A cable reel, or a cable drum, is a round object shaped like a drum that is used to carry electrical cables and wires. Cable reels are used in installations, upgrades, and replacements. Moreover, cable reels are used when delivering cables.

It is crucially important to keep cable reels safe when in delivery. Improper handling may result in damage to the drum, or, what is even more dangerous, invisible damage to the cable itself. The damage to the cable may result in it being completely unusable.

Differentiating the Types

Four types of cable reels are Wooden, Plywood, Plastic, and Steel. Wooden cable drums are the oldest ones, whereas the steel ones have seen a tremendous increase in their usage in recent years.

When it comes to durability, steel drums take precedence with their eco-friendly nature and multi-purpose functionality. They are used for light or heavy cable loads. Multiple companies and industries prefer traditional wooden drums due to their massive load resilience. However, the offshore export & import industry mostly uses steel reel as they are hard to steal and can be stored away for more extended periods.

Thanks to new innovative methods, wooden drums can now be steel-tired, which increases their applications. Typically, they are used for one-way trips with heavy loads and are converted into furniture after fulfilling their purpose.

As for the  Plastic & Plywood reels, they are predominantly used for lighter loads. Plywood reels are made out of Poplar or Birch Ply material and are well known for their strength and feasibility. Plastic reels are built out of recycled plastics, which makes them environment-friendly.

Guidelines To Handle Cable Drums

Manufacturers have to follow strict guidelines when shipping cable reels to prevent them from damage. For instance, the load weight should be carefully considered based on the type of reel used, and the reels should be adequately strapped to negate rolling and remain fixated to the plain during transportation. Some of these rules also apply to customers handling the drums.

Some of the most important rules are:

• Always keep a check on the condition of the drum. For example, battens of wooden drums should remain intact to avoid exposure of cable to high temperatures. It's essential to check for the complete closure of the drum to protect the cable. Constant assessments should be done to prevent damages. Unwinding cable from damaged reels should be replaced with undamaged reels.
• The drums should always remain upright.
• Small but critical steps such as tightening the nuts, removing fixing before stringing, and placing them on the flat grounds should always be done while handling the reels.
• Cables are of different types. Depending on the type of cable, temperatures should be continuously maintained for optimum results through the cable and to keep them in good condition.
• Do not drop reels no matter the circumstance.
• Only roll reels in the direction that unreels the wire (usually clockwise).
• Keep the reels indoors on a hard floor in a dry place.
• To store reels for a long time, tie them in place with a railroad tie.

Adhering to these conditions ensures the safety of your cable and facilitates the reuse of a cable reel. 

Services to Protect Cable Reels

At Nassau National Cable, we offer some value-added services that help to protect reels when delivering the cables. Popular services include reel lagging and adding weather-resistance end caps. Reel lagging stands for adding lumber to protect the content of the reel. Weather-resistance end caps help to protect the cables from moisture and unpredictable weather conditions during the delivery. To learn more about value-added services to protect cables and cable reels, contact us at 1-516-482-6313 or through a live chat on our website. Regardless of whether you decide to buy value-added services or just go with the standard shipping, we do the best possible packaging to ensure no damage during shipping.