand Prix (go-kart racing) Scoring. It was tradition that about a month before the race each spring, the newbies would spend a few hours a day for a couple weeks untangling all the data wire so it could be setup at the track. At teardown, speed was the name of the game, so no coiling would take place--it would all just get bunched up in boxes, then thrown in a closet for the next year. Anyway, we would have a good portion of a long hallway at the student union taken over with wires laid out on the floor as we untangled several miles of cable in lengths of several hundred feet.

[John Huds0n]

Well, when it comes to winding up my extension cord - I guess I am a cheater ;)

274003

[Jason Roehl]

Yeah, that wouldn't last a week in my work van. ;)

[Charles McKinley]

Jason with the 10 ga 100' cord start the loop about the size of a bushel basket and carefully work it around. Find the memory in the wire. if it has been left balled up too many times this is bad.

You may have to stretch out the end you are working out 5 or 6 times to keep working the kinks out. it is best if it can be stretched out straight to begin with. Keep the cord Inside the previous loop. This way the male plug end is on the outside. pick up the female end and you can pull the cord out with out it balling up on you.

Once the cord is rolled up this is the IMPORTANT part Tape or tie it in at least three places so you can move it with out ruining the work you just did. Electrical tape is cheap compares to set up time. Ten gage cord is easy. Want a challenge try 100 feet of 1/2" double torch hose or 0 gage welding lead. :D

[Ed Aumiller]

Thanks to Chuck for asking and thanks to Grant for the video....