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0 pointsjws3y ago0 comments

If when you coil a long cable or hose you find yourself fighting a twist as you coil… then you should learn to coil in an alternating overhand/underhand style. Google a video. Basically when grabbing the next hunk of cable you alternate between your thumb pointing away from you down the cable and your thumb point back up the cable to you and things just sort of happen right.

When you uncoil the cable it will be laying flat on the ground with no twists.

An alternative for massive cables it lay it out in a figure 8 on the ground. That will also pay out without twists.

Extension: The upright vacuum cleaner you've been using that releases the cord from the handle by twisting the top hook down? If it is leaving you with a twisted mess of cord, that means you haven't been winding it up in a figure 8.

Even more, since you got this far: Do this with your short cables too. Your USB and audio cables will last longer. When you have a twisted cable, a torque shows up at each individual wire where it meets its connector. The repeated twisting and untwisting leads to connection failure.

And when you get a new cable that is rolled up (any Apple cable), unroll it instead of pulling the ends apart. Then you cable need never have twists put into it.

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allknowingfrog3y ago

This genuinely makes a huge difference with extension cords, garden hoses, etc., but reversing my grip never made this "just happen" the way the videos said it would. For anyone else who struggles, the main goal is to twist every other loop in the "wrong" direction, which negates the previous twist. This still forms a spiral shape, but as you create loops, the loose end alternates between laying on top of the loop and tucking under it. You can accomplish this without reversing your grip if you just alternate your twists instead.

toss13y ago

Yes! And it is absolutely critical in using climbing ropes to NOT coil by loop+twist, but double-loops without twisting (to the point where it is a firing offense in climbing schools to coil w/loop+twist method); it is critical that you can uncoil a rope instantly with minimal risk of tangling.

This also works better for air hoses, water hoses, etc. If the thing isn't on a winding/unwinding reel, use the double-loop method; everything will last longer and you'll save yourself a lot of trouble.

adrianmonk3y ago

> new cable that is rolled up (any Apple cable), unroll it instead of pulling the ends apart

An alternative method is gravity. Hold the cable up by one end and let it untwist. Obviously, don't do this for 10 foot (3m) cables unless you're very tall.

solarmist3y ago

Yup, this! I learned it from a musician for patch cables.

A quarter twist per loop is all it takes for nicely rolled cords your whole life!

Rereading your comment, yours is a more complicated one. I'll have to look it up. I've never needed more than a quarter twist per loop.

adrianmonk3y ago

The wrist only needs to twist a small amount, just enough to make the next loop of cable fall the right direction. The amount of twist on the cable itself will be greater.

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allknowingfrog3y ago

toss13y ago

adrianmonk3y ago

> new cable that is rolled up (any Apple cable), unroll it instead of pulling the ends apart

An alternative method is gravity. Hold the cable up by one end and let it untwist. Obviously, don't do this for 10 foot (3m) cables unless you're very tall.

solarmist3y ago

Yup, this! I learned it from a musician for patch cables.

A quarter twist per loop is all it takes for nicely rolled cords your whole life!

Rereading your comment, yours is a more complicated one. I'll have to look it up. I've never needed more than a quarter twist per loop.

adrianmonk3y ago

The wrist only needs to twist a small amount, just enough to make the next loop of cable fall the right direction. The amount of twist on the cable itself will be greater.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse