How To Over / Under Wrap Cables for A/V and Live Production

You guys are the only others I've ever seen use strings to tie up cables. Fellow musicians and sound crews I interact with like to give me advice on how I should use other methods. But mine is time tested and reliable. It works well for me in every way.
I, too, use the over & under cable coiling method. And I've tried all the different approaches to securing the coil.
Of course I've tried the many different versions of velcro, which always stick to everything they touch, get gummed up with carpet fuzz, separate and become useless, or wind up stuck together in globs. And tape, which leaves sticky residue or is expensive if using that much gaff tape, and is time consuming. Also, zip ties, twisted wire, and the many "last cable tie you'll ever buy" gimmicks. I've even tried fabric strips of different material from Joann Fabrics. And I've used many approaches to simply using the cable itself to secure the coil. All these, while they held the coil, eventually damaged conductors and/or pulled cable connectors loose over time. I tried many types of string, paracord, and rope before settling on the specific rope I use now.
I use Blue Hawk brand, 3/16", diamond-braided polypropylene rope. It is not stiff yet is not as slick as paracord, which doesn't want to stay tied. It seems to work best for me.
And I use green instead of black. When many cables are routed together neatly onstage, black rope, in often dim lit venues, is hard to see amongst black cables. Green rope solves that problem plus helps me identify my cables at load out.
I attach the rope near the end where I most likely will leave my slack coils onstage. I tie it on with a double overhand knot so that I have two equal lengths to wrap around the coil. I tie small, tight, half hitch knots near each rope end to reduce unraveling. I wrap each end under and over in opposing directions. Twice under and over for large, heavy coils. I tie the loop off with what I can only describe as a modified square knot. Instead of an overhand not followed by an overhand knot in the opposing direction, I make two overhand passes in each direction, and draw it down snug. This makes a knot that holds during handling yet is easy to untie.
Keep the great content coming. I've learned or relearned much from your channel.

Years ago I used to work for a Garage Door Co. I was the commercial Repair person...so like overhead doors in malls...buiz.....I fix them.
One time I had to goto a Corp. that make wires......and after I was done with the job..I pick up my tools and wrap up extension cord..and I always use the Over/Under tech. But I never tie the cord in ANY way...That's how I was taught by my Dad.
One of the workers came to me and said.. "Not too many People don't know how to correctly wrap up wires/extension cords.." He gave me a little tour of the plant.
This is what he told me why you always use the Over/Under tech..... "Once the wire is made..it comes out the machine and gets put on a spool...and when the wire cools off on the spool..that is the 'Wires' natural resting place...curl up on a spool."
He said the wrong way to wrap up cords is the firgure eight.

I never use over under because I always seem to grab the wrong side and it turns into a whole frustrating mess. For that reason I always over over. A few tangles is better than hundreds of tangles!

I've had this habit for years, but was always paranoid to tie a not like he demonstrated. Since he's the pro, I guess I won't be so paranoid anymore.

Whenever anyone asks to help me strike my cable, I ask them how they roll them up. If they don’t know how and I have time, I’ll show them how. If I don’t have time, I politely tell them, “no thank you”. Lastly whenever I train a stagehand, this is always their first lesson.

thanks tim

Fair enough! I will absolutely pass that on. Thank you for the great tip

Not for me.
Throw the cable out straight and over over over, twisting with the right thumb to keep the coil flat.

The cable isn't stressed since it adopts this pattern.

But "yay" for the knot, nothing worse than gig-turds.

❤😊

Brilliant! brilliant! thank you.

It has a natural way it wants to go. You have to feel it man. 😀😀😀

Hi Al! Hope you're feeling better

This should be the 11th commandment.