# Wire spinners



## Chevys10zr2 (Jan 30, 2017)

Why don't they make these anymore. Spinners are so dam expensive these look cheap and are easy to use. Can't find them anywhere though. It's like they never existed


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Chevys10zr2 said:


> Why don't they make these anymore. Spinners are so dam expensive these look cheap and are easy to use. Can't find them anywhere though. It's like they never existed



The reason is because some genius invented a much improved model.


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## ppsh (Jan 2, 2014)

All the best electricians cobble them together, some plywood and 2x4s, or if you want to go deluxe, you can put a 12" lazy susan bearing on it.

https://www.amazon.com/Capacity-Bearing-Turntable-Bearings-VXB/dp/B0045DV04I


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## Chevys10zr2 (Jan 30, 2017)

Ppsh thanks man I'm gonna make some with that thing


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## Navyguy (Mar 15, 2010)

Does not wire come on reels in the USA?

The only place I see it not on a reel is in the Big Box where you buy cut offs (less then 75 metre (250 feet)).

Cheers

John


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## Chevys10zr2 (Jan 30, 2017)

You can buy the 1000 ft rolls but when you are roughing in a new house it's nice to use the 250 ft rolls and pull 6-8 home runs at the same time instead of pullin 1 at a time.


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## btharmy2 (Mar 11, 2017)

I make my own for less than $30 each


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## btharmy2 (Mar 11, 2017)

Navyguy said:


> Does not wire come on reels in the USA?
> 
> The only place I see it not on a reel is in the Big Box where you buy cut offs (less then 75 metre (250 feet)).
> 
> ...


I don't buy 1000' spools very often. It's not cheaper and it doesn't allow for multiple pulls. Besides, I'm getting old and the spools are heavy.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Navyguy said:


> Does not wire come on reels in the USA?
> 
> The only place I see it not on a reel is in the Big Box where you buy cut offs (less then 75 metre (250 feet)).
> 
> ...


Canada has 500' reels, which is a nice size.

Here in the US we only have 1,000' reels or 250' coils. The spinners that we are always talking about are to put the 250' coils in.

The 1,000' reels are ok to setup once and pull off of when roughing in a house. But a pain for anything else, especially if you have to move it a lot.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

HackWork said:


> Canada has 500' reels, which is a nice size.
> 
> Here in the US we only have 1,000' reels or 250' coils.


:no::no:

All manufacturers make NM cable on 500' coils. But good luck getting it. I'm not sure why it's so uncommon, it makes perfect sense to me and is less wasteful than 250's.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

MTW said:


> :no::no:
> 
> All manufacturers make NM cable on 500' coils. But good luck getting it. I'm not sure why it's so uncommon, it makes perfect sense to me and is less wasteful than 250's.


What did I say wrong?


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

HackWork said:


> What did I say wrong?


You said we only have 1000' reels or 250' coils. I'm saying we do have 500' coils like Canada does.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

MTW said:


> You said we only have 1000' reels or 250' coils. I'm saying we do have 500' coils like Canada does.


No, we don't have it available. In 20 years I have never seen a 500' coil of romex available in the dozens of supply houses I have been in. And in 15 years of using electrical forums everyone else has said the same thing.

You even said so in your post:



> But good luck getting it.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

HackWork said:


> No, we don't have it available. In 20 years I have never seen a 500' coil of romex available in the dozens of supply houses I have been in. And in 15 years of using electrical forums everyone else has said the same thing.
> 
> You even said so in your post:



Ask for it tomorrow and report back then.


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## Navyguy (Mar 15, 2010)

HackWork said:


> Canada has 500' reels, which is a nice size.
> 
> Here in the US we only have 1,000' reels or 250' coils. The spinners that we are always talking about are to put the 250' coils in.
> 
> The 1,000' reels are ok to setup once and pull off of when roughing in a house. But a pain for anything else, especially if you have to move it a lot.


Our standard reels here are 75, 150 and 300 metres (250, 500 and 1000 feet) for our NMD90 and our AC90 wire for all common sizes (14, 12 and 10). You can't buy anything less then 75 metres unless you go to the big box and get those "rolls" that you guys seem to have as a common thing.

Interesting... You are right though, we would set-up multiple 75 and / or 150 reels and do multiple pulls at once.

Cheers

John


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

The coils are nice for service work too. Easy to carry into jobs and pull out what you need.


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

associated electrical products


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Navyguy said:


> Does not wire come on reels in the USA?
> 
> The only place I see it not on a reel is in the Big Box where you buy cut offs (less then 75 metre (250 feet)).
> 
> ...


Reels are for well over 250'


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

HackWork said:


> No, we don't have it available. In 20 years I have never seen a 500' coil of romex available in the dozens of supply houses I have been in. And in 15 years of using electrical forums everyone else has said the same thing.
> 
> You even said so in your post:


Walmart has 400' spools of romex:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Southwire-Company-Simpull-28828272-12-2-Nm-400-Building-Wire/21272082?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=1609&adid=22222222227015271050&wl0=&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=52922941031&wl4=pla-84843868391&wl5=9008552&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=113487702&wl11=online&wl12=21272082&wl13=&veh=sem


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Walmart has 400' spools of romex:
> 
> https://www.walmart.com/ip/Southwire-Company-Simpull-28828272-12-2-Nm-400-Building-Wire/21272082?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=1609&adid=22222222227015271050&wl0=&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=52922941031&wl4=pla-84843868391&wl5=9008552&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=113487702&wl11=online&wl12=21272082&wl13=&veh=sem


This is why I don't tell you I love you.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

HackWork said:


> This is why I don't tell you I love you.







:whistling2:


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Two 250 ft rolls at HD this morning would be close to 140 dollars. That 400 ft spool in the picture is almost 170 dollars. No thanks.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

macmikeman said:


> Two 250 ft rolls at HD this morning would be close to 140 dollars. That 400 ft spool in the picture is almost 170 dollars. No thanks.


Yeah, most electrician don't get romex from Walmart.


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## mvigneux (May 3, 2013)

Damn in Canada those coils scream DIY, we do big houses 20,000 ft romex pulled easy, so we just buy 1000' coils 


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

HackWork said:


> Yeah, most electrician don't get romex from Walmart.


When Wally World is 15 minutes away and HD is over an hour ride....


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> When Wally World is 15 minutes away and HD is over an hour ride....


What happens then? It's not sold in stores, it's from some guy selling crap thru Walmart's website.

This whole thing is fu*king ******ed. If I amend my post to say "You may be able to find the odd sized reel thru 5 or 6 homeowner and DIY resources" will you and Peter give it up already? Because apparently there is a problem with saying what every other electrician knows, that 250' coils and 1,000' reels are the normal options and it's very rare to see anything else.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

Nothing but 250 and 1000 foot at my supply house(12/2, 12/3, 14/2, 14/3, 10/2 ect).


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

backstay said:


> Nothing but 250 and 1000 foot at my supply house(12/2, 12/3, 14/2, 14/3, 10/2 ect).


Up late again I see. Cows in no time! :thumbsup:


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

HackWork said:


> What happens then? It's not sold in stores, it's from some guy selling crap thru Walmart's website.
> 
> This whole thing is fu*king ******ed. If I amend my post to say "You may be able to find the odd sized reel thru 5 or 6 homeowner and DIY resources" will you and Peter give it up already? Because apparently there is a problem with saying what every other electrician knows, that 250' coils and 1,000' reels are the normal options and it's very rare to see anything else.


I never said the odd size rolls were common. 

I get a lot of things from Wally World via the site to store free shipping.

Personally I have no need to buy any cable in more than a 250' roll.


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## Ancient One (Sep 2, 2017)

Well, since 1057 I have been buying NM cable, which many call Romex because Romex was the manufacturer or the original, now it is called NM cable. OK by me. And it used to be without a ground wire. That was 1957. It was some years before they started adding the ground wire, and about that time they started selling the white plastic covered stuff. All 250 foot coils.

Anyway, that is a bit over 60 years. And myself, I have never seen a 500 foot roll of romex, or NM cable. And if I did see some I would not buy it unless it was way less per foot than the 250 foot coils. Like someone above posted, I do not want to carry that weight around.

I clicked that Walmart link.......... $179.00 for a 400 foot roll of 12/2. For $156.00 I can buy four 250 foot coils of 12/2. 1000 feet for $156 VS $179 for 400 feet.......... man. Walmart getting 44.75 cents per foot vs home depot 15.6 cents per foot. Almost three times as much at Wally's.

Nope, I will stick with the Home Depot and other big box competition for mine and stick with carrying 250 foot coils, which I get very little waste of. I keep the cut offs and use them up in places where I only need short lengths. Heck, it is only 18' +/- foot pieces for receptacle wiring anyway that does not leave that much of a remnant from a coil.


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## NDC (Jan 12, 2016)

My old boss had one of these http://www.rack-a-tiers.com/product/16/Thomas-Wheeler I think he paid $50 for it. Was well worth it.


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## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

NDC said:


> My old boss had one of these http://www.rack-a-tiers.com/product/16/Thomas-Wheeler I think he paid $50 for it. Was well worth it.


We used to make the same thing with 3-2x4s, nails, a fender washer and some Romex. For the swivel on the top the Romex would go over the upright 2x4 and pierce a ten penny nail on a 1/4" fender washer. After the four sides had the Romex over the top piercing the nail and fender washer, the nail was bent into a hook. The hook was hung from the ceiling joist with a "j" nail or large staple.

Only time I used them was when we would go in with ten guys on a weekend. Everyone pulling their own 250' coils. Doing track work, I always used 1,000' reels. One site we had a van with the reels on racks in the back door. The van stayed on site. We would back up to a front window with the door open, and line the window with cardboard. For homeruns I would have four different Romex setups going at once. 

I could also send different sizes to the basement through holes in the floor. I could rough the whole first floor from the basement, pulling right out of the van. I used rafter spacing as a cut guide for switches and outlets. I'm sure all these ideas are not unique.


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## trentonmakes (Mar 21, 2017)

Aerial Spinners









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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

cabletie said:


> We used to make the same thing with 3-2x4s, nails, a fender washer and some Romex. For the swivel on the top the Romex would go over the upright 2x4 and pierce a ten penny nail on a 1/4" fender washer. After the four sides had the Romex over the top piercing the nail and fender washer, the nail was bent into a hook. The hook was hung from the ceiling joist with a "j" nail or large staple.
> 
> Only time I used them was when we would go in with ten guys on a weekend. Everyone pulling their own 250' coils. Doing track work, I always used 1,000' reels. One site we had a van with the reels on racks in the back door. The van stayed on site. We would back up to a front window with the door open, and line the window with cardboard. For homeruns I would have four different Romex setups going at once.
> 
> I could also send different sizes to the basement through holes in the floor. I could rough the whole first floor from the basement, pulling right out of the van. I used rafter spacing as a cut guide for switches and outlets. I'm sure all these ideas are not unique.


I just cant understand how to make decent money doing tract houses or any houses at all. I just spoke to a member on this site that can rope houses for $4.40 per sf. It must be a young mans game with a cadre of spidermans smashing out those houses.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Southeast Power said:


> I just cant understand how to make decent money doing tract houses or any houses at all. I just spoke to a member on this site that can rope houses for $4.40 per sf. It must be a young mans game with a cadre of spidermans smashing out those houses.


With one semi-decent lead guy laying out, you can have 2-3 $100/day Mexicans doing all the work. All they do is drill and pull and hammer staples all day so they are super quick. 

And when I say $100/day, that is up here. In Florida it would be $60.


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## 3DDesign (Oct 25, 2014)

Are you looking for something like THIS ?


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Southeast Power said:


> I just cant understand how to make decent money doing tract houses or any houses at all. I just spoke to a member on this site that can rope houses for $4.40 per sf. It must be a young mans game with a cadre of spidermans smashing out those houses.


A lot of people, including me, got their start drilling holes and yanking wire. My first crew was all apprentices. The “foreman” was a second year.


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## 3DDesign (Oct 25, 2014)

HackWork said:


> With one semi-decent lead guy laying out, you can have 2-3 $100/day Mexicans doing all the work. All they do is drill and pull and hammer staples all day so they are super quick.
> 
> And when I say $100/day, that is up here. In Florida it would be $60.


Nothing like that exists in my area. i'm not prejudice and I like Mexican people. It's just the way it is here.
Demographics from Wikipedia; 
43,127 people. The racial makeup of the township was 98.82% White, 0.32% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.05% from other races, and 0.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.41% of the population.


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## electricguy (Mar 22, 2007)

3DDesign said:


> Are you looking for something like THIS ?



I like how those are tagged US only yay for reels


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

3DDesign said:


> Nothing like that exists in my area. i'm not prejudice and I like Mexican people. It's just the way it is here.
> Demographics from Wikipedia;
> 43,127 people. The racial makeup of the township was 98.82% White, 0.32% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.05% from other races, and 0.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.41% of the population.


My town and the surrounding suburban towns looks very similar, but they drive in from elsewhere. 

It's not just Mexicans, it's other people who are often here illegally who don't speak English and do whatever they can to earn a living.


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## trentonmakes (Mar 21, 2017)

HackWork said:


> My town and the surrounding suburban towns looks very similar, but they drive in from elsewhere.
> 
> 
> 
> It's not just Mexicans, it's other people who are often here illegally who don't speak English and do whatever they can to earn a living.


Like russian and polish framers to name a couple

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## Coppersmith (Aug 11, 2017)

I tried to buy a wire spinner at every supply house I deal with. Every one said the same thing: "We don't sell them because everybody makes their own." I didn't want to, but I made my own.

Construction is 1" PVC pipe. Center post is removable for compact storage. A PVC end cap is friction fit in the top of the cone to act as a bearing.

It's important to leave the plastic wrap on the wire.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

A home made one designed to hang off the joists:


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## TheBigAndy (Nov 15, 2018)

MTW said:


> A home made one designed to hang off the joists:




Just the kind that I have made and my dad has made for years.
Works great for me!


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## JoeSparky (Mar 25, 2010)

Bought one of these carlon ones on clearance for like 15 bucks at bLowe's years ago. Came with both the stud hook and floor base. At that number, I've never had a need to build one


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

JoeSparky said:


> Bought one of these carlon ones on clearance for like 15 bucks at bLowe's years ago. Came with both the stud hook and floor base. At that number, I've never had a need to build one


I had the same one, also paid $15 for it at Lowes  but I didn't like it and got rid of it.


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## 3rdUserName (Nov 23, 2018)

They make spinners at my company as well, was not a fan at first (because I had just set up a 1000' reel when a coworker wanted to switch to the coil) but I do appreciate them now. We hang them over a doorway with a staple. Set 3 or 4 staples halfway nailed in, down a hall and your set for a while. I've seen them on ig made out of traffic cones and anything else that can spin basically. I have also seen some made by rack a teers. But they work well.


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## Forge Boyz (Nov 7, 2014)

25 or so years ago the guys in my dad's company went happy with any commercially available wire spinners. He took one to a machine shop and had them make ones that would last.








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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

The one I made has been known to drive chicken ranchers insane. There have been recorded incidents.


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## Bcec (Jul 29, 2018)

I cant believe you guys dont have 500' rolls of loomex.We just use a piece of e.m.t. nailed between studs or on a set of rack-a-tiers. No need for those fancy reel dispensers.Armoured cable also comes on a reel in 75m or 150m lengths.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Bcec said:


> I cant believe you guys dont have 500' rolls of loomex.We just use a piece of e.m.t. nailed between studs or on a set of rack-a-tiers. No need for those fancy reel dispensers.Armoured cable also comes on a reel in 75m or 150m lengths.


I would like 500' reels. 

I like 250' coils and use those most of the time due to the type of work that I do. But for renovations and the like I think 500' reels would be perfect. I would rather have (2) 500' reels to pull off of than (1) heavy ass 1,000' reel


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