Stinger Cable Memory at DVinfo.net

Jeff Kolada · October 16th, 2009, 01:22 PM

I have some stingers that were left all bent up in the corner of our equipment room, and now they are impossible to wrap due to being stuck bent for so long.
Basically it's like opening a new extension cord from lowes, the cable is warped and there is no cable memory to be wrapped correctly.
Main point:
Is there any way to restore the cable memory and straighten out the cables?

I have heard rumors of letting them sit stretched out in the sun for a couple hours they'll warm up and 'melt' themselves back into shape.

Daniel Epstein · October 16th, 2009, 01:51 PM

Try plugging in a 1000 Watt light or a blow dryer to see if you can generate a little heat in the copper while stretching the kinks out of the cable. Might be expensive for your electric bill

Andrew Smith · October 16th, 2009, 08:30 PM

Warmest I ever felt an extension cable was when it was being used to (temporarily) hook up an FM transmitter. Didn't have it cranked up or anything, just "on". Warm wasn't quite the word for it, actually.

Andrew

Justin Kuhn · October 16th, 2009, 08:39 PM

Leaving them in the sun might work. I don't know if I would advise it. But definitely work out all the kinks that you can and leave it stretched out somewhere.

Andrew Smith · October 17th, 2009, 05:46 AM

Maybe you could use the 'hose towers' that your local firefighters use to dry out (and straighten) their hoses?

Andrew

Dean Sensui · October 23rd, 2009, 09:49 PM

A firefighter told me a couple years ago that ever since they changed from canvas-jacketed hoses to nylon-jacketed hoses they no longer hang the hoses out to dry.

Mildew and rot isn't a problem with modern hoses anymore. So no need for a tower. Although lots of fire stations still have them.

Andrew Smith · October 23rd, 2009, 09:58 PM

At least the firies still have the tower for recreational abseiling in their "in-between" time.

Andrew :-)

Colin McDonald · October 23rd, 2009, 10:11 PM

I've used a stairwell overnight to hang a couple of 25m XLRs and it did the job.

October 16th, 2009, 01:22 PM	#1
Jeff Kolada Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 78	Stinger Cable Memory I have some stingers that were left all bent up in the corner of our equipment room, and now they are impossible to wrap due to being stuck bent for so long. Basically it's like opening a new extension cord from lowes, the cable is warped and there is no cable memory to be wrapped correctly. Main point: Is there any way to restore the cable memory and straighten out the cables? I have heard rumors of letting them sit stretched out in the sun for a couple hours they'll warm up and 'melt' themselves back into shape. __________________ Jeff Kolada http://www.jeffkolada.com

October 23rd, 2009, 09:49 PM	#6
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	A firefighter told me a couple years ago that ever since they changed from canvas-jacketed hoses to nylon-jacketed hoses they no longer hang the hoses out to dry. Mildew and rot isn't a problem with modern hoses anymore. So no need for a tower. Although lots of fire stations still have them. __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

October 16th, 2009, 01:51 PM	#2
Daniel Epstein Trustee Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,267	Try plugging in a 1000 Watt light or a blow dryer to see if you can generate a little heat in the copper while stretching the kinks out of the cable. Might be expensive for your electric bill

October 16th, 2009, 08:30 PM	#3
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,081	Warmest I ever felt an extension cable was when it was being used to (temporarily) hook up an FM transmitter. Didn't have it cranked up or anything, just "on". Warm wasn't quite the word for it, actually. Andrew

October 16th, 2009, 08:39 PM	#4
Justin Kuhn Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 26	Leaving them in the sun might work. I don't know if I would advise it. But definitely work out all the kinks that you can and leave it stretched out somewhere.

October 17th, 2009, 05:46 AM	#5
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,081	Maybe you could use the 'hose towers' that your local firefighters use to dry out (and straighten) their hoses? Andrew

October 23rd, 2009, 09:58 PM	#7
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,081	At least the firies still have the tower for recreational abseiling in their "in-between" time. Andrew :-)

October 23rd, 2009, 10:11 PM	#8
Colin McDonald Trustee Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 1,546	I've used a stairwell overnight to hang a couple of 25m XLRs and it did the job.