Convenient cable storage?

[Greenwaytech]

Our school is looking to find a way to store our cables (mic cables mostly). Our current setup is they are hung up on screws in a cabinet, while others are wrapped up and thrown in a box in the corner. There are many cables and not enough room to hang them all up. The main problem is tangling which of course damages the cord (the correct wrapping technique is pushed, but inevitably ignored), and also finding the cords we want.

Is there a more convenient way we are missing? Thanks.

[seanandkate]

Quickest and dirtiest would be 1" dowels (or lag bolts in a pinch) put in a 2x4 on an angle and then secure the 2x4 to the wall. Label each peg for length and develop a colour-code system for your cables so you know at a glance how long a cable is BEFORE you uncoil it. You can also do a search on the Booth and get about a googlezillion (it's a word . . .) hits on this subject as well.

[gafftapegreenia]

If you don't lengths of tie line already permanently attached to the female end of each cable, thats a start to help prevent a rats nest.

[Blah067]

Originally Posted by gafftapegreenia

If you don't lengths of tie line already permanently attached to the female end of each cable, thats a start to help prevent a rats nest.

Why do you say female end? On mic cables, the male end goes to the board, and you'd want any labeling, or tiewraps on this end, so they don't get in the way of a lead singer, mic stand, etc etc. I've heard from plenty of singers who can't stand those 6 inches down the cable from their microphone.

[PeytonJr]

try a cart on wheels (hah what a concept) about 2'w 5'L 6't with metal tubes coming off the sides to hang cables on (make sure you put foam or bright flourescent paint on the ends!! I have learned to be careful around that cart). On the bottom, there is space for twofers, adapters, and whatever else you want. As for denoting lengths, tie different numbers of stripes of colored tape on the cables.
Example:
1 yellow: 5'
2 yellow: 10'
3 yellow: 15'
1 red: 25'
2 red: 50'
3 red: 75'
4 red: 100'

This the system that the theatre that I'm working at for the summer uses, and it works well; even when cables are in a pile, since the markings are easy to read at all orientations and dont need much space to see.

[Greenwaytech]

Thanks, this gave me some ideas!

One question. With the cart, is there any type of prevention of thievery? Because having cables right there back stage sounds really useful, but I feel they might get stolen, which is one reason we have them locked up in the cabinet up in the booth. Thanks again.

[gafftapegreenia]

The reason I said on the female end is from my Sparkie influence. Since the male end is always at the power source, and the female end is usually at a lighting fixture, a permanently attached piece of tie line on the female end makes for a readily available piece with which to begin dressing the cable.


But since the Noise Boys have no such rules then can put their tie line where-ever, (or their velcro strips as the case may be)

[Sean]

Originally Posted by PeytonJr

As for denoting lengths, tie different numbers of stripes of colored tape on the cables.
Example:
1 yellow: 5'
2 yellow: 10'
3 yellow: 15'
1 red: 25'
2 red: 50'
3 red: 75'
4 red: 100'

If I might offer a suggestion: Use different colors, not multiple pieces of tape. Tapes comes off of cable. It's much easier to deal with 'no label' than a 'wrong label'.

My $.02

--Sean

[NickJones]

Another option is the Velcro ties that hold the leads together after they have been rolled, they come in heaps of colours so they can all be colour co-ordinated, and they keep your leads neat and stop them from coming undone, once you have done that get a woodwork student to knock you up a plank of wood with hooks or round pieces of wood coming out of it, or even the hose/rope hooks you buy from a garden centre would do, but make sure you get the Velcro straps.

[sk8rsdad]

A fairly common length coding practice around here is to use resistor colour coding to denote length:

A 25' cable would be RED + GREEN.