# Question for rez guys



## stillirnin (Jan 24, 2008)

What do most use for dispencing the 250' rolls of 12 awg and 14 awg nm cable, store bought spools and rack or is there a home made job out there


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## Toronto Sparky (Apr 12, 2009)

Step ladder


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I use a store bought reel but have seen many homemade ones.

Here is one style


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)




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## JohnR (Apr 12, 2010)

I was on one job where the carpenters had cut a piece of the flooring for a 6inch round duct with a jigsaw. 
I used 2 blanks with a nail in the center into the floor . Placed the spool around it and pulled from a distance. 
It worked for most of the spool. The last 20 or so ft were too loose to stay on.


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## jw0445 (Oct 9, 2009)

Why not use 100o' reels on an A-frame. Less ends.


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## Interlock (Jul 14, 2010)

jw0445 said:


> Why not use 100o' reels on an A-frame. Less ends.


Heavy to carry around, harder to deal with, sometimes gets caught up on ladder, possibility of ladder going over, etc.

I like dealing with multiple coils, it allows you to pull many runs at once as well.

Any scrap ends are used for short runs or cut into 10" pieces and used for pigtails. No waste.


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## knowshorts (Jan 9, 2009)

http://www.dale-electric.com/detail?itemnumber=MH8110

Both floor and stud mount. I've pulled hundreds of rolls of mc off of this and it has held up extremely well. You can pull multiple rolls of romex at the same time as well.


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## oldtimer (Jun 10, 2010)

knowshorts said:


> http://www.dale-electric.com/detail?itemnumber=MH8110
> 
> Both floor and stud mount. I've pulled hundreds of rolls of mc off of this and it has held up extremely well. You can pull multiple rolls of romex at the same time as well.


 Check out Rack-A-Teers.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

On large jobs, I use 24" 1/2 EMT and (4) 10 D nails to hang a reel in between the studs.

On 250' coils, I just roll out 50' at a time.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Black4Truck said:


> On large jobs, I use 24" 1/2 EMT and (4) 10 D nails to hang a reel in between the studs.
> 
> On 250' coils, I just roll out 50' at a time.


 I just pull the cable out of the center and pull coil springs across the attic , not.:laughing:


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## mikeg_05 (Jan 1, 2009)

Here is what we use, works awesome.


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## stillirnin (Jan 24, 2008)

Exakadakly ! thats why I asked the question those coils are a big pain in the a**


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## Interlock (Jul 14, 2010)

Black4Truck said:


> On large jobs, I use 24" 1/2 EMT and (4) 10 D nails to hang a reel in between the studs.


If you ever find yourself without the EMT to use as an axle, I've had success using just a piece of romex spanned across two studs. Just tie the romex around the studs on each side and hammer a couple staples to stop it from riding down, works like a charm.


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## ludlam (May 29, 2010)

stillirnin said:


> Exakadakly ! thats why I asked the question those coils are a big pain in the a**



If your only going to use a little at a time you might want to leave the plastic on and take what you think you are going to use form the center of the 250 roll. That way the wire stays nice and neat till next time.:thumbup:


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

I once flung a roll of 14/2 across the backyard like a frisby, ended up working pretty good. Sometimes that anger is productive.


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## 76nemo (Aug 13, 2008)

http://www.fiberfish.com/Wire_Dispensing.htm



I love mine,...great design!


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## Geoff C (May 26, 2010)




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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Interlock said:


> Heavy to carry around,.....


Why lug 'em around in the first place? Set 'em up right next to the truck.


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## BIGRED (Jan 22, 2007)

76nemo said:


> http://www.fiberfish.com/Wire_Dispensing.htm
> 
> 
> 
> I love mine,...great design!


I hated mine when I first purchased it, now I love it after I modified it with a plastic oil pan. I met the guys who own the company at a supply house and they wanted to see how I modified it.


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## Interlock (Jul 14, 2010)

480sparky said:


> Why lug 'em around in the first place? Set 'em up right next to the truck.


I could see it now... The closet parking spot is 100' down the street so you setup a pulley on the neighbor's lamp post, another one on the telephone phone, then set an anchor point in the front lawn to put the last pulley so the romex is going in thru the front window. From there you have 400' of romex spanned across the block to make a 65' homerun :thumbup:

I prefer to setup a couple coils in the areas that I'm wiring. I pull off of multiple coils at once when doing the homeruns, then I pull off the same coils when roughing in the branch circuits in that area. I purchased 4 of the Greenlee romex spoolers years ago and love them.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Interlock said:


> I could see it now... The closet parking spot is 100' down the street so you setup a pulley on the neighbor's lamp post, another one on the telephone phone, then set an anchor point in the front lawn to put the last pulley so the romex is going in thru the front window. From there you have 400' of romex spanned across the block to make a 65' homerun :thumbup:............


Well, 'round here you get to park a little closer to the job. Like in the driveway.


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## Voltech (Nov 30, 2009)

Take one side of a wire reel and some small chain, Attach 3 pieces equal lengths (2 ft) of chain to the reel in a triangle. At the top join the chain with a hook/clip that will spin..Put your wire on it and hang from a rafter.


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## Widestance_Politics (Jun 2, 2010)

I haven't had much experience in resi, but the last shop i worked for doing it had the small racks that Dennis talks about for small runs. When pulling the homeruns tho they would pull the trailer up to the garage and the trailer had like 3 spools of 1000' on each side so you could pull multiples as needed....it was fast.


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## Mike_586 (Mar 24, 2009)

With the two companies I worked for that did a lot of resi, I had a couple types or racks to choose from and often just used 2 to 3 foot pieces of rebar and some nails to the studs. It was just easier, faster and very convenient.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

I just roll out what I need. If I did a lot of new construction I would look into getting a reel. It works for me and its one less thing to put up at the end of the day.


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## Jcode (Mar 24, 2011)

I had to bump this about the 1000' reels. I work for my step dad, and since he bought another local electrical buisness we've used all 250' rolls. Now that we are back to just me and him working (long story in short its slow so keep money in family), I asked to go back to the 14-2 1000 footers.

I like them more than reloading 250's several times a day. We can buy 2 or 3 1000' reels and do a house. I have no problem lugging a brand new roll so might be why I dont mind them. I'm not big but, hell, i consider it muscle building so I intentionally will move them throughout the day, within reason.

But all you do is set them in the middle of the house and start pulling. Can go all day without reloading and less scrap do to unused ends of each 250' Save time reloading, save money on wasted wire. Just seemed more logical, to me, to go back to 1000' since I don't mind moving them.

We have a home made stand that fits 2. So we can load 2, middle of the house, and both of us can pull in opposite directions all day. They are very efficient.

If anyone wants to see a picture of the stand, it works great. Its only high enough off the ground to allow free spinning of spool. It's just a stand to let you put a pipe through the spool, and set it in the stand. Never tips.

Also the wider stud mounted spinner is what we use for the 250's. Love that thing. Any hanging one I've hated.


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

Dennis Alwon said:


> I use a store bought reel but have seen many homemade ones.
> 
> Here is one style


 thats the cadillac of wire reels...That ones nice cause you can take it room to room very easy..


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## miller_elex (Jan 25, 2008)

stillirnin said:


> What do most use for dispencing the 250' rolls of 12 awg and 14 awg nm cable,


Buy the 1000ft spool.


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## MF Dagger (Dec 24, 2007)

We use 250's but we also do a lot of service call work. I just roll it off as far as the jobsite is long and back to where I started.


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

76nemo said:


> http://www.fiberfish.com/Wire_Dispensing.htm
> 
> 
> 
> I love mine,...great design!


My homemade spinner is very similar to that only she doesn't spin on the floor. It has a hook (a bent nail) secured by a fixture bracket so it spins and I hang it to joists with some romex.


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## Jcode (Mar 24, 2011)

mikeg_05 said:


> Here is what we use, works awesome.


IMHO This is the Cadillac. If you pull off to fast on anything without a tray, the wire starts unwinding off and when you go to pull again, it gets hooked undnearth. Have it happen way to many times on anything without a tray. On this one, exact same we have, Nothing stops it. Can drop a 150' roll of 6-3 on it and it doesn't bat an eye. I've pulled 10x2 and 2 12-2 spools on one before. All 3 spun off without a hitch. (all 3 were within same location. Something like Water heater, convenience outlet, and a pressure tank IIRC)


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## Podagrower (Mar 16, 2008)

So, before all these spool holders came out, and we had to walk uphill to the house both ways...

We used 2 2x6's (2x4's are just a little to small, and the spool will wobble), the bottom one about 12" long, and a riser attached in the middle, about 18" long. Attach the riser in the middle of the bottom board with a rafter tie down strap. Add a second tie down strap to the top (with 1 nail sticking up in the center). Bend the nail at the top over, and hang on trusses, or the garage door header. The nail at the top will wear out, and you will have to replace it, but how hard is it to find some scrap 2x6, tie strap, and nails on a job site.


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## ElectricJoeNJ (Feb 24, 2011)

I used to set up mulitple 1000' reels and nail them in between studs with emt. Worked great!! Fast and easy. For smaller room wiring i used 250' hand coils, but i gotta say i never used those fancy holders they have today. Just did it the old fashioned way and walked them out about 50' at a time.


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## cthermond (Feb 10, 2011)

mikeg_05 said:


> Here is what we use, works awesome.


This looks similiar to mine, except it looks like it works better. I have one made by carlon for $35 at Lowes, but I can't find it anymore at the store. I would like to get a couple of these. Where do you get them from?


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

Ill buy 1000 footers if Im doing an entire house...for everyday use they take up to much real estate on the van...I can carry four different sizes for one 1000 foot reel.


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## Brandonp32 (Apr 7, 2011)

is there a problem with putting dimmers at both ends of a 3 way lighting circuit?


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Brandonp32 said:


> is there a problem with putting dimmers at both ends of a 3 way lighting circuit?


It depends on the dimmer(s)


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

I prefer 250' rolls and if the price is about equal will buy them instead of longer rolls.


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## cthermond (Feb 10, 2011)

nitro71 said:


> I prefer 250' rolls and if the price is about equal will buy them instead of longer rolls.


I just purchased five plastic reels made for 250ft rolls of romex for $8 a piece plus shipping. I bought five of them. They're called real ease wire reels made by southwire. I think that they're fairly new, I have not used them yet. I figured I'd try them for such a small investment. Has anybody used them yet?


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

cthermond said:


> I just purchased five plastic reels made for 250ft rolls of romex for $8 a piece plus shipping. I bought five of them. They're called real ease wire reels made by southwire. I think that they're fairly new, I have not used them yet. I figured I'd try them for such a small investment. Has anybody used them yet?


Where did you order them from?


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## knowshorts (Jan 9, 2009)

nitro71 said:


> Where did you order them from?


They're here:

http://www.amazon.com/Southwire-55380701-Plastic-Reusable-Spool/dp/B000I0BUYM


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## cthermond (Feb 10, 2011)

nitro71 said:


> Where did you order them from?


I ordered them from the home-improvement-superstore.com. the total with shipping was $63.00 for five of the reels. The shipping may be cheaper depending on where you live. They are located in Pontiac Michigan. I think I found them under romex reels as a search word. I'm on the west coast so the shipping is higher. It also depends on how many you buy.


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## cthermond (Feb 10, 2011)

knowshorts said:


> They're here:
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Southwire-55380701-Plastic-Reusable-Spool/dp/B000I0BUYM


I guess I should have went with Amazon and saved a few bucks.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

Dennis Alwon said:


>


Those look like they attach to a 2x4 mounted at exactly the right level for me to destroy my forehead on it every time I walk by not paying attention.


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

cthermond said:


> I ordered them from the home-improvement-superstore.com. the total with shipping was $63.00 for five of the reels. The shipping may be cheaper depending on where you live. They are located in Pontiac Michigan. I think I found them under romex reels as a search word. I'm on the west coast so the shipping is higher. It also depends on how many you buy.


How do you secure them?


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## jproffer (Mar 24, 2007)

> I guess I should have went with Amazon and saved a few bucks


No you wouldn't have LOL....check out the shipping. An $8 item....$9 shipping.

To be fair that's only for the first one...after that it's less per item. I think for 5 it was 13 or 14 shipping, which isn't bad.


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

erics37 said:


> Those look like they attach to a 2x4 mounted at exactly the right level for me to destroy my forehead on it every time I walk by not paying attention.


You hang them lower with some scrap nm. I used those ones at the shop I used to work for. I'm not a big fan of them. They're pretty flimsy and flop all over the place. They are nice for storing in the truck though, that's a plus.


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