sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Wire Lacing

Old Schoolers- Don't laugh. A couple weeks ago, I terminated two 100-pair cables to a 90-port TIE DSX patch panel in the CO, whereby my supervisor recommended using small tie wraps when dressing the rear panel wiring. Since my supervisor was 'impressed' with the results, he tasked me with 're-terminating' the three other adjacent TIE DSX patch panels to create a uniform wiring appearance across all the patch panels. I've received his approval to redress my work by lacing the wiring, unfortunately lacing is a craft that I want to learn correctly. Sorry, but I just don't like tiewraps on DSX panel wiring. Can anyone provide any advice or rescources for those whom want to correctly learn this craft?

Yes

Purchase a bottle of CORN HUSKERS LOTION, if you
plan on doing it for a extended period of time. :banana:

Or get some lacing gloves. I searched the internet and while there are plenty of places on cable lacing techniques, I found no good ones on lacing cables to a rack.
This site has the cord and tools, although I never used anything other than my hands. This site shows how to start the lacing process on a cable rack. Best thing I can tell you is you hide your start and stop on the back side of the rack, now here's the part I can't remember, I believe it was 6 wraps. So on the front you'd have 6 wraps top and bottom of rack on the front cable side horizontal, on the back 6 vertical wraps on the back side of the rack each side of the cable. Maybe someone else can find a good picture for you. And if you're going to do a lot of it, really do get some lacing gloves , or you'll wish you did.

The last picture shows the back side of laced cable on a rack. That's the best I could find.

Put cable lacing in google and a lot of stuff comes up, don't know if any of it will help you or not.

Good Luck

Thanks for the responses. Bill, I think I'm starting to get a grasp thanks to your links. I've seen alot of nice, clean 'end-result' lacing over in the Patch & Test area, but no one I work around can share any 'how-to' experience . Thank you for providing the links!

Thx TJ~ I'll check around!

Lacing is skill that comes with practice and it's an art form. I was taught by old school shipyard technicians over 35 years ago and I have been through many rolls. Good eyes, good hand-eye coordination, good light! Thank god for tie-wraps!

I've still got a copy of "Cabling Methods - Central Office, Securing Switchboard Cable" from my days at GTE (GTEP 250-050-204). It's a pretty good "how-to" with pictures. It lists all the main stitches. Getting good is just a question of practice.

BTW, we still lace cable here in NYC (whenever we do work in COs or the "Internet Hotels".)

If you'd like a copy, let me know and I'll send one out (I don't think I'm violating any copyright laws). It's 14 pages.

Sam

Rack stitching is a beginning stitch and an ending stitch ......

Get a lacing needle and a stitching loop.

Don't get in a hurry.

Keep the lacing flat.

Keep tension on the stitch.

If you don't find stitching gloves (haven't seen them in years) use tape on your joints so you don't cut yourself.

Good luck and if you learn it real well you can impress a lot of boy scouts........

Seems like Jensen Tools or Specialized or Tecra Tools had lacing gloves. We lace everything in the CO, but don't do large volumes or days back-to-back so I've skipped gloves. The guys who were doing the initial install wore gloves, but they were tying for days on end. The wax tends to gum up your snips, but WD-40 and a cloth will clean it right off. One of the install guys was using a pair of dikes to cut the waxed string with but I've never tried it.

The documents JustBill posted are good pictures. They are actually better quality than in SBC's Install Manual TP-76300. There isn't a lot of quality information out there on lacing. It would be nice if some old-timers would put a video together.

Thank you all for the valuable input and guidance. Silversam, I'm very interested in the document you mentioned. :thumb:

Ya Mike, I think you should grab that up, probably some very helpful information in there. I went online to see if I could put some of the old Bell specs and no luck there.