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Cables, Cables, Cables, What is your best method of organizing cables?

dougw

I am sure we all have a bunch of cable management methods with varying success, and we are all probably continuously looking for better methods. So what this blog is asking for is simply a picture of your best cable management solution. And feel free to voice pros and cons in the comments.

Cables are highly problematic, there are enormous varieties and lengths of cables, and no matter how large your collection, you always need one you don't have. They all cost money so you don't want to throw them out, even if they are rarely used. They are cumbersome, often too long to store straight and if there is more than one they are bound to get tangled up, even one can get tangled up. Finding the right cable in a tangled mess and digging it out is a pretty time-consuming and frustrating activity. Hanging them up takes a lot of space and it just doesn't work for long cables.

In my case, I don't have wall space to have a nice hanger system and keeping frequently used cables in a big box is very inefficient in both space and time. I got the idea to design 3D printed hooks that would attach to my video light stands and it immediately made an enormous improvement in making many cables quickly accessible without them getting all tangled up or occupying valuable space. It also avoided marring my walls with screw holes and hooks.

Here is a picture to get this exercise started .. I have 2 light stands - not normally positioned here but they are in nearby handy locations when working in this space....

image

I'm not sure this is optimal, but it works so well, I am going to make another bracket for a free-standing light I have at another workstation.

  • in reply to cstanton

    LOL...you and 99% of others as well.

  • For CAT6A/CAT7 STP, HD-SDI (coax), XLR, fibre, patches then:

    For quantities of 10+ (lengths 1-20m) I usually just coil them up with a loop of 12mm electrical tape or hook&loop tie then place into a dedicated box or storage bin based on type and length.

    For quantities of <10 then I usually coil them and keep them in individual plastic sleeves then file the sleeves by length in boxes.

    For lengths >20m then usually coil them on a drum and store on a shelf or floor. Apart from snakes which usually get coiled and strapped and boxed or placed on shelving.

    Where possible I tend to standardise on the connector types then use adapters if I have to work with other kit.
    I also tend to purchase cable that handles well and don't let other people (mis)handle it. 

    Outside of that, life starts to get messy, especially with the custom cable assemblies that don't handle well and won't coil naturally. They usually get folded back into an oval with a loop of tape and then stored in a box with the kit they are used with.

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    I should perhaps add here that cable marking is an on-going issue for pre-terminated cables.

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    How many members actually label their cables? It is definitely one of my non-existent strengths..Disappointed

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    I'm picturing a large amount of cable...Relaxed

  • in reply to dougw

    I generally label power cords on my bench near the end for equipment that I don't leave plugged in.  If I have similar looking equipment leads that I may use at the same time I often label them.  Well Scope leads come with label tags so I guess that is common enough.  I also will label some power adapters, especially odd ones.  Then I will label any custom hookup cables for say 80s era computers as to the type of computer they are for.  Getting some of those various mixed up can be an expensive problem on occasion.

    Various mostly shorter test leads, power leads, clip leads, I keep draped in half on a row of command hooks to the side of my bench for quick access.  Somewhat Longer leads hang on a screw on the leg of my bench, leads for connecting up some of my less used bench power supplies.

    I have a drawer for quick access to common power cords, display or computer connection cables.  I keep additional cables in a paper box on a shelf nearby.   

    My supply of spare ac to dc power adapters are in a little less accessible area in the bottom of a storage box that I keep parts bins on.  I don't use those supplies much, if one breaks or I need find I need something for a project.

  • in reply to dougw

    I label custom made cables. I think I have pretty much every possible combination of Molex Pico Blade  to ARM 20 pin debug connector for debugging different ARM micro based things. It would be nice to have only one universal type used on everything but the demands of different projects get in the way. I use labels from Amazon like this. I've taken to putting the same ones on spare keys as well.

    image

    MK

  • For general cables I useready made rack extrusions with snap in plastic hooks. You get too many hooks with each length of extrusion. I have 5 but it isn't enough to be neat and tidy.

    image

    This is the rack nearest to the bench and seems to acquire the most recently used cables, a sort of LIFO arrangement. There is annother rack on the otherside of the door. I had trouble with the supplied two wood screws ripping out of the thin hardboard door panel so I now have bolts going right through. It is impossible to open the door quietly.

    MK

  • I don't have nearly as many cables as most of you, at least looking at your pictures.
    At the moment I have a "random cable box" where I put almost all cables and similar that I recycle from old electronics equipment. If I need a piece of wire I just grab something from here and cut as needed. All other cables, probes etc (not that many) are simply stored in their original bags near the equipment they came with.

    Not exactly on the wire category, but I also have a small container where I store cutoff leads of TH components, they are very handy to make any kind of jumper.

  • in reply to dougw

    The most recent bit of kit came supplied with 120+ cables, ranging between 2m and 20m. Slight smile