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

Lacing was still on the agenda for apprentice training with British Telecom in the early 1980s, though I have no idea if it is still taught today.

I understand thru what I've learned so far that the important points are 'starts with a knot..ends with a knot, proper tension, spacing, keeping the lacing straight and flat, and not to get in a hurry. I have a very high respect for this craft, and hope that is never becomes a skill that will only be learned thru researching history books. As time permits me, I'll patiently try my hands at this. I also recently found a link I'd like to share back with everyone. Here are what appear to be some of NASA\'s standards. I was also somewhat impressed with the lacing found throughout this photo. (Click on the photo to get a closer view.)

Mike

Have you seen This , and this Wikipedia also has some links, The quest link on the wikipedia site shows some of the knots (Section 5.18)

also check out page 4-24 and the following pages of This

wow...it looks tough. The sound systems at UT that are about 15 years old are all laced in...makes it look nice but it's not easy to troubleshoot stuff.

Don, Thanks for those great links! I notice that the 2 main stitches are the 'Chicago' and the 'Kansas City'. I never realized just how much this skill is actually documented. The old 'lacing' (I'm being vewwy vewwy nice in calling it that) that I will be removing/redressing is comprised of several separately tied off loops of lace that are all disconnected from each other. It looks very sloppy and rushed, with tons of wasted lace extending about 3 inches past each knot. Kyle, the WD-40 works great. Thanks for the tip!

I remember building many CO's and MSC's and tye wraps were taboo. Cabling lacing is really nice when it's done right and the best part no chance of scars!

Silversam, a BIG THANKYOU for providing me with GTE's methods and standards. :thumb: I agree LaneComm, even though installing tie wraps also saves time, I have a strong appreciation for correctly secured lacing. I'm creating a binder with all the different information and diagrams.

Mike:

Do you have a set of sewing needles yet?
Yes, needles.

We used homemade and store bought as well.
Some round made from piano wire and steel piece off a switch banks.
The commercial needles were flat stainless steel.
You would stack the cables flat and across then
after the base you would stack them on top and make layers.

If the bends were not proper angles, or you could kick the cable runs and they would move. Guess what? They were cut out and you had to redo the whole mess.

I would sew cables for days and days at a time.
The hardest sewing was power cables 750 (cm) i think
You had a rubber hammer to beat your bends into proper form.

I would build a map of the cabling before any cables were sewed so they would be all uniform
and would break out in sequence.
No cables could cross over another cable
All uniform and neat.

Your talking about hundreds and hundreds of cables which would go into new central office.
From the iron work to complete office installed
and many many hours of testing.

No Divers!!!

Scott.

The folks from Tyco did a NICE job with lacing their power cables when they replaced our aging battery backup plant. TJ, I'm doing much, much lighter work; just redressing and lacing the rear wiring on our DSX patch panels. That sounds like a heck of a project!