Please help!

Desertboots

Hi all,

I'm am studying Design in the University of Limerick. I'm currently doing a final year design project based in the sound & music production field. I am a gigging musician and project studio owner, so this is my area of interest.

I am basically trying to design a solution in order to streamline the transportation and storage of studio and PA equipment. Some of the problem areas include lifting heavy equipment and the inefficient storage of equipment.

One issue I have faced is the storage of leads and cables. The standard method seems to involve rolling them up and putting them in a box or flightcase. However, as I'm sure most of you know cables have a tendency to get tangled and if you want the one at the bottom of the case it's a complete nightmare! I'd like a solution that doesn't involve those fiddly cable ties.

Thats just one of my problems in this field but I'd like to hear some input from others who work in this area. If you have any issues that you face in the studio or setting up for gigs that you think could be solved by a simple, elegant design please let me know.

Your input would be much appreciated.

jtsuited

for mic leads, you can do this:

get one of those cable roller thingies. you know the the ones that often act as power supply extension leads.
one of these type of things-


then put all your xlr leads on this by connecting the female ends to male.

It is a very handy way of storing lots of mic cables.

Desertboots

Cool thanks!

studiorat

If you wind the cables up right you should have no problems. Don't wind them around your arm, wind them to the natural kink they have in them and put a loose knot on the end.

Then pack 'em in the order you'll need them.

Should be first lesson in sound engineery school. "wax on wax off"

Desertboots

Some sound engineer taught me a really good way of winding cables. It basically involves alternating the way you twist the cable with each wind(twist clockwise then anti-clockwise etc.). This means that the cable wont be coiled when unraveled. Handy one. it really pisses me off seeing people winding cables around their arm!

jtsuited

studiorat wrote: »

Should be first lesson in sound engineery school. "wax on wax off"

Amen to that. There is NOTHING more annoying than dealing with badly wrapped leads.
The arm thing really winds me up too. You see some people wrapping leads around their arms as if they were mooring the QE2. Lads they're delicate leads not ropes to tie boats up with.

PaulBrewer

Desertboots wrote: »

Some sound engineer taught me a really good way of winding cables. It basically involves alternating the way you twist the cable with each wind(twist clockwise then anti-clockwise etc.). This means that the cable wont be coiled when unraveled. Handy one. it really pisses me off seeing people winding cables around their arm!

That's the 'BBC' way, it really works well.

PaulBrewer

studiorat wrote: »

. "wax on wax off"

What does that mean?

cornbb

Desertboots wrote: »

Some sound engineer taught me a really good way of winding cables. It basically involves alternating the way you twist the cable with each wind(twist clockwise then anti-clockwise etc.). This means that the cable wont be coiled when unraveled. Handy one. it really pisses me off seeing people winding cables around their arm!

I actually had a lesson dedicated to that in college. "Over, under, over, under..." Then for the exam we were marked based on how straight we could throw the cable out of it's coil. Well.. not really.

Neurojazz

The way i was taught in a music shop was a bit simple but seemed to work... i'll try to describe

Holding one end in one hand create small loops and grab with hand holding first end... essentially creating a coil (no worries about twisting etc... just do it as you find it)

This may seem to make a sloppy loose coil of cable but when you goto grab it of a box full of them they come out without too much hassle.... we used to do many hirings and involved fishing out all types of cables - this method worked great with only occasional messups

danjokill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS1CJmwz5ww
But No knot at the end

PaulBrewer

danjokill wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS1CJmwz5ww
But No knot at the end

Some lads are horrid geeks

It shows it well though!

dav nagle

Here is a bull**** eureka theory in cable design...

Design a cable that can flex and stretch from 6 inches to 20 feet, do that well my boy and you will make money.

sei046

dav nagle wrote: »

Design a cable that can flex and stretch from 6 inches to 20 feet

*cough* doing that since puberty *cough*

dav nagle

sei046 wrote: »

*cough* doing that since puberty *cough*

Always back to the erection with you:D

Desertboots

Appreciate your input guys, constructive or otherwise!

Do you think a storage design which could store a large amount of cables in a small amount of space, allowing the user to aquire any cable they want with ease would be a worthwhile design?

I am 90% sure there is nothing like this on the market.