The Lost Art of Lacing Cable (2018)

#1

Post by Aromasin » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 11:22 AM UTC

The Lost Art of Lacing Cable (2018)
thebroadcastbridge.com

Re: The Lost Art of Lacing Cable (2018)

#2

Post by bartvanH » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 11:48 AM UTC

Thanks for sharing, I've always thought cable lacing is one of the most beautiful ways of doing permanent installs.

Re: The Lost Art of Lacing Cable (2018)

#3

Post by wickerman » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 11:53 AM UTC

I didn't know about this at all! Why is it not done anymore?

Re: The Lost Art of Lacing Cable (2018)

#4

Post by forgotmypwd123 » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 11:57 AM UTC

wickerman wrote: post #3

I didn't know about this at all! Why is it not done anymore?

The comments below the article outline a few reasons. Overcompression of the cables, difficulty making changes later, etc.

Cable ties and velcro wraps seem to make more sense.

Re: The Lost Art of Lacing Cable (2018)

#5

Post by stinos » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 11:58 AM UTC

wickerman wrote: post #3

I didn't know about this at all! Why is it not done anymore?

Likely same reason as many, many other things: the modern 'automated' version (tie wraps usually) is easier, cheaper, faster. And has the standard consequences which unfortunately get ignored: requires close to no skill, plastic, seldom reusable, probably won't get recycled and ends up as waste eventually. Lacing has some of those disadvantages as well though.

Re: The Lost Art of Lacing Cable (2018)

#6

Post by sokoloff » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 11:59 AM UTC

wickerman wrote: post #3

I didn't know about this at all! Why is it not done anymore?

It is still done on aircraft (where vibration and consequence of failure is higher).

It's not done much in industry because it's slower than zip ties or velcro wraps (which also require essential zero skill).

Re: The Lost Art of Lacing Cable (2018)

#7

Post by moonbug » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 12:02 PM UTC

Looking forward to the second part, lamenting how kids today down crimp their oown patch cables

Re: The Lost Art of Lacing Cable (2018)

#8

Post by chadcmulligan » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 12:11 PM UTC

wickerman wrote: post #3

I didn't know about this at all! Why is it not done anymore?

For telephone exchanges "Plastic flow" was the reason we were given - if you lace plastic cables and the lace is too tight then the plastic will flow and may expose the wires / cause internal shorts etc. Also lacing can increase cross talk (because the wires run beside each other for long distances).

Cable lacing was used in old "step by step" telephone exchanges which used cotton wrapped wires. When the new fangled cross bar exchanges came in, PVC insulation was the cable of choice, this suffered from plastic flow. The recommended way to run cables was just throw them in the cable trough (the steel shelves running above the equipment, which were also good for the occasional nap). They were looking at many years of installation, I imagine cable ties cause the same problem, but installations probably don't last as long now days, and the cables aren't twisted pair. Source: Ex telephone exchange tech.

Re: The Lost Art of Lacing Cable (2018)

#9

Post by Based_Detroiter » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 12:14 PM UTC

Classic butcher knot, now i'm hungry for roast beef tenderloin. Thanks OP.

Re: The Lost Art of Lacing Cable (2018)

#10

Post by moron4hire » Thu, Aug 01, 2019, 12:16 PM UTC

forgotmypwd123 wrote: post #4

wickerman wrote: post #3

I didn't know about this at all! Why is it not done anymore?

The comments below the article outline a few reasons. Overcompression of the cables, difficulty making changes later, etc. Cable ties and velcro wraps seem to make more sense.

The comments mention overcompression as a problem of zipties, not cable lacing.