I roll up extension cords using the around the arm method. Now, air hoses, that's a different story.
Oh and on the caulking / adhesive deal, I bought a few black plugs at the hardware store that were made just for pluggin' up caulking tubes. They've worked really well so far.
I use to wrap it around my arm and hand. Once my hand couldn't hold any more, a few sections of it would slide off and unwind and become tangled with the cord that was still on the ground. Then I'd look around quickly at the neighbors windows to see if anyone was watching me swear and yell at an extension cord...:yes: :icon_redface:.
I tried the figure-8 way once and it took me forever to get it off my arm. The doctor in the emergency room told me not to do it that way again.
Now when I use it, I make sure I put it back right where I found it and exactly the way I found it - in a tangled mess on the floor of the shed with bikes and a garden hose on top of it, which are also tangled together. :furious: :laughing:
Well, I didn't actually go to the ER, and I don't return the cord to it's place of honor under the bikes and hose. I have one of those orange plastic reels that I wind it around. I'm not sure if I'll keep using it though, it seems like it's causing the wires inside the plastic coating of the cord to twist and the coating is pulled away from the plug, but the wires are all still attached.
I fold them in half lengthwise and daisy chain them. It is quick and easy to do, and absolutely cannot tangle. When you're ready to use them, step on one end and pull the other or give it a hard toss. Comes undone easily. Back in my framing days, a quick way to get in big trouble with the boss was to not put the cords away using this method.
Wow! I thought that I was the only one that stored cords (and rope) this way!
Not only is it good for electrical cords, I also use this method for my boat anchor rope!
Yup, that's it in the video. I've never had problems knotting it up...If you pull from the wrong end it just doesn't come undone and it is pretty much obvious. You'd have to really pull unreasonably hard to knot it up.
Sorry, should have been more clear.
If when you are making your loops and go "over" instead of "under" it will create a knot when you go to pull the cord loose. Has nothing to do with what end of the chain you try to pull, its the process you use to create the loops.
So, I've decided that the new fangled PVC air hoses are totally crap. The only way to roll them up, especially when it's cold is to use a reel or just cram it all in a pasteboard box.
I used to climb and repel and I learned a method for winding on you back. You pretty much make one big loop on your shoulders passing the cord from one hand to the other. When your done you take the whole loop and twist it in half. It makes a nice backpack for REALLY long ropes / cords. I dont have youtube here at work otherwise I would try to find the video. Its super quick too. Daisy chains are nice for shorter cords. :thumbup:
1. Start by laying one end of the cord on the ground and forming your coils down on the ground but with the end on the ground sticking out at least two feet. But make no more than two coils/loops.
2. Make your next coil/turn/loop but have the part you are still working on passing between the newest loop and the coils already on the ground. Don't lift up the coils on the ground or put anything through the center
3. Make your next coil/turn/loop having the newest loop passing between the part you are still working on and the coils already on the ground.
Alternate between 2 and 3 for each new loop/turn/coil. When done, try to keep each free end from going through the middle of your coils to the other side. If a free end does go through and you pull on that end from the wrong side when next using the cord, you will get knots.
If the cord starts to fight you in terms of twisting, you may do two 2's in a row or two 3's in a row. If the cord does not have any twists in it to start with, alternating 2 and 3 should go smoothly all the way.
This also works when holding the coils already made in your hand, up to the amount you can hold.
This should work with all kinds of cords, cables, ropes, and hoses.
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