straightening cords / leads

matey · #1 11-29-2012, 06:04 AM

any idea how to straighten them out or do all the kinks just work there way out?

No Neck Shrek · #2 11-29-2012, 06:23 AM

No, the kinks won't come out, watch this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIGdPgWDaAo

bongomania · #3 11-29-2012, 06:24 AM

The inner wires have a "memory", they tend to hold any kinks or twists that they are stuck in for a while. What you do first is let the cable drape loosely uncoiled on the floor or in the air, and then untwist any parts where it seems not to lay flat. There's an over-under technique for properly coiling a cable, and you can find a how-to video on Youtube just by searching on something like "proper cable coiling method". So use that technique, and while doing that, gently untwist and unkink the cable with one hand as you go.

pflash4001 · #4 11-29-2012, 07:22 AM

Sometimes the cable jacket is a bit less than flexible. What I do with those is lay them out across my driveway or draped on my backyard fence all day long on a hot day. There's no shortage of those here in Texas. After heating up like that the kinks in the jacket tend to come out or at least be less pronounced. You do need to roll them properly to keep the individual wires inside from twisting up, though. Another thing...don't cool cables around themselves for storage. I see people do that and it drives me nuts. Go to Lowes, spend $5 and get a roll of 50 Velcro cable ties. They work much better and keep your cables happy.

fraublugher · #5 11-29-2012, 10:16 AM

My favorite is round strips of leather, around a quarter inch thick for tying .

bongomania · #6 11-29-2012, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fraublugher

My favorite is round strips of leather, around a quarter inch thick for tying .

Well, me too, but I was trying to keep my personal life out of it.

tech21nyc · #7 11-29-2012, 11:52 AM

My sound man gave me a little trick. On a warm sunny day I take the cables and lay them full lengthwise on my driveway. After they have been out for a period of time I roll them up and it seems the kinks are out. It does work. Cable ties are recommended. We use the velcro ones.

pflash4001 · #8 11-29-2012, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tech21nyc

My sound man gave me a little trick. On a warm sunny day I take the cables and lay them full lengthwise on my driveway. After they have been out for a period of time I roll them up and it seems the kinks are out. It does work. Cable ties are recommended. We use the velcro ones.

Hey! That's what I said!!!^^^^

pflash4001 · #9 11-29-2012, 12:02 PM

I just retread my earlier post...it should read don't COIL cables around themselves not don't cool cables...

warnergt · #10 11-29-2012, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by No Neck Shrek

No, the kinks won't come out, watch this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIGdPgWDaAo

That was good!

ggunn · #11 12-01-2012, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

The inner wires have a "memory", they tend to hold any kinks or twists that they are stuck in for a while. What you do first is let the cable drape loosely uncoiled on the floor or in the air, and then untwist any parts where it seems not to lay flat. There's an over-under technique for properly coiling a cable, and you can find a how-to video on Youtube just by searching on something like "proper cable coiling method". So use that technique, and while doing that, gently untwist and unkink the cable with one hand as you go.

FWIW, I don't use the roadie (over-under) wrap for storing cables. It doesn't hurt a cable to be wrapped with the single twist method as long as you shake the twists out when you unwrap it, and it won't tie itself in knots if an end falls through the loop in your gig box. I use the over-under wrap when I am dressing cables onstage that are already connected; it works great for that. Some folks also tie one end in an overhand knot around the coil to keep it together; I don't recommend that. Get some Velcro cable ties. Wrapping palm to elbow is right out.

YMMV, of course.

elgecko · #12 12-01-2012, 08:21 AM

FWIW, cloth covered/braided cables tend to be stiffer and more resistant to kinking. I also us the above linked over/under technique.

tech21nyc · #13 12-04-2012, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pflash4001

Hey! That's what I said!!!^^^^

Yeah, but you're in Texas...the driveways just don't sound the same.

Sorry I missed your post.

pflash4001 · #14 12-04-2012, 11:00 AM

I guess they sound better in Texas!

tech21nyc · #15 12-05-2012, 08:10 AM

Trudat. It must be the heat and molecular differences in the asphalt.

pflash4001 · #16 12-05-2012, 08:28 AM

ggunn · #17 12-05-2012, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tech21nyc

Trudat. It must be the heat and molecular differences in the asphalt.

Heh, heh. You said ass fault. Heh, heh.

tech21nyc · #18 12-06-2012, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggunn

Heh, heh. You said ass fault. Heh, heh.

iiipopes · #19 12-06-2012, 08:28 AM

The trick, as you coil up a cord, is to give each coil a quarter turn with the wrist as it is being coiled to keep it coiling smoothly without kinking.

Ezmar · #20 12-06-2012, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iiipopes

The trick, as you coil up a cord, is to give each coil a quarter turn with the wrist as it is being coiled to keep it coiling smoothly without kinking.

How careful do you need to be? Is it enough to just make sure you're holding the cord loosely so you're not forcing it into coils? Just letting it rotate naturally?