Wire Carts????

[Bob Kraemer]

I've out grown my 6 roll a-frame wire holder & my 6ft ladder with 1/2 emt to pull wire with. Getting ready to invest in a larger cart & would like some opinions.
I was thinking of the kind that looks like a 2 wheel dolly & holds about 20 rolls of #12 or #10
All opinions welcomed along with the pros & cons of other wire carts.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[mdshunk]

Will you be horsing this in and out of the truck on a regular basis, or will it be on the job for a while?

I like the Rack-a-Teirs for service work. http://www.rack-a-tiers.com/pro_rack.htm#rack

I like the hand truck type you asked about for small jobs that are longer than a few days, but not real big work. The Greenlee hand truck caddy is one example, but there are many nearly identical units. http://www.mygreenlee.com/Products/...=showGreenleeProductTemplate&upc_number=01205

For longer term work, where the wire cart or carts will be on the job for a long time, I like the full-on wire dispenser that you pull around like a wagon. http://www.mygreenlee.com/Products/...=showGreenleeProductTemplate&upc_number=21982

 

[macmikeman]

I've out grown my 6 roll a-frame wire holder & my 6ft ladder with 1/2 emt to pull wire with. Getting ready to invest in a larger cart & would like some opinions.
I was thinking of the kind that looks like a 2 wheel dolly & holds about 20 rolls of #12 or #10
All opinions welcomed along with the pros & cons of other wire carts.

Thanks in advance for the help.

The Greenlee dolly is great on commercial work where you are pulling wire all day long. Tip, get some extra cotter pins, I always seem to loose a few every big job.

 

[electricguy61]

Will you be horsing this in and out of the truck on a regular basis, or will it be on the job for a while?

I like the Rack-a-Teirs for service work. http://www.rack-a-tiers.com/pro_rack.htm#rack

I like the hand truck type you asked about for small jobs that are longer than a few days, but not real big work. The Greenlee hand truck caddy is one example, but there are many nearly identical units. http://www.mygreenlee.com/Products/main.shtml?greenlee_category_id=7&product_category=154&adodb_next_page=1&portalProcess_2=showGreenleeProductTemplate&upc_number=01205

For longer term work, where the wire cart or carts will be on the job for a long time, I like the full-on wire dispenser that you pull around like a wagon. http://www.mygreenlee.com/Products/main.shtml?greenlee_category_id=7&product_category=154&adodb_next_page=1&adodb_next_page=5&adodb_next_page=1&adodb_next_page=2&adodb_next_page=3&adodb_next_page=4&adodb_next_page=3&portalProcess_2=showGreenleeProductTemplate&upc_number=21982

I would also recommend the first two items. Rack a Tiers are handy for many different things, as their sales info indicates. The greenlee hand truck caddy is great as it handles may sizes of wire spools (as do the Rack a Tiers)

 

[chris kennedy]

Tip, get some extra cotter pins, I always seem to loose a few every big job.

Sounds to me like your being very kind to your helpers here.

 

[e57]

Many years ago - I used milk crates with a few pieces of EMT through it. It held 4 rolls nicely, and was stackable. Which is what I believe the Racketeir design is based on.

About 8 years ago or so, I bought an orange metal cube wire rack (Model 406) that holds 8 rolls of 14-12's or 4 10's. A bit heavy to lug around when full, and if one side was heavier than the other it rolled over. I've since cut it in half, and welded a few pieces of angle to it so both halves are stackable. It's great for small work. And it fits nicely on my hand truck that I keep on the van. When in use I either leave them on the cart, or drop them on the floor side by side.

A few shops I've been in have had various carts that held 20+ rolls, but beware - just because it has wheels, doesn't mean you can get it around easy on-site while full. Site debris or a cord across the floor will stop most in thier tracks due to small hard wheels on most. And getting up stairs sans elevator - forget about it. One shop had a two-wheeled hand truck style - that we traded out the original small hard casters to large pnematic tires - that made it much easier to get around. If you plan to get one like that - I would suggest the same. (Simular to the Greenlee hand truck style - but one thing that one lacks is stair rails) It seems that no one making these has nailed down all of the nessesary features on one design.