Cable Storage Poll

[JimmyM]

Hello,

I am just doing some research for my university as the cable management is lacking. I am curious to see what others are doing to store/organize cable.

Currently they have a decent system for twistlock power cables however DMX and Edison power is lacking, since this topic hasn't been visited since they started acquiring more and more intelligent lighting.

The poll allows two responses, use one for for the [POWER] and one for [DMX/DATA] catagories.

I would also love to see some pictures!

Thanks for the help!

-Jimmy

 

[RonHebbard]

Hello,

I am just doing some research for my university as the cable management is lacking. I am curious to see what others are doing to store/organize cable.

Currently they have a decent system for twistlock power cables however DMX and Edison power is lacking, since this topic hasn't been visited since they started acquiring more and more intelligent lighting.

The poll allows two responses, use one for for the [POWER] and one for [DMX/DATA] catagories.

I would also love to see some pictures!

Thanks for the help!

-Jimmy

The venue where I served my IA apprenticeship stored their 2P&G cables in six, color coded, open top rolling boxes. There were boxes for 100', 50', 35', 25', 15', & 6' cables. After a few years they added staggered length bundles of six tagged A < F & G < M minus I.

When I became the founding Head LX in a newly built 750 soft-seater I used the same system with smaller (30" cubed) boxes. I apprenticed in 2,000+ soft seater where their 4 foot cubed boxes were stored in stage level rooms up stage.
I went with the smaller 30 inch cubed boxes in the 750 seat venue:
1; We owned less cable.
2; We had to deal with a few 32" wide doors on the way to a small passenger elevator up to a 2nd floor cross-over corridor for storage.
3; I added wall racks in two convenient locations for two-fers and adapters. I went with color coded two-fers in four colors to match our color coded four cell cyc' tops and ground row for ease of correctly plugging.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

 

[dpak]

Kitty Litter buckets. They're stackable! Wash them out thoroughly before use.

 

[Colin]

I like a rolling cart with side hooks for the stage, sized to fit through all the doors. Bins (stationary) on the catwalks. I'd take a pic of my cart but it's presently deceased and awaiting reincarnation. I've done versions from wood and from steel before. Big question is, do all casters swivel or is one end straight? Pros and cons to both.

 

[RonHebbard]

I like a rolling cart with side hooks for the stage, sized to fit through all the doors. Bins (stationary) on the catwalks. I'd take a pic of my cart but it's presently deceased and awaiting reincarnation. I've done versions from wood and from steel before. Big question is, do all casters swivel or is one end straight? Pros and cons to both.

Casters: Consider two non-swivel in the center of the long side plus two swivels centered on the short sides akin to elder Fairbanks Morris carts.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

 

[RickR]

I've answered for our main city road house rather than the smaller venues I've designed. I think the scale and production style matter the most.

Anyway there's a large cart with books for the bulk of the AC. The DMX is a repurposed cart with several open bins and a drawer. The main rationale is the carts can be cleared from the stage entirely when a show need every foot.

But since there aren't connector strips over the stage there's also a huge wad of staggered breakouts and socko hung under our mid loading bridge. These are lowered and strung as needed. We also have bins on shelves of less common adapters and such.

 

[Van]

I see Theatre Consultants spec 10bu hampsters for storing cables all the time. Just one, I guess everything is supposed to get thrown in together...

 

[dalebobvideo]

At the FedEx Video Production studios in Memphis, there's a corridor running between studios A and B where pedastal cameras, scenery and what-not, can transit between the studios or prop storage that leads to the loading dock. Aluminum Proslat is installed on one of the corridor walls. AC, audio and video cables as well as adapters, two-fers, globes, Kino-Flo tubes, tape, gobos, barndoors, S4 lenses, and a myriad of other things. It's an expensive solution but being FedEx it's probably the cost of a few titanium screws for a Boeing 777. I retired 10 years ago and don't have a photo but here's one from the Slatwall website. The hanging baskets are particularly useful for holding smaller stuff. Weight capacity is listed as 100 lbs./sq. ft.

 

[MBrodin]

You asked for Picts, here’s what we did (below). We’re a 1931 Gymatorium (gymnasium with stage seating on one end). It’s all theater now for community shows, HS plays, etc. I’m a one man tech team with inconsistent, untrained volunteers. I wanted clear separation and sorting of cables, so I didn’t have to do it twice.

 

[Ted jones]

Reach out if you would like to price a storage cart. We have built them before.

 

[dalebobvideo]

You asked for Picts, here’s what we did (below). We’re a 1931 Gymatorium (gymnasium with stage seating on one end). It’s all theater now for community shows, HS plays, etc. I’m a one man tech team with inconsistent, untrained volunteers. I wanted clear separation and sorting of cables, so I didn’t have to do it twice.

That's a very nice solution.

 

[JonCarter]

Canvas laundry hampers. Readily available, about 30" x 42" x 36" high, wheels centered on long sides & ends (like Ron sez) weigh around 300# when full so 2 guys can get thm in & out of the truck. Spray paint 'em different colors for different lengths--we used blue/100', green/50', red/25' and black for the shorts.