# Figure of eight cable tidy?



## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

Does anyone make one of these? I wind and store my cable this way as it does not heat up if I use it when not fully unwound. I do it by hand and a frame would be neater and easier.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

thats the way I store the cable on the hoover.at the moment I keep my hookup cable in a bag.

cabby


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

I always undo the whole drum but I agree that a figure of 8 may be a good idea, dispersing the heat over a greater area.
A fabricated design may not be a great seller but looking at the design on my Bex Bistle, I may try and copy their concept.
I could use a board about 800x100 with a piece of wood 30x30x100 fixed at either end. Finished off with a cable retaining swivel that could release all of the cable or keep it on the frame. Yes! I think you have set me onto a new task. Drat! I was going to have an easy day until you came along.
Alan :lol:


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

Yes Alan, I was going to make a simple frame too but was checking that someone hadn't beaten me to it and I could simply buy it. 

So you are going into business fabricating them are you?  I don't there will be enough profit in it for Dragons Den though :wink:

Please post a pic of yours so we can all copy it. No pressure there then! :lol:


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

I had just got my tools out when the boiler service engineer turned up and found a problem, which now takes priority. I will have a go later with some sealing wax and string.
Alan
:lol:


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

Well I had a go, cut up a broom handle, drilled two 25mm hloes and added too much glue and screwed two window spacers on the end of the truncated broom bits.
All I need now is enough sunshine to go outside and see if it works better than the drum I use.


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## Bill_OR (Feb 6, 2010)

Alan,
Looks good! How about adding an handle to the top edge so you can hold it in one hand while winding the cable with the other.

Bill
P.S. just a small contribution from the royalties please...


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

Sorry! I am working towards a minimalist design and I think Andrew has first call on royalties, since he pushed me over the cliff of lethargy.
I may now drill out a space just off-centre for my wife's fingers to go through while I wind up the cable on the drum I purchased for winding cables on. :wink: 
Alan


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

Hi Alan, been away and just got back and caught up with your posts. Excellent job and pictures. Thanks very much for making it and posting. Now I will have to do something similar. Damn!


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

rosalan said:


> I always undo the whole drum but I agree that a figure of 8 may be a good idea, dispersing the heat over a greater area...


my thought was that a figure of eight would cancel out the induced current/heat that a coil creates. Can someone confirm if that is true? It certainly cancels the twist in the flex.


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## richardjames (Feb 1, 2006)

I use one of these >>>cable tidy<<< I find that I do not need to unwind completely


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

richardjames said:


> I use one of these >>>cable tidy<<< I find that I do not need to unwind completely


That looks neat and minimalists and would take up far less space than my reel.

How many feet/yards/metres can it hold?


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## richardjames (Feb 1, 2006)

Spacerunner said:


> richardjames said:
> 
> 
> > I use one of these >>>cable tidy<<< I find that I do not need to unwind completely
> ...


I have a full 25 yards on it - you can get them without the bag at most caravan stores


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

No, it doesn't reduce heat because of "induced current". 

The heat comes from resistance in the cable. Whether or not the temperature gets too high depends on the load, the cable thickness, and the ability of the coiled configuration to dissipate heat.

Dave


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## 5bells (Feb 4, 2009)

Thanks for the pic Rosalan Ive been looking for a figure of eight cable tidy myself.

One reason i prefer the figure of eight design is because as you pull it off and wind it on the reel it will never twist, used to do the same with the divers umbilical in a previous life, coiling it in a figure of eight on the deck.
Up to 75 meters length and never a knot.


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