A coiled cable is one that can be extended by stretching and it will come back to the original form by losing the stress given to it. Such cables contain a coiled body length and 2 tangents, where tangents are straight uncoiled sections at each end of the cable. The coiled cables have been used for over decades. There are many applications of these cables. Also, it can be easily made at home with just simple steps.
Let’s discuss an easy DIY to make custom coiled cables at home.
Custom Coiled Cable DIY
Tools required:
1. A good amount of cable (ideally approximately 7 feet cable per 1 foot of coil),
2. A very strong tape (electrical tape can be used).
3. Heat gun or hairdryer.
4. Long wooden dowel with a diameter between 1cm to 1.5cm.
Step By Step Method:
Step 1: The first step is to sleeve the cable, as it is difficult to sleeve after it gets coiled.
Step 2: Now, attach the cable to the wooden dowel by using electrical tape. Wrap the cable very tightly around the dowel and make sure to wrap it several times. The quality of tape will determine the final output. And make sure to wrap the cable as tight as you can, because a little give will lead to bad-looking and looser coils.
Step 3: Use the thumb to coil the cable around the dowel and keep on pushing the cable upward toward the tapped part. Make sure to leave no gap between each coil and all the coils should be of the same size.
Step 4: After achieving the desired length of the coil, tape the other end of the coil as done in the beginning. This step is a little tough, so achieve it very carefully.
Step 5: Once done, check both ends of the cable to make sure there is not any looseness. If there is any looseness, remove the tape and try again.
Step 6: Take the household hair dryer or hair gun, and move it evenly over the coil. Spend approximately 2 mins, per ½ foot of the coil.
Step 7: When done with it, now leave the coil to cool down. The coil will be set in the current position itself.
Step 8: Once the coil cools down perfectly, remove the tape. If the process is done properly, the coil will stay the same even without the tape.
Step 9: Now, slide the coil off the dowel. And the custom coil cable is all ready to be used.
Few applications of custom coiled cables are robotics, energy, industrial, audio and video, communications, test equipment, electronics, food and beverage, medical, military, marine, and music.
Conclusion
This is an easy and cost-effective DIY to prepare the custom coil cables at home. The coil will come out to be perfectly well if all the steps are done right and in the required manner. The cables made by using the above DIY carry very simple steps and can be achieved with few materials.
