How To Roll Up A Cord - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

NC2X4 · 03-08-2009, 09:30 PM

OK, I have been rolling my cords up the same way for 20 years. I have always know of this being called the Carpenter loop.

First you bring the male and female ends togther, tie a loose knot, then pull through that knot another loop, then another, then another till it's all done. I find this the best way to quickly roll cords with no knots or troube unrolling them. Once you want the cord you simply undo the end and then pull it all out in one quick pull.

Does anyone know who started this type cord loop roll up? Is it a Carpenter loop or did some other sub invent it? Where did it start?

EPD · 03-08-2009, 09:36 PM

ever been boating?

NC2X4 · 03-08-2009, 09:37 PM

Is that where it started? Boating?

neolitic · 03-08-2009, 09:40 PM

Sailors, when wind moved ships.

wellbuilthome · 03-08-2009, 10:18 PM

That's how my grandfather taught me to roll up the cords . He was a sailor .

silvertree · 03-08-2009, 10:20 PM

Damn, I sail a little boat but still wind cords around my elbow. They are always a little hard to unwind. Old bad habits I just never get rid of them.

RobertCDF · 03-08-2009, 10:42 PM

I coil them in hand (100' 10 ga gets coiled on the ground) I hate cords that have been "braided" as we called the previously discussed method. They often get kinks in them that last forever and make it a pain to work with.

Gold Tie · 03-08-2009, 11:51 PM

Yeah, I call it a speghetti roll. Not allowed to my stuff. Like mentioned, kinks all over the place and it seems to catch on everything including your feet. Not to mention the messy way it looks piled together in the trailer. I hate it!

CrpntrFrk · 03-08-2009, 11:52 PM

I call it the figure 8. IMO the cord doesnt get kinks in it if you roll it up this way. I start from the other end though. That way if you have a 100' cord and only need 25' you don't have to undo the whole thing.

TempestV · 03-08-2009, 11:56 PM

I've always called the originally mentioned method "daisy chaining". I used to do all cords and hoses other than 10 gauge and 3/8 hose that way when storage space wasn't a problem, such as with a trailer. However, I keep my tools in small job boxes in the back of my truck, so space is pretty critical, and coiling them in my hand saves space. If I had the space to store them when they were daisy chained, I would, because I've found them to be much easier to unroll. I've never had problems with them kinking. I have however had problems with cords kinking if they are coiled to tight, particularly in the cold. I've had people roll up my cords by wrapping them around their palm and their elbow, and they come out all kinked up and won't lay flat. Tying off a coil by wrapping the end of the cord around it's self is a sure-fire way of getting kinks in cords as well.

as far as them looking messy in the trailer, if you hang them from a hook some where around the mid-point, they can look pretty neat. Just make sure that the hook is far enough off the ground that the coils don't hit the floor. 100' cords might need to be folded in quarter rather than half.

greg24k · 03-09-2009, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NC2X4

OK, I have been rolling my cords up the same way for 20 years. I have always know of this being called the Carpenter loop.

First you bring the male and female ends togther, tie a loose knot, then pull through that knot another loop, then another, then another till it's all done. I find this the best way to quickly roll cords with no knots or troube unrolling them. Once you want the cord you simply undo the end and then pull it all out in one quick pull.

Does anyone know who started this type cord loop roll up? Is it a Carpenter loop or did some other sub invent it? Where did it start?

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/853073...xtension_cord/

gallerytungsten · 03-09-2009, 12:01 AM

I usually do what I've heard referred to as the "stagehand" style. (A great way to roll up long microphone cords.) Hold the end of the cord in one hand, stretch out your other arm so you have a length, then bring it to the hand holding the end, without allowing the cord to twist. It will form a figure 8 loop. Keep going until it's all coiled. With this method, you can take off part of the cord without unwinding the entire coil.

With the air hose, I switched to a reel. Now that makes storing the air hose almost fun.

easymoney · 03-09-2009, 12:06 AM

My cords roll up themselves!

It starts with day one, the day i buy the 100' cord I take it and extend it out in a straight line, then I grab the Male end and start rolling it with my finger tips to keep it from twisting while I make a roughly 20" diameter circle (like a lasso).

When I get to the 50' middle I secure the loop with velcro straps (black two of them) and continue rolling when I finally get to the other end I make the two ends plug into each other and shift the whole loop until it's all even, then I strap 1 red velcro strap to the female end and secure the loop.

Then I toss it up on my roof for about a week (for the hot sun) it "sets" the cord into place. when I finally use it all i have to do is undo the RED strap and I have a 50 footer, when i need a 100 I undo all three.

I'm VERY anal about my cords, and I've had many people make fun but then end up doing the same thing.
I have a 50' heavy duty black rubber cord on my Skill saw and I did the same thing, but you always work from the tool to the plug when rolling it up (to avoid kinks)

And my drywall gun? Forget about it! it's the best set up ever! I have a 100' cord with twist lock female end (and a standard male plug) and my drywall gun and drywall router only have a 1 foot twist lock plug on the end of each, this makes for a quick exchange of tools, for when doing cutouts. with only one cord...

NC2X4 · 03-09-2009, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greg24k

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/853073...xtension_cord/

Great video. That’s how I do it. I never have a kink. That said I do understand the mess it makes having 10 or 15 cords piled on top of each other in a truck or trailer. What ever way you do it. I was trying to find out who started it.

Contractors? Boating industry? Chris Angle? Who? Was it started with rope? string? Yarn? Martha Stewart or Betsy Ross?

And what is the knot or loop technique called? Any one know?

ChainsawCharlie · 03-09-2009, 01:39 AM

I have an extension cord free job.

Now...if I could just keep my gas cans from tangling...

nEighter · 03-09-2009, 01:47 AM

I like rolling on ground. I remember back in the day I was framing on my first crew. They would have me "try" to roll the loop to loop way just to laugh at me

I just prefer to roll on ground and have a single loop, same way with my hoses also.

**BuiltByMAC** · 03-09-2009, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greg24k

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/853073...xtension_cord/

Nice loose loops, perfect explanation of the method, tunes even match the speed of the presentation - thanks for posting that link! There's another link on that page to the 'Handy Goddess' showing how she wraps up her cords...damn. First off, she's not real handy, second, if she's a goddess, someone's standards have seriously declined!! But I digress, she shows the same boatman's knot but cranks it very tight (loops have 6" dia. or so) - I give her two weeks before those cords are completely kinked up.

No matter your method, if you keep the coils loose and large, your cords will last longer before kinking up. Yeah, and none of that wrapping around your wrist and elbow! Kink city!

I've tried the boatman's knot method before but switched back to the 'loop-reverse loop' just because my cord bundles were more compact that way - fit better in the truck box.

Mac

MALCO.New.York · 03-09-2009, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NC2X4

OK, I have been rolling my cords up the same way for 20 years. I have always know of this being called the Carpenter loop.

First you bring the male and female ends togther, tie a loose knot, then pull through that knot another loop, then another, then another till it's all done. I find this the best way to quickly roll cords with no knots or troube unrolling them. Once you want the cord you simply undo the end and then pull it all out in one quick pull.

Does anyone know who started this type cord loop roll up? Is it a Carpenter loop or did some other sub invent it? Where did it start?

What you speak of is called a "Daisy Chain"!

This below, is NOT a Daisy Chain!!!!

The best way, I have found, and this does contradict an earlier post by me, is to pull the cord left hand to right hand, the bigger the loop the less the tangle and twist, cinch the loops 2/3 the way up with 4 foot of remainder, pass a half loop through all the loops, bring the half over all the loops, then tighten. It is a Sailing method of storing rope.

http://www.bioneural.net/images/enlarge/rope-large.jpg

http://pro.corbis.com/images/42-1653...4CB0C9E784D%7D

atnas · 03-09-2009, 10:17 AM

[quote=MALCO.New.York;631354]What you speak of is called a "Daisy Chain"!

The best way, I have found, and this does contradict an earlier post by me, is to pull the cord left hand to right hand, the bigger the loop the less the tangle and twist, cinch the loops 2/3 the way up with 4 foot of remainder, pass a half loop through all the loops, bring the half over all the loops, then tighten. It is a Sailing method of storing rope.

This is how I "roll up" my cords. There is no kinking and it is quick and they store well.

MALCO.New.York · 03-09-2009, 10:28 AM

The bestest of best ways.................

5 Gallon bucket with two holes. One with the male end out and affixed to the bucket and the other 4" inches around. Upon days end, feed the cord back into the bucket. IMPOSSIBLE for a kink, snag, knot or tangle.

Stores very nicely!!!!

This is how one retrieves a Tow Rope for Water Skiing.