How Do Electricians Wind Extension Cords?
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Setup
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In addition to troublesome knots, improper coiling of electrical cable can tear and even sever the copper wire inside, rendering the cord useless. Electricians, film gaffers, stage crews, roadies and other audio-visual specialists use two basic methods to wind extension cords safely--the "twist and coil" method and the "over-under" method.
Regardless of which winding method you prefer, you begin by establishing a starting loop. Placing the female plug in the corner between the thumb and index finger, you loop the cord down, around and back (counterclockwise for the left hand, clockwise for the right hand) to form a single coil. About 10 inches in diameter, this starting loop provides the sizing template for all subsequent coils.
For the sake of clarity, the hand holding the finished coils will be referred to as the "carrying hand" while the opposite hand (which collects the cord's slack) will be referred to as the "collecting hand."
Technique #1: Twist and Coil
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In the twist and coil method, the collecting hand's finger twists the slack cord about 90 degrees before looping it on top of the existing coils in the carrying hand. First, the collecting hand reaches down and grasps the slack cord between the thumb, index and middle fingers. The tips of the fingers should be pointing inward, toward your body. Next, the collecting hand's wrist bends backward, rotating 90 degrees and twisting the cord with it. If done correctly, this should cause the cord directly above the collecting hand's thumb and index finger to arch upward. The collecting hand then moves over and lays the arching cord on the palm of the carrying hand, next to the existing loops. The carrying hand's fingers then gently close around the arching cord, securing it. Finally, the collecting hand releases the cord and grasps a new piece of slack cord to repeat the process.
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Technique #2: Over-Under
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While requiring slightly more hand-eye coordination than the twist and coil method, the over-under technique allows you to create a coil that, when thrown underarm across a flat surface, will automatically unravel into a long, straight line.
Essentially a variation on the twist and coil method, the over-under method begins with the same starting loop and the same first movement wherein the collecting hand grasps the slack cord, twists it away 90 degrees and deposits the arch in the carrying hand. This is step makes up the "over" portion of the technique.
Next, the "under" part begins with the collecting hand grasping a new length of slack cord and twisting it inward 180 degrees. This creates a loop traveling in the direction opposite the two existing loops in the carrying hand. This new loop is placed on the palm of the carrying hand, next to the other loops. This new, reverse loop will seem to "sandwich" rest of the slack cord between itself and the two original loops.
For the next loop, you go back to the twisting away step, starting the over-under cycle anew.
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