Measuring and Coiling Cable

[The Moose]

I am looking for something that will measure the amount of cable pulled through and then wind it into a coil of cable (not onto a drum - think when you run cable around your hand and elbow).

This can be 2 separate devices (think this would be best) and hand powered is fine.

Second hand would be great because I imagine cheaper!

Any ideas? (That don't cost a fortune!)

Cheers

The Moose

[randlemarcus]

I've got two great ideas, and they can be yours if you stop doing that fricking Cheers, The Moose thing.

[timskipper]

[elster]

A few things.

What size of cable?
What size of loop?
A mobile unit or a fixed unit?

You will need some kind of drum that you can release, a feeder that counts the lengths. It wouldn't be hard to make.

Edited by elster on Tuesday 5th April 20:35

[The Moose]

elster said:

A few things.

What size of cable?
What size of loop?
A mobile unit or a fixed unit?

You will need some kind of drum that you can release, a feeder that counts the lengths. It wouldn't be hard to make.

Edited by elster on Tuesday 5th April 20:35

I didn't think it would be hard to make. I'm struggling sourcing each component! Was going to mount it to the edge of a bench. Seemed the best way to go about it.

Cable diameter no more than 15m (majority will be under 8mm).

Roll size - am thinking internal diameter of 250-300mm but not too bothered. Max length of cable will be 300m so fairly flexible on this front.

Side-releasing winder thingy (technical name I believe!!) is proving hard to find also.

Cheers

The Moose

[elster]

Like this thing

http://www.cablespeed.co.uk/listman/listings/l0080...

[The Moose]

elster said:

Like this thing

http://www.cablespeed.co.uk/listman/listings/l0080...

That's the type of thing I'm looking to knock up, but I bet that's several grand which will be the sticking point...

Was hoping to knock something up for a few hundred!!

Cheers

The Moose

[skwdenyer]

The Moose said:

elster said:

Like this thing

http://www.cablespeed.co.uk/listman/listings/l0080...

That's the type of thing I'm looking to knock up, but I bet that's several grand which will be the sticking point...

Was hoping to knock something up for a few hundred!!

Cheers

The Moose

This might be closer to your needs: http://www.wdt-tooltech.ch/content/view/80/1/lang,...

CableSpeed also sell it. Alternatively, this one is available for about $160 http://www.kaltmancreationsllc.com/coiler.html[/URL] (pricing [URL]here for example).

[elster]

skwdenyer said:

This might be closer to your needs: http://www.wdt-tooltech.ch/content/view/80/1/lang,...

CableSpeed also sell it. Alternatively, this one is available for about $160 http://www.kaltmancreationsllc.com/coiler.html[/URL] (pricing [URL]here for example).

Remember he said he wanted to coil 300m of 12mm cable.

[skwdenyer]

elster said:

skwdenyer said:

This might be closer to your needs: http://www.wdt-tooltech.ch/content/view/80/1/lang,...

CableSpeed also sell it. Alternatively, this one is available for about $160 http://www.kaltmancreationsllc.com/coiler.html[/URL] (pricing [URL]here for example).

Remember he said he wanted to coil 300m of 12mm cable.

Oops, sorry, saw the original brief, skimmed the follow-up.

IMHO a 300m coil of 15mm cable really needs, err, a reel. Otherwise how is it going to be of any use to the end-user?

[Zeemax_Mini]

No idea about the coiling it etc, but for the measuring part couldn't you buy one of those wheels that you run along the ground which measures how far it's gone? Mount one of those on a bench or something and run the cable over the wheel?

Dom

[The Moose]

Zeemax_Mini said:

No idea about the coiling it etc, but for the measuring part couldn't you buy one of those wheels that you run along the ground which measures how far it's gone? Mount one of those on a bench or something and run the cable over the wheel?

Dom

That was, funnily enough my first thought. But you would need another wheel above it to keep the tension on the cable being measured...and you would have to count the clicks. What I want to do is build something that you just wind onto the coil until the right number appears on the dial.

We're looking at a grand at the moment

Cheers

The Moose

[WorAl]

The Moose said:

That was, funnily enough my first thought. But you would need another wheel above it to keep the tension on the cable being measured...and you would have to count the clicks. What I want to do is build something that you just wind onto the coil until the right number appears on the dial.

Just seen this, you are over estimating the ability of council staff, do you really think they can count? all the modern ones have a digital readout to tell you how many meters have passed.

As an above poster said 300m of cable, you really could do with a drum to reel it on to.

[singlecoil]

randlemarcus said:

I've got two great ideas, and they can be yours if you stop doing that fricking Cheers, The Moose thing.

Looks like he didn't want your ideas.

[The Moose]

WorAl said:

The Moose said:

That was, funnily enough my first thought. But you would need another wheel above it to keep the tension on the cable being measured...and you would have to count the clicks. What I want to do is build something that you just wind onto the coil until the right number appears on the dial.

Just seen this, you are over estimating the ability of council staff, do you really think they can count? all the modern ones have a digital readout to tell you how many meters have passed.

As an above poster said 300m of cable, you really could do with a drum to reel it on to.

Really?? I've never seen one of those with a dial!! LOL.

They must be dumb bds not being able to count !!

Our customers haven't reported any issues with that length not on a drum. I'm with you - I don't know how they manage it...but they do! Also, I would imagine some would have complained by now...

Cheers

The Moose

[elster]

The Moose said:

Really?? I've never seen one of those with a dial!! LOL.

They must be dumb bds not being able to count !!

Our customers haven't reported any issues with that length not on a drum. I'm with you - I don't know how they manage it...but they do! Also, I would imagine some would have complained by now...

Cheers

The Moose

I am yet to see a cable coiler without at the very least a counter.

[The Moose]

elster said:

The Moose said:

Really?? I've never seen one of those with a dial!! LOL.

They must be dumb bds not being able to count !!

Our customers haven't reported any issues with that length not on a drum. I'm with you - I don't know how they manage it...but they do! Also, I would imagine some would have complained by now...

Cheers

The Moose

I am yet to see a cable coiler without at the very least a counter.

Crossed wires! The conversation was because someone was suggested using one of those wheels you can walk along the ground and count the number of clicks to tell how many metres you've gone etc.

Cheers

The Moose

[skwdenyer]

The Moose said:

Really?? I've never seen one of those with a dial!! LOL.

They must be dumb bds not being able to count !!

Our customers haven't reported any issues with that length not on a drum. I'm with you - I don't know how they manage it...but they do! Also, I would imagine some would have complained by now...

Cheers

The Moose

If your customers don't care if it is on a drum or not, that allows you to choose to deliver on a drum if it suits you! I wouldn't have thought a simple, disposable cardboard core would add much cost, would it?

As regards measurement, why do it at all? Why not just measure the weight of the winding assembly / drum and calculate according to the product?

[Tallbut Buxomly]

Depends on the type of cable. Copper cable you can get metres which can tell you the length of a cable.

In fact you can get metres which will do it for fibre as well.

Fluke do a fair few but can be very pricey depending on requirement.

[Simpo Two]

Tallbut Buxomly said:

Copper cable you can get metres which can tell you the length of a cable.

That's right, I bought a roll of cable which said '10 metres' and it was exactly 10 metres