Welding Extension Cable Reel?

[Jonmustang]

I bought 150' of 8/3 SOOW cable to be used as an extension cord for welding, RV, generators, etc. Just wanted something really heavy where I'd have no worries about not having enough copper.

Now, I've gotta figure out how to lug it around! A reel with a base and handle would be ideal... might even put casters on it. Somewhat lightweight and portable. I was looking at plastic vacuum hose reels for swimming pools, but they'd probably be too flimsy. Also looked at some Harbor Freight reels, but most seemed too small.

Under $100 would be ideal as well. Any thoughts?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

You can't just put the cable on a reel unless it's not attached at either end. Are you looking to be able to plug the reel in then unspool the cable or just something to wind the cable up over when it's not in use?

 

[Jonmustang]

You can't just put the cable on a reel unless it's not attached at either end. Are you looking to be able to plug the reel in then unspool the cable or just something to wind the cable up over when it's not in use?

My hope was that whatever reel I find would have a hollow center, so I could modify it to have one end slip through.

 

[Jonmustang]

Sams club four wheeled Garden hose reel will be perfect.
Someone will post you a link if you don't find it.
They hold 200 feet of 3/4" Garden hose.

Jet. Com has them for 90 bucks, free shipping.
Walmart is 69 bucks.

That looks pretty dang good, thanks!

 

[GLTHFJ60]

My hope was that whatever reel I find would have a hollow center, so I could modify it to have one end slip through.

You can't have a fixed end because the cable will wind up and either break or bind the reel mechanism. You have to have a cable reel that was designed to be a cable reel with internal contacts to allow the cable to spool without binding, like this one. Found it on craigslist, has about 35' of cable spooled up right now.

 

[454ragtop]

You can't have a fixed end because the cable will wind up and either break or bind the reel mechanism. You have to have a cable reel that was designed to be a cable reel with internal contacts to allow the cable to spool without binding, like this one. Found it on craigslist, has about 35' of cable spooled up right now.

[/QUOTE Can you post a bigger pic? Actually you can have a fixed end, need to have a location inside the reel near the outer edge. About 20 yrs. ago I bought a giant 220 volt ext. cord at a swap meet, came on a shop made dolly and reel, pretty slick actually. Made from a wooden cable reel, an axle and axle bearing, and a dolly with casters they must of had hanging around. Big cable like that gets heavy fast, not sure a garden hose reel would be up to the task. I still have it, although years ago I cut about 25 feet off it, which works most of the time. But on the few occaisions it doesn't, I grab the reel and dolly.

 

[Bendibal]

I saved the reel from my old job, it's a manual banding setup we had in the shipping department. I had similar plans for it.

 

[welder4956]

Wow. This post brought back some memories. One of our maintenance groups got the bright idea to mount metal welding cable reels on work carts with a small welder. The first time one was used they spooled off just enough cable to reach the work. When they were welding, the direct current wrapped in a coil on the reel was just a big induction coil with lots of turns on the coil. Heated up the cable reel to the point the cable melted and started a fire in the plant. All of the cable reels were gone from the carts the next day. I have some photos of the melted reel somewhere at work that I will look for.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Can you post a bigger pic? Actually you can have a fixed end, need to have a location inside the reel near the outer edge. About 20 yrs. ago I bought a giant 220 volt ext. cord at a swap meet, came on a shop made dolly and reel, pretty slick actually. Made from a wooden cable reel, an axle and axle bearing, and a dolly with casters they must of had hanging around. Big cable like that gets heavy fast, not sure a garden hose reel would be up to the task. I still have it, although years ago I cut about 25 feet off it, which works most of the time. But on the few occaisions it doesn't, I grab the reel and dolly.

I can't help the fact that the forum doesn't auto-resize high resolution photos. Welcome to the modern age.

If you have a fixed end and the cable is plugged in, it will twist to the point of breaking unless it has a release. You can't take a cable and twist it indefinitely. However, if you only ever spun the reel once or twice, or if it was a fixed reel, then yes, that would work.


What ducksface said would work also. If both ends are unplugged when loading or unloading the reel you'd be good to go.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Wow. This post brought back some memories. One of our maintenance groups got the bright idea to mount metal welding cable reels on work carts with a small welder. The first time one was used they spooled off just enough cable to reach the work. When they were welding, the direct current wrapped in a coil on the reel was just a big induction coil with lots of turns on the coil. Heated up the cable reel to the point the cable melted and started a fire in the plant. All of the cable reels were gone from the carts the next day. I have some photos of the melted reel somewhere at work that I will look for.

That's pretty interesting. How much current and what voltage were being run through the cable?

If it's DC then that means that the welding leads were wrapped in the reel. I think we're all talking about having the 220v AC feed for the welder wrapped in the reel instead. Didn't even consider that as a problem, but my reel is rated for 2x the voltage I'm putting through it.

 

[maxpower_hd]

I just use a metal garden hose fixed holder. I have it in my trailer when I need to be portable and just loop it on that. When it's in the shop it's looped on a similar hook. I just unloop two or three loops as needed or take it right off if I need it all.

I never really liked retracting stuff for this kind of thing. It was simple and cheap and I was able to weld some E-Track clips to it so I can put it wherever I want in the trailer. But it can just screw to a wall. It's similar to this one.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EOMCKJO/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[454ragtop]

I can't help the fact that the forum doesn't auto-resize high resolution photos. Welcome to the modern age.

If you have a fixed end and the cable is plugged in, it will twist to the point of breaking unless it has a release. You can't take a cable and twist it indefinitely. However, if you only ever spun the reel once or twice, or if it was a fixed reel, then yes, that would work.


What ducksface said would work also. If both ends are unplugged when loading or unloading the reel you'd be good to go.

I'll try to remember to get a pic, but the female socket is fixed to the inside of the reel near the outer edge, then the cord is wound on to the reel. In use, you grab the male plug, pull out as much cable as you need, then plug the welder into the female socket. Nothing is getting twisted to the point of breaking. It so simple a cave man could do it.

 

[uscarry45]

could you modify a truck rim to do what you want? Something purposely designed for what you want would be best and like other said if you want to leave one connected.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

I'll try to remember to get a pic, but the female socket is fixed to the inside of the reel near the outer edge, then the cord is wound on to the reel. In use, you grab the male plug, pull out as much cable as you need, then plug the welder into the female socket. Nothing is getting twisted to the point of breaking. It so simple a cave man could do it.

By "fixed" in the post above I meant fixed, as in hard-wired to a wall or left constantly plugged in. If you plug both ends of the cable every time you use the spool then absolutely it'll work because nothing is being twisted!

My point in posting was that an extension cable reel that is always connected to the feed is a great thing to have because you pull out what you need, then spool it back in. I only ever have to connect one end to the welder/plasma/air compressor or whatever 220v appliance I need to power.


Yes, a car rim could be modified for the purpose of a mobile wire spool.