Home Articles Tutorials How-To “Over-Under” Looping Cables
How-To “Over-Under” Looping Cables
How-To “Over-Under” Looping Cables PDF Print E-mail
Written by Megalomaniac   
Monday, 14 July 2008 22:22
The most common mistake I see almost everyone make is coiling a cable. I will be showing an easy How-To on how to coil a cable (any cable) properly. I will explain and demonstrate the wrong way of coiling, right way of coiling, and why it is important to keep them cabled properly. Coiling a cable properly will keep the cable in shape, fresher, easy to dispense, and lasts longer.


The wrong way to coil but yet the most common way of coiling is over and over looping. By holding cable in one hand, and wrapping around elbow. This method is wrong for several reasons.

1. It creates a Kinks and Twists resulting in a deformed shape and a damaged cable, it can create signal loss from resistance
2. It gets tangled easier
3. When you get ready to use this cable its all out of wack and you waste time trying to untangle it and straighten it properly.

 Reduced: 90% of original size [ 640 x 480 ] - Click to view full image



This is the proper way to coil a cable correctly:

Step 1 to properly coiling is to hold one end of the cable in your hand (doesn’t matter which hand, usually if a male and female end such as an XLR cable you would hold Male end in hand)

 Reduced: 90% of original size [ 640 x 480 ] - Click to view full image


Step 2 is to make an Over loop going clockwise with the cable making about a 1 foot diameter

 Reduced: 90% of original size [ 640 x 480 ] - Click to view full image


Step 3 make an Under loop by grabbing the cable about 2 feet from your right hand and bring the cable (left hand) towards your right hand and twist your hand 180 degrees clockwise as you are bringing it in.

 Reduced: 90% of original size [ 640 x 480 ] - Click to view full image


 Reduced: 90% of original size [ 640 x 480 ] - Click to view full image


It should look like this when you look at it profile style:

 Reduced: 90% of original size [ 640 x 480 ] - Click to view full image
Step 4 Make an Over loop, grab cable about 2 feet from right hand with your left hand and loop it over your hand like normal, no twisting ( same as step 2).

 Reduced: 90% of original size [ 640 x 480 ] - Click to view full image


Step 5 repeat step 3 and 4 until cable is completely coiled

Step 6 Tie cables tie to it and hang the cable up or store it safe. Cable ties are cheap, buy them.

 Reduced: 90% of original size [ 640 x 480 ] - Click to view full image


 Reduced: 90% of original size [ 640 x 480 ] - Click to view full image


 Reduced: 90% of original size [ 640 x 480 ] - Click to view full image


 Reduced: 90% of original size [ 640 x 480 ] - Click to view full image



Step 7 when you are ready to use simply untie the cable tie and hold one end and throw the rest of the cable, your cable should stay straight and tangle free.



Comparison cable throw demo




Coiling a cable properly is easy to do and can be somewhat time consuming at first. But once you get the hang of it you will make it a habit to coil it like so. Your cables will last longer (saves money), stay in shape, tangle free, and it is easy to dispense when you need it for the next time.
 

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