# Poor man's cable unreeler



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Here's a Romex or MC unreeler that you can build for maybe 10-15 bucks, and it has worked well for me for many years. The only thing I had to buy was a 12" "lazy susan" from the hardware store. The rest is made from some scrap jobsite lumber, an empty 1000' romex spool, and a scrap of EMT for a guide loop and carrying handle. It works best if you leave the wrapper on the roll of Romex, and start unspooling from the _inside_ of the coil of romex. This prevents loops from dropping off the side. You'll notice a house knob guide also on this home made tool. That was the original cable guide, which didn't really work.


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## round2it (Jan 22, 2007)

*Cheap...er...economical spooler*

MD I used to make a similar setup, only mine was for hanging to ceiling joists or whatever else was available. On mine, I would take the round part of the spool and attach two short pieces of 2X4 scrap screwed or nailed together. Then I would take a 1 hole strap sqeeze almost closed (so that you can just barely pass NM thru it), use a washer between the strap and the top of the 2X4's and screw the strap into the wood. Use the same method of pulling from the inside of the roll. Take a scrap piece of NM, rope or whatever loop it over the ceiling joist and twist the NM a couple of wraps on itself to secure it, form a loop at the bottom and twist the loop a couple of times to keep it in the shape of a loop,hang the spool on the loop and off ya go. It is basically made of waste and can be carried to the next job, etc. Has worked great for me!


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## Joe Momma (Jan 23, 2007)

I've also built and used the one round2it described, though there was no 'round part of spool' involved.
It was 2 2x4's nailed in an upside down 'T', then a scrap of romex used as webbing(to center the spool) attached to the latterals of the T and over the top, keeping the webbing semi-loose to readily accept a roll. Then the spinning and suspension system the same as round2it's.

Although since it typically hangs at head level, and can be used from any room, placement is key so you don't give someone a concussion when you give a good yank to the cable.


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## round2it (Jan 22, 2007)

*Cheap...er...economical spooler*

Joe Mamma, you are so very right about that. Didn't think I needed a hard hat on resi until smacking my head several times...uh, why yes I am a slow learner Y do you ask...LOL


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## Joe Momma (Jan 23, 2007)

The last big romex job I was on a couple years ago, it was actually kinda fun to catch someone who wasn't ready for it. Especially one of the plumbers seeing as they liked to catch us off gaurd with an M-80 every once in a while.
Funny because I'm still good friends with most those guys.


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## rod213 (Mar 16, 2007)

We use a child's "sit and spin" with the top off of it and screw a piece of pvc to the center post to help align it so it doesn't spiral.

Also there is a spool reeler that a company called "Rackateers", I think that is the name, that has a good looking set up. They have a whole lot of sweet looking things that I'd like to buy!


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Come on you are an electrician, you make the BIG BUCKS. Pony up the dollars to Mr. Greenlee.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

brian john said:


> Come on you are an electrician, you make the BIG BUCKS. Pony up the dollars to Mr. Greenlee.


Let me know when the big bucks are supposed to start :jester:


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## rod213 (Mar 16, 2007)

Hah, yeah no kidding!


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## Joe Momma (Jan 23, 2007)

My company has been looking a lot at the racketeers stuff and has bought a few things to try out.

We had a trade show at school with a couple guys from racketeers present, those guys were the biggest jokes you'd ever see.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Joe Momma said:


> We had a trade show at school with a couple guys from racketeers present, those guys were the biggest jokes you'd ever see.


How do you mean? It might be part of their corporate image. Check out their website. It's got cartoons and such on it. Maybe you mean "jokes" in a different way?


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## Joe Momma (Jan 23, 2007)

Their big slogun was "by electricians, for electricians" though it was obvious neither of these two guys ever ran a piece of wire in their lives.

They certainly acted up a big show for an un-receptive audience.

One of the several unaswered questions asked to them was about their spring gizmo they put into a 3/4 PVC pipe and bent the pipe with no heat. Well the radius was way to tight to get a wire into and when someone pointed out they would never get wire in that pipe, they simply said "well then run a bigger pipe" and moved on.

After that comment I'm sure most of us 'just moved on' from their presentation and cosidered their slogun to be a joke as well.


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## faber307 (Jan 22, 2007)

I saw those spring gizmos on the internet first, then at a supply house in Flint, MI. The boys at the counter said the locals love them.

I bought one for 3/4" and 1" 

Tried the 1" couple weeks ago, granted it was a bit cold out. I was not impressed. took the pipe inside to warm up. Still didn't like it. 

I was able to build a decent 2" offset with it.

We'll see what happens this summer. At this point boys. don't bother.:thumbdown:


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Tab Faber said:


> We'll see what happens this summer. At this point boys. don't bother.:thumbdown:


I've been looking at one such spring kit off and on called the Pipe Viper. They seem a little expensive for all the more they are. As I remember, their website video did say you needed to overshoot your bend quite a bit, because the PVC will slack back some. I wonder what will happen to cold formed bends when the sun gets on them (if they're installed outdoors)? Will the conduit want to go straight again? I might have to make a few bends this spring and let them lay out in the yard to see what happens to them over the summer.


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## faber307 (Jan 22, 2007)

Yes, you have to waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy over bend.


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## rod213 (Mar 16, 2007)

We use a 150,000 BTU kerosene bullet heater to form pvc. Roll it around in front of it for around a minute or so and bend it however ya like!


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Years ago I was on a job that was all PVC, we tried it all (at that time) electric heater, you put the PVC in the heater and it rolled around. Had a cannon by Greenlee, filled with some liquid and then put in bundles of PVC pulled out a piece as you need it. The cannon took about 30 minutes to warm the liquid

We ended up using a kerosene heater and exhaust pipe of a truck, both seemed faster.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

for myself it is stanard pratice to use the large kenorese heater or truck exhaust to bend the PVC even i did used the generator exhaust as well.

but one jobsite i did work before that place have huge steam boiler and what i did took the bundle and stack top of the boiler and keep the PVC pipes very soft and plyable to bend the shape i want and it was quick also.


but if you guys talking about the exteral spring fourm gimzo. 

I just don't have much boot with this because you have to overbend it to get the angle what you want and i just feel i am not too crazy to use that one. that is my option there 


Merci , Marc


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## Joe Momma (Jan 23, 2007)

We typically use a 'weed burner' as most people do even they they are not allowed by code.

In the refinery a few weeks ago we used a glycol heater like Brian mentioned. It looks like a cannon and takes a while to heat up, but once it gets to around 250 degrees it took about 2 minutes to soften up a piece of 3 inch.

I also point out again though that the spring method as pointed out above uses no heat.


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## DeepOne (Jan 23, 2007)

Beside me often use revolving cone as unreeler.


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