How Pros Wrap Extension Cords, Cables & Hoses
Are you wrapping your cords, cables and hoses the hard way? There's a better way! Two, actually! Check out the way pros wrap their extension cords, cables and hoses with these two easy-to-follow techniques. #diy #lifehacks #hack
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I have been using the loop/counterloop technique for 50 years and I learned it in a recording studio much as you were mentioning. It’s by far the best technique and it’s actually quite fast once you’ve mastered the counterloop process. There was one thing that you didn’t mention though. When you have an extension cord that has been wound in the same direction like a spring for years and years and you cannot use the new technique until you undo the damage from previous wrappings. You have to stretch the cord out on the ground and unwind all of those kinks until it’s a straight cord. You have to remove all of those springlike windings, or your efforts will be useless. There’s one other thing that deserves honorable mention here. When you buy a new extension cord, imagine in the factory how they process it. They put the cord on some sort of reel and wind it onto the reel for shipment. If you think about it, that process is exactly the same as wrapping a previously used cord between your hand and your elbow since each wrap is in the same direction. There is no difference between a brand new cord, and one that has been improperly wound in the past. It’s a bit of a pain, but the proper way to open a brand new extension cord out of the package is to literally unwind it. Reverse the process that was used in manufacturing. It’ll take several minutes because it’s awkward and you don’t have tools and you just have to do it by hand However, once you’re finished, you have a perfectly straight cord without any twists. Now when you use the loop/counter process your cord will stay in the same condition as long as your own it. Take my word for it. This is a fabulous technique once you’ve learned it. It doesn’t take any longer than wrapping it around your elbow but your life will be immeasurably easier by using this technique. Good luck.
Great advice! I find what helps to fix a cord with the method you’re suggesting is also straighten it out on the ground in the hot sun if you can.
There is no way out of it. A cord that has been wound in the same direction for years and years has to be unwound. You have to lay it on the ground and reverse all the twists that are built into it for all those years. Once you’re done, you’re good to go, but it is a very tedious process. A 100 foot extension cord that’s been mistreated for years could take you a half an hour to 45 minutes to unwind and untwist. But it is worth the effort.
@@brucemarshall4087 You already said all that. I wasn’t disagreeing. Warming up the cord in the sun, especially on wires with stiff Thermoplastic PVC cordage makes the process easier. I’m a materials engineer for such products. I should know.
I usually wind the cable in one direction only, twisting the cable in my right hand for each loop. For unwinding you must mimic it being unrolled from a spool. I guess the loop/counterloop method assumes that you will lay the cable flat on the ground and drag it out. Then each loop/counterloop will cancel each other.
@@JohannGambolputty22 sorry. I misunderstood your comment. Absolutely warming the plastic will make the straightening process much easier.
After seeing your video I just went to my garden, grabbed the first 25 meter cable I could get hold of and tried the over/under method. Works perfectly! I had to become 61 years old to learn this, but from now on I will use it for the rest of my life. A big THANK YOU from Germany!💯
Never to late
Ich wollte exact das selbe schreiben... bin erst 56 ... bei mir war es ein Gartenschlauch^^
Hee hee...I learned at 63 yrmears of age I was peeling and eating bananas jncorrectly!!
And I hope its a long good life you have ❤😂
I did the same but on my neck.
Back in my fire department days we called the second method “daisy chain”. After washing and inspecting the ropes we would chain them. As there were less contact points within the rope itself it would allow more airflow resulting in better drying. Works great on the boat as well for dock lines, anchor rope and ski rope. Prevents tangling and makes for easy deployment as well!
There are some parts of most cities where if you find yourself trying to coil up a long cable you definitely don’t want to yell out, “Can anyone help me with a daisy chain”.
We use the “daisy chain” a lot in rock climbing. It’s how I store all excess rope, once installed.
Yes. Same technique that I use for my cord.
My grandfather tied my new long skipping rope into this “knot” when I was a child. I was pretty dismayed by this, until he gave me the free end and told me to pull…it all came loose like magic! Turned my frown upside down just like that. Btw, it’s the same as a starting chain for crochet, done by hand instead of using a crochet hook.
@@snotrajohnson I was scrolling down this comment section to see if anybody mentioned that. Go you!
I was a stagehand in Las Vegas for 30 years. The Soundman at Bally's (MGM) hotel told me how to wrap Microphone cables by the Mantra "Overworked and Underpaid" for the Over/Under method.
Now, do you have a trick for wrapping strings of Christmas lights ! 🤣
Oh man - those are always such a pain! I do a fair amount of 3D printing and you can use the empty filament spools for Christmas lights but they seem to be a pain no matter what you do!
@@LRN2DIY I tried one of those reels for extension cords. Did not work out too well for me.
Sometimes being a grinch has its benefits.
As someone who puts up over 14,000 lights on my house. If they are mini lights, wrap them up like a ball of string. C7s or C9s are a bit harder.
3d printer filament spools are perfect for that
The most informative and useful video I've ever seen on KZhead. Hands Down. I'm 64 years old and have a lot of education and varied experiences in my life. I am stunned that I've never heard of either of these methods. Every Christmas the neighbors look over at me pulling 100ft and 50ft cords all tossed in a box. The I stomp around, cursing under my breath and look like a crazy moronic clown. For an hour or so. Think of how much time this could have saved me in 64 years. Not to mention being grumpy and missing out on the joy of putting up Christmas lights.
Now you can do it the fun way and just pretend to be grumpy, since now it's tradition!
This is a great instruction on how to master over and under cord and hose coiling. People find it difficult, and your description is great. You should add on a section of how to over-under coil a hose while it's on the ground for longer hoses. It would be a helpful addition, because I myself find it harder to do than the one you showed. The reason that you have to adjust the coils once in a while to make them lay flat is because of the manufacturer twisting the three wires along their length (under the outer insulation), to make them more compact. Anyone who has cut open an extension cord for more than a few inches has seen this twist, along with supporting strands of filler to make the cord round and stronger. All this means that every cord has a natural "Lay" of the three wires inside, depending on how many twists per foot that the manufacturer engineered into their process. Imagine taking a 50 foot extension cord held down in a straight line every two feet on a concrete floor. Now split the outer insulation jacket down the entire length and take the jacket off in your mind. The three stranded insulated wires would still lay there nicely on the floor, but the minute you picked them up and twisted them, they would wildly start popping apart and splitting all over. The reason I wrote that long boring description is to help everyone understand what's going on with cord winding. When the cord needs to be hand-twisted on one coil to make that coil lay flat while you're winding it up like you showed, it's because there is tension between the outer jacket and those nicely twisted together three wires inside. -It just happens while you're using a cord. And all this is the VERY reason you don't want to do that stupid "elbow-hand" old way of coiling up a cord. On every single coil around your elbow, you are creating that tension-twist between the outer jacket and the three wires inside. If you've ever seen an extension cord twisted and actually knotted all along it's length to where it looks like it was spun in a drill for 5 minutes- you know without looking how that guy coils up his cords.
From my time as a k9 officer we used the chain method with our long tracking leads. When you needed to deploy the lead quickly the procedure was flawless from storage to hooking your dog up with no tangles. Great info in this video.
You know you’re an adult when you see a video like this and go “ooooo this will be useful”
Facts..😅
...and in the end it's not useful.
That's funny and so true
Nice! I've been contracting since I was twelve, my teacher always called that second method the "contractor's braid." I thought it was so unique until a recent trip to a horse ranch where I saw a bunch of ropes done up in the same manner. I love seeing trade skills and tips like these being shared, just wholesome and positive.
When you do that too many times it causes the wires to break,over and under keeps the wires from breaking and will stay straight.
@@Ridingbears Mostly plumbing and bathroom repair tbh. Sorry for the late reply, I had more important things to do on Christmas than respond to a KZhead comment.
@@coralcrown562 Who in their right mind would believe that you were contracting plumbing repairs at twelve, much less someone hiring a twelve year old? Gtfoh! The best advice, meth kills.
@@Ridingbears lol dude, okay since you don't seem to understand subtext I'll spoon feed it to you. When I was 12 a family friend took me with him on a bathroom remodel job, specifically replacing an old bath tub with a seated shower pan for a mobility challenged senior. I LOVED IT! So I started joining him on other jobs and because I didn't want to be useless, I learned to assist him, and even got paid for my assistance. He was my mentor, and until I was 17 and applying for college, I was his mentee. Through college I used what i learned and took various jobs as a handyman until 21 when I got my contractors license. So just to be clear I never claimed to be a twelve year old contractor, like this conversation it would be crazy. But for your limited perception of fact I'll revise my statement and say I've been assisting a contractor since I was 12, I was a handyman since I was 17 and I am licensed contractor (though admittedly not currently putting it to use) since I was 21. All clear for ya? **Pats the puppy's head**
@@coralcrown562 Contracting plumbing and bathroom repairs at the age of twelve? You have to be stupid to believe that I'm stupid enough to believe that. I've seen some tall tales on the net but, yours tops them all.
I grew up in construction and was taught both. Around 24 years in IT and over/under has served me well, especially with network cabling!
Haha true. I will apply it to my tangled up ethernet cable next time 😂
Now show us how to wrap barbed wire
xD
Always use the arm wrap method.
Use a machine.
Or fold a fitted sheet...
@@donprater6944 You cut the corners with scissors first.
Well this has to be one of the most useful videos I've ever seen. I wish I had known these 30 years ago. Could've avoided a lot of needless frustration. Thank you!
I was thinking the same thing, this stuff needs to be taught in grade school. I’ve been using the chain technique for extension cords for about 25 years and can tell you it’s absolutely phenomenal especially when you got a 100 ft cord and a 20 ft job. I wish I knew about the over under technique for the garden hose, 25 years of frustration for no reason on that front. Grade school man, this needs to be taught in grade school instead of the unmentionable nonsense.
@@davidjoseph7142 What makes it even funnier to me is, that I've boated for half my life on all sorts of boats from dinghys to 15m long former small tugboats. When I think back to my father and grandfather, I realize now they used that over-under-technique. I guess if it was so obvious to them they didn't even think about it anymore, it didn't occur to them to teach me and my bro about it.
Totally agree. Wish I was shown technique eons ago. Thanks!
It's called a coil and I thought that this was common knowledge, if you have anything thats too big to coil then figure of 8s folded in half are also very useful.
holy crap??? are your handicapped?
The over-under is the way to go and is proven in Hollywood. I reserve the chain method for 10 gauge cords. Cord wrapping/storage needs to be taught often as so few know about it. 😎🤙
I will only use the chain method for rope. cords and hoses develop memory for those tight twists.
@@kenbrown2808 Can't really over/under heavy, long cables, like the stuff you find on job sites. Also, when you have thick conductors, they're not likely to get damaged like aucio/video cables would be.
@@jttech44 the secret to long cables is long loops. otherwise your coil looks more like a bird's nest.
@@jttech44stand with the cable between your legs and pull it towards you, forming a coil at your feet. Makes over-under easy on practically any cable.
Over-under also makes it easier to throw a cable out in a straight line without it getting tangled or knotted. An old sound engineer with bad knees that I worked with would use the trick regularly to save himself a few steps during the day.
Thanks for sharing. I learned this over/under technique many years ago in college, in my media/film production courses. I still use it to this day, with electrical cords and hoses to avoid any tangled mess. Every once in awhile the opposing loops can create a knot, especially with cable (not with a hose) if you're not careful unwinding it.
thank you so much!! I just started as a audio/visual tech and the first thing my boss told me was to learn cable management i.e. coiling cables. Logically speaking the over-under technique didn't make sense to me, because i'd thought wrapping the cables in counter direction would tangle it more. But after seeing your unravel the cord I realized that the counter coiling is keeping the cables in a un-wound position, and thats why its not tangling. Great video!
I have been doing that for years, probably because I used to like having quick deploy 50’ mic cables. (Me audio engineer 😉). I have also occasionally used the crochet / chain method for cords. Nice of you to teach these tricks to others. 👍🏼
Forty years ago, I had a boss who was in the Air Force, they taught him the over & under wrap and he taught it to me. It's so simple to do I don't know why it hasn't caught on everywhere in all that time. Hopefully, your efforts will spread the technique all over the world, thank you!
Just to say that as a long time concert, event, and documentary videographer, this is amazing. I knew there must be a better way but in the heat of the moment, on stage and back stage, you don't think you need it until you do, but then it's too late and just go with what you've always done.
The over/under technique is great and I use it regularly, but it is much easier if you make your loops toward you rather than away from you as shown. At the beginning, hold the connector facing away from you and make the first loop toward you at the top. The second loop is then reversed by turning the top of the loop inward between the standing part and the first loop, then repeat the alternating loops. The result is the same as shown, but the awkward flip of the cable over the back of the wrist is eliminated.
I've been working in television and video for many years, and I can say that knowing how to wrap over/under helped me land my first job. Both starting with the plug forward, and starting with the plug away can be just as easy. It has to do with what you find comfortable, but knowing how to both is great. I like to start with the plug facing me like he does, but instead of twisting my hand when I put the loop on the coil to do the unders, I turn my hand when I grab the cable, (so my thumb points down to the tail, not up to the coil) and then just give a little flick of my wrist as I turn my hand upright to form the unders. It's very fast, for me and feels natural. It also doesn't require my holder hand to move, (Like some other techniques) so I can wrap 300 and 500 foot cables by stacking the coil up on my forearm as it starts to get heavy.
@@lisabendenwhat awesome tips. Thank you for sharing your expertise!
@@lisabendenWhatever works best for you, but the world class cable wrapping champs almost always start with the end pointing away.
Of ALL the videos claiming they have the "best" way of wrapping an extension cord, THIS is the best one! Simple, quick and effective.
Your video explained everything so well! I struggled to learn the chain technique from other videos, but yours did the trick. Thank you! So, now the chain technique is BY FAR my favorite. The advantage you pointed out (can pay out just enough cable instead of unraveling the whole thing) is HUGE, but there's more: * Each winding takes up 2 arm spans' length, vs 1 for over/under or simple loops, so it's literally 2 times faster * While winding, can let excess wire sit on the ground, no need to carry entire weight on hand, and won't run out of space on hand either. My 100 ft cable weighs several pounds so this is a big plus too! And to pay it forward, I have my own hacks to contribute: * Mark the midpoint with contrasting tape (more durable than marker) → locate midpoint instantly, no need to track it down from the ends. Also, thieves are less likely to steal extension cords with tape from job sites because they look damaged (mind blown? Me too, when I first heard of this). Someone mentioned making a knot, but that'll stress out the internal wires; the tape won't. * Cut a small slit near one end of the Velcro strap, but not all the way to the end, just enough to fit the plug. That gives you a loop that you can insert one end of the cable into. Then the Velcro will stay on the cable when not in use; you don't have to manually stick it back on as in the video. You can insert either the male or female end into the loop, but I prefer the male end because when the cable is in use, the male end stays on the outlet and out of my way, whereas the female end is attached to my tool, so if the strap goes there it'll be dangling on my side the whole time. Once you're done chaining, plug the male end into the female, grab that pair of plugs, the loop right next to it, and the midpoint, and Velcro the 3 together. Now the chain won't accidentally undo itself. The Velcro'ed part is also easy to find and grab in a pile, since both the midpoint (wrapped in tape!) and the plug are in contrasting colors. * In my area, Romaine lettuce is sold wrapped in a bright green Velcro strap. That strap is PERFECT for extension cords and shop organizing in general. It already has a loop at the end to insert cable ends into. The bright green is super easy to find. And it's free! And you're saving it from the landfill!
Nice
I've been using the chain method for about 40 years. Rather than tape, I tie an overhand knot in the center. And Southwire makes extension cords in several color combinations, handy for identification at busy job sites. USA-made, too.
I went through a vocational interactive media program in high school. The over-under method was the one thing that has ALWAYS been the most valuable takeaway from that entire course. I might not be doing sound or video production these days, but everyone needs to wrap up an extension cord. The second one, we called a daisychain when I was going through survival school about 15 years ago. To this day, I still store paracord with that method. With longer, thinner line like that or a rope, you can layer it over too. I think mine are folded over like 4 times (so 16 strands) before I chain it, so you end up with 50 feet of cord compressed to an easy-to-unravel braid about 3 feet long.
You just blew my mind. You have improved my life I hate dealing with knotted cords ! Thank You 🙂
Thank you for passing on these techniques! I learned the loop/counterloop technique while volunteering in a theatre/panel room at a big convention from an audio engineer, and have relied on it countless thousands of times over my IT career. Having neatly coiled cables of all kinds keeps things tidy and makes you faster, more efficient, and helps prevent damaging cables, especially the ends (how many folks have broken the tabs off of an RJ-45 plug trying to untangle a spaghetti mess of patch cables from a box in your MDF?).
Wow, now this a life hack that will never be forgotten. I have did the chain method for years, though I never doubled it like you did. What I like about the chain method is that the cable can fold over itself and takes up much less space.
One more thing about the over-under technique: It doesn't damage cables. One of the reasons you want to use it with, for instance, microphone cables is that the outer wire layer of the cable is a braid. If you just wind it like on your forearm, you are putting all the tiny wires in the braid under tension, increasing with each wind. This leads to breaking the individual wires and eventually ruining the cable's ground effectiveness. If you do the over-under technique, you will be tensioning the braid one direction on one loop, and then the other direction on the next loop. Each loop counteracts the tension of the previous one instead of multiplying it. Cables last longer. This applies to any cable with a braided outer layer, from a 50-headed grounded snake to your USB charging cable.
And another thing about the over-under-technique is that it also works with a 50m 63A three phase cord. the only difference is that you don't hold the coiled up cable in your hand but you lay it flat onto the floor. That way, you only have to manage the weight of your current coil. It's also handy when, like, loading the cable into the trunk of your car. You loop it up in the trunk while simultaneously unlooping it from the cold on the ground. And while everyone hates re-coiling the cable after use, it absolutely needs to be uncoiled when in use. Yes, you could de-rate it by 75% (leaving you with 11kW instead of ~44kW) and leave a bit of it coiled, but you'd also need a fuse box which limits the power. Had one production where I also had to provide power to some deep fryers. Cable was completely laid out so it didn't overheat. 45 minutes later, power failed. The lady operating the deep fryers had thought that "all these lengths of cable don't look tidy" and had coiled it up again. Next, the cable had melted. After replacing the cable, and went there to check the cable every 5 minutes. She wouldn't learn and absolutely wanted a tidy coiled-up cable.
How does this compare to the chain technique?
@@ht3kThe techniques have different purposes. Over-and-under coils up a cable for storage, and conventiont reuse. The chain technique can be used to "shorten" a cable/rope/hose when you don't need the full length. Now, considering power cables, you'll never use that chain technique because it derates the cable. Yes, when utilizing a cable to the max, it must be uncoiled and must not touch itself at any point. The over-under technique is also useful for cables which are much to heavy to lift. Instead of coiling it up on one hand, you can coil it up the same with the final coil resting on the floor. Yes. I am talking about "industrial strength" three phase "extension cords" here, but, surprisingly for some people, the same applies to household extension cords as well. Deep fryers suck a lot of electricity, and "cable heaps" (or coils) will happily melt.
1.) Is called reverse wrap and learned this 30yrs ago in HS. 2.) Is daisy chain. Learned this climbing 20yrs ago. Kids these days
@@chadjabroni5825get with modern times old head lol
Watched this video a few months ago, went back to it when I had to roll a pneumatic tube, it worked wonderfully. Now I just have to not forget the over-under !
Thank you for sharing this video. I have been telling people this for years. Now, the same people I have been telling this will see your video and finally believe this. Fantastic!
The chain method you mentioned was taught to me as the navy braid technique, it's literally just crocheting the cable or cordage. It can be done in doubles or quads. The over under technique can also be secured by wrapping the ends in and out around the ring in opposite directions.
Nice. Thanks for sharing!
Storage is the issue
I prefer to do it with the cord not folded. This leaves the pile at the outlet instead of in the middle.
Exactly, came here to mention that. It's a basic crochet chain!
Isn’t the chain / crochet considered a sheep shank knot?
Always satisfying to see someone teaching the over/under method. One of the simplest habits that’ll save so much time and money in the long run!
I just gave the over/under technique a try on my oldest, worst, nastiest outdoor extension cord that's 50 ft. I tested my technique by dropping the pile on the ground and walking away with the male end in my hand. It didn't tangle at all. This feels like sorcery! 🧙 I just used the same technique for my 100 ft, 6 month old, heavy guage outdoor extension cord. My arm strength is decidedly *not* good. Because I had to offload the work to a big J-Hook I have on my pegboard. I basically used it as my helping holding hand. Could be a good solution for someone missing all or part of their arm too. I didn't test unwinding it but I kept the cord in line on the hook the same as I had done with my hand on the shorter cord. So I'm confident this works. Thank you again!
Wow. You just reminded me of the loop technique I didn't realize I forgot from my days in construction...I haven't seen that in over 40 years. I am reawakened. thanks
One of the most useful videos in a while. I actually came up with the over and under method myself, but it felt weird so I didn't use it 😂. And now at least I know it's the right way.
I have been using the chain technique for years and it does work, but with longer cords it sometimes is a bit of a pain to unwind. I usually just hand on to one end and then throw it hard. I am new to the loup/counterloop and have tried it. It works great!! Thanks.
Thanks for posting this! I've done the chain method with extension cords for years and get told "that's crazy". I say, "No, it's the pro way" Now your video is proof lol, plus i learned the over under, which i can't wait to try on garden hoses!
Thanks. I remember watching this around the time it was uploaded. Now I had to manually roll lots of cables that we're packing up, and I wanted to do it the "right" way. Fortunately I found this video again.
Superb video covering the most useful ways I’ve seen to handle both extension cords and hoses for water or air - thanks a million!
I've been doing the chain method for years but the over/under is new. Great video! Thanks.
I’m filled with joy after watching this…. Freedom is what I feel. Cheers bud. Thank you.
Love this tip. In 52 years, this is the first I have seen this. Thanks for sharing.
As a computer professional and a musician, i deal with lots of cables. The alternating wrapping technique ranks as one of the most useful things ove ever learned!
Thank you for emphasizing the importance of over-under! It can also be done with the cable, hose, or line lying flat (on the floor, ground, or deck). That works well for greater diameters and lengths.
Great points!
Over-under cables can also easily be thrown out in a straight line, without getting tangled or knotted.
Huh have to try that. I just go over over and it's alright, can't remember having trouble with knots.
It actually also work with women as well..
So simple yet so effective thank you! The first method has a bit of interesting history behind it on ships. From British origin reversing the direction of coiling in a rope to prevent kinks was called “ adding or throwing 2:46 a Frenchman “ ( no love lost between France and England 😂). This is very useful when coiling very thick heavy duty lines like mooring ropes in cramped spaces below decks where you don’t have much room to move. Also indispensable when coiling thick steel wire ropes and cables like crane hoist wires and Tug boat towing wires. Thanks once again! Toni from South Africa ( 35 odd years in Merchant Navy). ❤
Ok this is a brilliant idea, I always struggle with my garden hoses and cords, I’m going to start doing this from now on
Thanks for sharing! Love the chain method for the cable! That’s a sewing technique 🥰
Good video! I found a good way to train your cord when it’s brand new. Which is to unravel it and straighten it out on your driveway in the hot sun. After it’s good and hot or very warm then loop it like you’ve shown, there won’t be any twisting issues if you always roll it up properly.
In a mathematician video that talked about knots it argued that there just happens to be way more configurations of strings that are in knots so weirdly enough just tossing a rope on the ground could lead to knotting. The suggestion to prevent nots while coiling was to make a figure 8 symbol. It does work however! It really twists up your coords, so I think the over under way is superior.
I use the second technique you showed all the time! I learned it as being called the “daisy chain” I used to work harvest at a company that owns/operates grain elevators. We often had to cover large piles of wheat in a very large 4,000 pound tarp. In order to install the tarp, we used these fancy hand held sewing machines to stitch the two pieces of tarp together, and the sewing machines were powered with stupidly long extension cords. I’m talking like 500 feet long. That technique works really well for very long cords that would otherwise be a nightmare to untangle every time.
Oh man thank you so much. I knew there had to be an easier way… but I’ve always struggled with loops and knots and cables and probably would’ve never figured that out myself. Gardening will never be the same 🙇♂️
Absolutely amazing idea!! I have never seen this over/under method before and can't wait to get to the shop today and try it. 50 years ago I was winding an air hose at a place I was employed and did the around the arm method and was quickly chastised for that method. I was told that for every loop I put a twist in the hose or cord. The method I have used for years and was taught that day was to make my loops 4' to 5' long and ended up with maybe 5 twists instead of 25. But your over and under method cancels each twist and you can keep your coils small. Thanks so much and thanks for the education. I just love this idea.
Stretch the cables out and pull it towards you as you do the over-under. This lets the cable twist as you're coiling it.
It's not an "idea". It's a way of life.
30 years ago I worked in a shop for many years and was chastised for the around arm method. We were taught to do long loops, rolling the coils naturally with each coil so there was no twists. Basically the over under method shown in this video but without the under. I do that to this day and all my extension cords and hoses are beautiful with no kinks, tears or cracks. One thing I would disagree with in the video is the chained method. Smaller loops will put more stress on the casing leading to a shorter working life. Also keeping the male and female ends together would stretch the female prongs over time leading to less grip when actually using the extension cord especially with the cheap stuff available nowadays.
Amazing! l didn't even know there was a specific technic to wrap hoses/cords to make your life easier. Living and learning 👏👏👏
I could have used this video over 27 years ago, when I started as a skilled tradesman. The old man taught me the first technique you showed, wrapping the extension cord around my arm and had same result, knots and tangles. I did that for almost 10 years before I did it the correct way. What a difference that made! lol
I loved the over-under technique. I always used the over-over that is a lot better than just wrap in the forearm as usually everybody does but it still not perfect. I will train myself to use the over-under one.
the problem with the over arm/elbow coil is that over time it wrecks the internal wires and you end up with dangerous cables.. You see that a lot with old cables or in hotels where thy coil a cable 50 times a day
We were trained to roll cords as an apprentice. We were held accountable for all the tools of the trade. We learned to support the journeymen that we trained under. We were trained to do better and take pride in our role as team members. These turned out to be life skills that continue to serve me very well.
My father in law tried to teach me the chain method decades ago and I wasn't paying attention. Thanks for finally showing me how it's done.
I've been preaching this for years. Love it! Not only does it help with tangling but it extends your cable's life.
Over 8 years of experience as an electrician and never heard of this. Thank you very much!
A mate of mine has been a sparky for about thirty years. I've shown him the over-under method but he still just winds extensions leads around his elbow then complains when all his leads are full of twists and kinks... old habits die hard I guess.
I went to work for a painter back in 1985 and that's where I learned the electricians knot for extension cords.
One might think i ended up in the wrong section of yt again... watchin sbdy fold cables for 10 mins of my life. But ive learnt sth so trivial yet do great that will easily save me 10 times what i have invested here in time. Big thanks to you my american friend- greetz from germany
Genius! Thank you for taking the time to post this. Great info.
Thanks so much for doing this video. I too was taught the old way of winding everything on my arm fixed at a 90 degree angle. Will try your technique today after using my electric blower. Wish my Dad were still alive to show him.
I feel the same. My Dad passed away a few years ago and would have enjoyed this too.
@@LRN2DIY ahh-so sorry about your Dad. Mine was very talented and could fix anything. But he definitely didn't know this trick! Thanks again and remember-it's the simplest videos sometimes that make a difference to us viewers.
You can also do this by wrapping it around your palm and elbow but doing a figure eight instead of a circle. The way you're doing it is essentially a figure eight but folded at the midpoint. This is also the recommended way to fold vacuum cords: figure eight the cord instead of making a loop prevents the cord from being tangled.
Loop-counterloop works for shorter lengths. You just have to secure the ends immediately after wrapping.
Thanks for the great explanation - I am going out to the garage now and rewind my air hose. Incidentally, if you put the velcro tie end through the loop in the end of the tie around the end of the cord, it will strap in place when you are ready to use it again. No need to fuss with the velcro tie - it will be attached to the cord/hose.
I had a Mixing and Mastering class in college and after our final the teacher had us all go out to the hallway for an extra credit opportunity. He gave us all a 25' XLR and told us to wrap it up and then throw it down the hallway while still holding one of the ends. If the cable went down the hallway without any knots/kinks in it we got the extra credit. I've been doing the over/under ever since because it really does save your cables lifespan, not to mention when you get fast with it you can wrap cables like a pro without even looking at your hands which is a surprisingly relaxing/soothing activity even for those without OCD.
Method 1 is going to be so helpful for cable runs, where the box/spool must be placed in the middle of the run, and the 2nd half of the run is done by pulling what you need, cutting, then running. I can do the over-under method to keep the cable neat, tidy, and paying out smoothly. Awesome!
Yep, practice it and it will become muscle memory. And you'll be able to do it in various positions as well. I've used it for for long several hundred foot runs in stadiums and under stages. When ever you run a cable, always have an extra 20 or so feet at the end for inevitable movement of the cable. The over-under will keep that extra cable nice and tidy where ever you stash it. Become next level by over-under wrapping the cables during tear down and they'll be ready for the next gig.
I started with the 'wind around your elbow & hand' method when I was younger. I quickly learned that this resulted in many kinks. Having to work with 50' lengths of electrical cord & hoses in my business (and around home), I started using coils about 3'+ in diameter, always focusing on the way the cord (or hose) wanted to naturally lay flat in the coil. But this resulted in a few kinks when having to stretch out 50' lengths. I can see how the over-under method of coiling will solve that issue. I'll be using it at the end of the Summer when I have to put the hoses away for the Winter. I also use the velcro ties for both electrical cords & hoses. Thanks for demonstrating the method. Now if I could only get my other half to put away extension cords using this method ....
Over Under is the only way to roll! I work in the audio visual industry, this is a day one lesson in cable management. Nice job.
Mind blown!!! Just started doing my own yard work and extension cord for the blower is a pain. THANK YOU!! liked and subscribed!
That chain method looks really neat! I can see the use of one of the velcro bands to fasten the first chain loop in order to store the cable hanging from both ends together. Plus if you use the entire cable, that first loop will be kept intact (unless purposely undone) and mark the midway point with no need to line it up again. I'll try to remember this method when dealing with extension cords again.
Absolutely the best way to wrap a cord. I’ve also heard it called a suicide knot.
I used the chain method for years in the Air Force retrieving practice drop parachute loads. We called it Daisy Chaining. I learned that over and under in college doing Roadie work for music and TV shoots in my broadcast degree.
We call it Daisy Chain and I’ve had some cords get really jacked up because of it.
Try the first one, I been doing the chain for years and sometimes it's more of a pain in the arse. Especially if it sits for more than a week or the chain gets flipped, then you get a nice knot you gotta pull the whole cord through.
you might find the over-under under technique easier if you start with the end pointing away from you instead of towards you. Then all it takes is a flick of the right wrist to twist it for the "under" part. For those who are familiar with crocheting, the chain technique is simply crocheting. Both work very well.
Nice. I can get my grandmother to wind up my extension cords.
Same here; start with the end AWAY from you, then you don't have it draping over your arm every other loop as you wind it. I start with an extra couple feet from the end hanging down (so it don't get 'into' the coil). I run my hand straight out behind me each grab, giving about 5' stretch of cord for each wrap, yielding a nice 3' coil when I'm done. I don't let go, rather I loop, then run my hand back, while keeping my hand around the cord... I plug the ends together, over the outside of the coil when done. For ling garden hose, I do this on the ground (too much to hold in hand). Coil it normally, but 'tuck' each alternate coil 'underhanded', with appropriate reverse twist, every other wrap. I prefer to join the ends together, over the coil, to keep dirt and bugs out; but mainly to keep the threads clean.
Yeah he goes backwards and coils it in an orientation of a left hander which makes it more difficult as a right hander to do.
Actually for both a left hand or right hand person, it is easiest to start with the loose end of the cord pointing away from you (out from you thumb and forefinger). I am right handed, and I hold the coil in my left hand and wrap with my right. (I often face with my back or my right shoulder towards the cord I am coiling up). I'm not sure how you meant that, but the way he was holding it is awkward for either lefties or right handed persons.
Came here to say the crocheting thing. As a person who crochets and does a lot of work with power tools (Egad!) I used this method first because I already had the sort of muscle memory for handling material that way. Haven't done it with a 100' cord, which would necessarily be extra thick. Next thing is to learn how to wind a hose on the ground quickly (like sailors do with rope on boats). I guess step one would be straighten the whole thing out and untwist all the twists (like when your yo-yo gets too twisted)).
Wow! I never knew you could crochet an extension cord! Got to show this to my partner for his work area in the shed.
Thank you for the video I like the first style best As a Scout Leader I taught my Pack the “Chain” on rope to create a belt to wear when hiking as this method allow the rope when needed to expand double its length for any case of an emergency, since it came from a belt around their waist.
I've been using the braided method since my grandfather taught me that technique in the early 80's. I also use it for ropes. I've never had any issues with the breaking either, as many will claim. I wrap my hoses around a spool, so I don't typically roll them by hand. Then when I'm done, I crank the spool and never have any issues.
Spools are definitely the better option for absurd lengths, like 100' or more.
I was a roofer for a long time and we used the braided method on 1/4-in hoses and as long as you made the loops big enough it worked great for extreme long lengths of hoses. You will get lots of people arguing with you about that being a bad idea for electrical cords but I actually think it works really well when you're unwrapping and pulling the links out. Obviously for things like stage equipment you want to be as careful as possible but if you use your electrical cords like once every few weeks the braid method I think is the absolute fastest and best way to go
For the Velcro, if you make a slit(along the length or a hole, you pass the velcro around the wire, through itself, and snug it up. That will leave a tail that you can use to secure the wire and it will keep the velcro attached to the wire when you release it. Not a big thing, but it is quick and nice to not worry about dropping the velcro. Great video.
"Cable Velcro" is readily available and very popular in the pro audio/light/video area. There are different brands with varying constructions; cheap ones have the slit but usually you will find ones with a metal loop. Some decades ago, cables came back from a production. Messily looped up over the arm, obviously, and secured with electrical tape. The guy hadn't known Velcro ties and cut 'em all with a side cutter. Ouch.
Interesting. I learned the over/under 'bout 40 years ago from an old roadie in the band and use it on everything. I always start with the end facing away from me. The opposite of the way you were holding it. From what I saw, it rolls smoother, the cord doesn't end up on top of your wrist on the "under" (just a little flip). I hate in when somebody gets a hold of my cords and untrains it. But then I love to give them the class.
The first "Would you look at that!" Got me good, nice touch.
I've used the over/under method for nearly 50 years, since a mobile recording engineer taught me - a technique he'd learnt from a sailor, who used it for ropes. One of the key advantages (not shown in the video) is that you can hold one end of a coiled cable and throw the coil. It will unwind nice and straight along the room or venue you're working in, in seconds. The most important thing is before you start coiling, make sure the cable has no kinks.
I've done the chain method for 35 years, taught by my boss in the construction trade. It's amazing and super durable. Throw 10 cords in a box, never get tangled. The over and under looks really slick too.
Phew, I (43) am in Germany and for me it's the first time for me seeing this technique. Really handy. The second thing is... why I am watching a guy on YT wrapping extension cords. Anyway these few minutes will change my electrical life. Haha! Thanks a lot for sharing!
Ive never seen these techniques and wish i would have about 50 years ago. You can teach an old dog new tricks evidently! Thank you!
As an audio tech for over 40 years, I have been doing this wrap on all cables and it's great to see it explained so well for home and construction use. It makes me cringe when I see over the arm wrapping! I have a vinyl extension cable that is over 30 years old and is still in perfect condition from wrapping it correctly. Another trick we use for VERY long cable, and one I use for my garden hose, is a figure 8 on the ground. Easy to learn and very effective.
Another tip from pro audio/lighting world, put your cable ties on the male end of the cable so that when you plug your audio cables in, you don't have the eyesore of cable ties up on a mic stand- or ties visible on stage cluttering things up.
Are the ties generally long enough that you can also use them to secure the lines together, rather than knotting your cords, and losing length?
I love how you're out here teaching DIYers and handypeople how to crochet, that's really great 😂 But in all seriousness, I used that "chain" method to shorten a 50 leash for my dogs down to a much more manageable length for quick walks when I was driving truck and in a hurry. That worked really well because one end is a loop, so feeding the clip through that loop at the end let me tighten up the whole thing and made it so much easier to handle
All you will need next is to use a crowbar as a crochet hook to stitch the second row.
I've not seen this method for winding hoses. That's fantastic. Thanks for posting!
Great video, great techniques and you present them very well 👍🏼 The chain one I’ve seen before but couldn’t do ..until now. Thank you!!
One of the very first things I was taught in my job as a stagehand was how to properly coil a cable. They’d tear your head off if they saw you using your forearm. For those that don’t know, using your forearm can cause the cable sheath to twist and separate from the core. That’s why 90% of extension cords look like a tangled mess.
i don't know why people insist on this...the elbow doesn't cause the twist. you can feel the cable just as well when you wrap around your elbow as you can when you let it hang, and adjust accordingly the problem is lazy wrapping, which can be done with or without an elbow
@@dubya13207 there’s a reason that professionals don’t use their forearm. If I see someone using it, it’s an immediate red flag. I deal with thousands of feet of cable daily, NO ONE I work with uses their forearm. On tour, it doesn’t matter what city I’m in. No one uses the forearm. Period. Do yourself a favor and don’t use it either, it makes you look clueless.
when I use my forearm, @@Brocuzgodlocdunfamdogson, no one questions my work. when I *don't* use it, people get cranky because it's not clean enough. I'll stick with the one no one makes me redo repeatedly (and is also appropriate for the longevity of the object)
Wrapping a cord around your elbow does not cause problems with the cord unless you’re an idiot.
I've only seen the "Twist" as a problem on the cheaper cords.
a couple of actual life hacks. Chapeau! I am an experimental physicist and work with cables a lot, but who has time for that. Thank you for the insight ❤ This vid deserves a ton of likes
The first way is very interesting and excellent to use. Congratulations from Brazil.
👍As a simualcast uplinker thank you for sharing the 1st part of this video showing the over/under method. We use that method with all cabling from power to to AV, audio and fiber.👍
I was skeptical at the beginning, but when he showed how it works with the hose, I was convinced. Been wrapping my hose the old ways. Always annoys me how it would create a spiral like the old phone cables. Ends up taking more space when in use than saving it when storing. Sometimes the hose hits the side of my car. This is one of the best tips I've watch on KZhead. Thanks!
I always, for the most part and weather permitting, end up laying my cord/hose out in my (long) drive to roll them up, so this looks much easier and will be doing it that way next time. One thing about leaving thecord/hose ends open, however. Given that I live in the country, we have certain bugs who just love to build their litttle hidey-holes for their larve in anything even remotely resembling a hole, which includes the ground pin hole on extension cords, and especially the ends of air or pressure washer hoses. As a result, connecting the ends together is an absolute necessity.
mud wasps are the critters that do that i always plug the ends together
My worst experience was when a wasp made its nest in the pressure release valve of my pressure cooker. I opened it and it was like a claymore mine with pieces of cubic pumpkin flying in all directions. I was burned quite badly but superficially
I also did it wrong for many decades. This technique is so useful! Thanks!
Well stumbled across the video and thought "why would there be a video on rolling up cable's and hoses?" And Damn!! Was I surprised by watching this. I never heard of the chain or under/over ways to do the cable's, always did the around hand and elbow way. Think I'll be wrapping up my cables a new way for now on. Appreciate the video!!💯💯👍👍
One suggestion... I personally like to keep those Velcro straps attached to on end of the extension cord and not remove it. I just unwrap the tail of the Velcro when I want to unwrap the cord and leave the "head" (the part with the hole in it) of the Velcro strap attached to the cord. To do this I put the Velcro strap "tail" into the Velcro strap "head", which creates a loop; put one end of the extension cord through the Velro "loop" you just created and pull the Velcro "tail" all the way until it is snug agains the cord; now you have a fairly long Velcro "tail" which you can wrap and unwrap from the cord, while the Velcro "head" remains attached to the cord. It's really simple, but I'm not sure if my explanation is helpful or makes it sound worse.
Also-double pro tip, pre-cut velcro straps are very expensive, but you can buy spools of the stuff and cut it yourself for fairly cheap, and it makes sure you can always do the aforementioned method of having enough to wrap the coil on a given cord.
Awesome thank you! I hadn't heard about the chain technique, fantastic!
This is cool. I worked for a party company for awhile, and I worked with a sound engineer who taught me this. No one else would use this, much to our frustration.
Good tips. Here’s another one to add to the list. Buy a cheap plastic electrical cord reel, mark the middle of the electrical cord with a Sharpe, or a piece of electrical tape. At that midpoint, attach to the reel and roll the two ends up on the reel. Easy Peezy! You can reel it up in half the time as it takes to do a single strand and unrolls in twice the time, also. There are no tangles and it’s easy to store. Also, like your last example, you can unroll just as much as you need to use and then roll it back up. No messing with Velcro tape, either.
I have been doing this for years highly effective. Now that I started up my own business doing mechanic work out of my truck I retro fitted my truck with one of those auto retracting extension cord and a hose reel with the same. I don’t have to worry about it as much.
unrolls in half the time not "twice" the time
While working as a Lighting Director in a small theater I learned the 'over/under' wrap from the sound guys. I love it and still use it almost exclusively. Surprisingly, the lighting rental houses I used in LA HATED it. If I returned cables with the O/U wrap they would scowl and immediately re-wrap them with an elbow wrap. Eventually I got the message and since it was their cable I returned them with their preferred wrap. My 'house' cables, on the other hand, were always in the O/U wrap.
You sound like a well-adjusted person. Can not make a horse drink kind of man.
Note to self: never visit a lighting rental shop in LA.
So instead of racks of neatly coiled cables, they had racks of twisted figure-8's? As an audio tech that would drive me absolutely nucking futs.
@@sixstringedthing No, you misunderstood the video.
Cowboys have been doing this for over a century. I'm surprised the more folks don't know. Not a cowboy (for many years), but run cable all the time these days - and served in the military. Great video for folks that don't know however - big props to you.
That's what I mean learn something from a video, thank you for this excellent presentation. I'm definitely going to try it out, because it always gets messy with me. 😄
When I learned over/under in video class, it felt lifechanging! One danger with the technique is accidentally pulling one of the ends through the middle on the wrong side - you'll end up with a long string of knots in the cord.
True, but the easy way to fix that is to take one end and pass it back through each knot. The mess will untie itself just as quickly as it formed.
Here's one from the Navy, useful from coiling long hoses. Instead of coiling in circles going in the same direction, coil the hose in a figure-of-eight flat on the ground. When you uncoil it to use, it will not make those annoying coils which often squeeze shut and cut off the water. Simple but very effective. Alternatively, you could have two pegs mounted on a wall, and do the same there. works equally well.
That's how I've been packing my rope for years. Once almost done, I use the last little part to tie around the middle of the figure eighth, for safe storage. Idk what the knot I use is called. But I wrap it around once, take the end underneath my wrap, I wrap it around again, and take the end underneath my final wrap, so it sits between my wrappings, and pull tight. This Is also great for transporting the rope. I'm curious about the over and under technique though. So will definitely try it out.
I'm doing the 8 figure but not on the ground, instead I do it on my arm (instead of doing the loop over again, I do the 8 figure). It's the way mountain rescue people store their cords so that when you toss the bundle over an edge you KNOW it's not going to tangle and instead is going to unravel all the way through mid air.
@@dynevor6327 Thanks for that comment. The way I do it is flat on the ground and I lay the eights on top of each other. When I want to use it I just walk away and it unfolds without any coiling at all, unlike circular coiling which always creates coils and pinching. It's a simple idea that works, that dates back to the Navy use aboard sailing ships where there was a LOT of rope lying around all over the ship's deck.
@@ErosNicolau I can see it working with short hoses, yes. But I'm not sure I'd be able to hold up a 30+ metre hose on my left arm! I have two pegs on the wall. Once coiled up on the ground, I merely lift each of the two loops of the figure 8 and place each over a peg. Job done. Very simple. I suggest you try it out. Cheers mate!
@@dennisleighton2812 i wouldn't even dream of using this method with hoses, it's only meant for cables and ropes 😊