This is about those extension power leads ( usually orange coloured from B &
Q etc). Quite often sold for use with electric lawn mowers.

These cables seem to have 'a mind of their own' every time you reel them up
and unreel them.

It's like a 'memory effect' they have, ( as if they are not flexible
enough ) and want to keep moving in a direction that they must have been
stored in previously.

This probably sounds like a minor thing. But the total time wasted and
frustration trying to unravel the thing mounts up time after time.

I've tried that trick sailors use in giving it a small twist every time you
reel it around your arm, but its just a bit too stiff to do that
successfully. Has anyone else found a good way to deal with this? It has
crossed my mind that this cable is just too old and has lost what
flexibility it did have once.

john reeves wrote:
> This is about those extension power leads ( usually orange coloured
> from B & Q etc). Quite often sold for use with electric lawn mowers.
>
> These cables seem to have 'a mind of their own' every time you reel
> them up and unreel them.
>
> It's like a 'memory effect' they have, ( as if they are not flexible
> enough ) and want to keep moving in a direction that they must have
> been stored in previously.
>
> This probably sounds like a minor thing. But the total time wasted and
> frustration trying to unravel the thing mounts up time after time.
>
> I've tried that trick sailors use in giving it a small twist every
> time you reel it around your arm, but its just a bit too stiff to do
> that successfully. Has anyone else found a good way to deal with
> this? It has crossed my mind that this cable is just too old and has
> lost what flexibility it did have once.

never twist them around your arm/elbow. treat them like a climber treats
rope, held in one hand and bring about 4 or 5 feet back at a time with the
length of it able to twist as it wants.

"john reeves" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:ijrbcg$7lv$(E-Mail Removed)...
> This is about those extension power leads ( usually orange coloured from B & Q etc). Quite often sold for use with electric lawn
> mowers.
>
> These cables seem to have 'a mind of their own' every time you reel them up and unreel them.
>
> It's like a 'memory effect' they have, ( as if they are not flexible enough ) and want to keep moving in a direction that they
> must have been stored in previously.
>
> This probably sounds like a minor thing. But the total time wasted and frustration trying to unravel the thing mounts up time
> after time.
>
> I've tried that trick sailors use in giving it a small twist every time you reel it around your arm, but its just a bit too stiff
> to do that successfully. Has anyone else found a good way to deal with this? It has crossed my mind that this cable is just too
> old and has lost what flexibility it did have once.


PVC cable is a lot more well behaved in summer temperatures, God's way of reminding
you that your lawn can look after itself this time of year.
--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

john reeves wrote:
> This is about those extension power leads ( usually orange coloured from B &
> Q etc). Quite often sold for use with electric lawn mowers.
>
> These cables seem to have 'a mind of their own' every time you reel them up
> and unreel them.
>
> It's like a 'memory effect' they have, ( as if they are not flexible
> enough ) and want to keep moving in a direction that they must have been
> stored in previously.
>
> This probably sounds like a minor thing. But the total time wasted and
> frustration trying to unravel the thing mounts up time after time.
....

It's why stuff like that shouldn't be tailed in the first place...



--

On Sun, 20 Feb 2011 15:29:36 -0000, Graham. <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
> "john reeves" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:ijrbcg$7lv$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> This is about those extension power leads ( usually orange coloured
>> from B & Q etc). Quite often sold for use with electric lawn
>> mowers.
>>
>> These cables seem to have 'a mind of their own' every time you reel
>> them up and unreel them.
>>
>> It's like a 'memory effect' they have, ( as if they are not flexible
>> enough ) and want to keep moving in a direction that they
>> must have been stored in previously.
>>
>> This probably sounds like a minor thing. But the total time wasted and
>> frustration trying to unravel the thing mounts up time
>> after time.
>>
>> I've tried that trick sailors use in giving it a small twist every time
>> you reel it around your arm, but its just a bit too stiff
>> to do that successfully. Has anyone else found a good way to deal with
>> this? It has crossed my mind that this cable is just too
>> old and has lost what flexibility it did have once.
>
>
> PVC cable is a lot more well behaved in summer temperatures, God's way
> of reminding
> you that your lawn can look after itself this time of year.

Yup, if you want flexible in all weathers then HO5 or HO7 rubber is the
way to go. You can get "arctic grade" pvc, but it's not really well enough
insulated or tough enough to use in a garage.

--
Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

On Feb 20, 3:15*pm, "john reeves" <bluestar0...@mail.invalid> wrote:
> This is about those extension power leads ( usually orange coloured from B &
> Q etc). Quite often sold for use with electric lawn mowers.
>
> These cables seem to have 'a mind of their own' every time you reel them up
> and unreel them.
>
> It's like a 'memory effect' they have, ( as if they are not flexible
> enough ) and want to keep moving in a direction that they must have been
> stored in previously.
>
> This probably sounds like a minor thing. But the total time wasted and
> frustration trying to unravel the thing mounts up time after time.
>
> I've tried that trick sailors use in giving it a small twist every time you
> reel it around your arm, but its just a bit too stiff to do that
> successfully. Has anyone else found a good way to deal with this? *It has
> crossed my mind that this cable is just too old and has lost what
> flexibility it did have once.

It used to be common to find pvc flex stuffed with string, but its
never seen now, don't know why. If you can find such flex off an old
appliance (1960s, 70s) you should find it a fair improvement.


NT

"john reeves" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:ijrbcg$7lv$(E-Mail Removed):

> This is about those extension power leads ( usually orange coloured
> from B & Q etc). Quite often sold for use with electric lawn mowers.
>
> These cables seem to have 'a mind of their own' every time you reel
> them up and unreel them.
>
> It's like a 'memory effect' they have, ( as if they are not flexible
> enough ) and want to keep moving in a direction that they must have
> been stored in previously.
>
> This probably sounds like a minor thing. But the total time wasted and
> frustration trying to unravel the thing mounts up time after time.
>
> I've tried that trick sailors use in giving it a small twist every
> time you reel it around your arm, but its just a bit too stiff to do
> that successfully. Has anyone else found a good way to deal with this?
> It has crossed my mind that this cable is just too old and has lost
> what flexibility it did have once.
>
>

The fact that you are crossposting makes it insincere

Baz

In article <ijrbcg$7lv$(E-Mail Removed)>, bluestar0955
@mail.invalid says...
> I've tried that trick sailors use in giving it a small twist every time you
> reel it around your arm, but its just a bit too stiff to do that
> successfully.

Just explain to the wife that it's only practical to use them on really
hot days.

Seriously, it's the cold that does it. You can get "arctic" grade cable,
which has a softer PVC jacket, but it's less resistant to damage etc.

--
Skipweasel - never knowingly understood.

john reeves wrote:
> This is about those extension power leads ( usually orange coloured
> from B & Q etc). Quite often sold for use with electric lawn mowers.
>
> These cables seem to have 'a mind of their own' every time you reel
> them up and unreel them.
>
> It's like a 'memory effect' they have, ( as if they are not flexible
> enough ) and want to keep moving in a direction that they must have
> been stored in previously.
>
> This probably sounds like a minor thing. But the total time wasted and
> frustration trying to unravel the thing mounts up time after time.

> I've tried that trick sailors use in giving it a small twist every
> time you reel it around your arm, but its just a bit too stiff to do
> that successfully. Has anyone else found a good way to deal with
> this? It has crossed my mind that this cable is just too old and has
> lost what flexibility it did have once.

Vinyl gets stiff with time...hoses, electrical cords, whatever. Try his:
http://www.smarthome.com/9003/Wonder...-Winder/p.aspx

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

john reeves brought next idea :
> This is about those extension power leads ( usually orange coloured from B &
> Q etc). Quite often sold for use with electric lawn mowers.
>
> These cables seem to have 'a mind of their own' every time you reel them up
> and unreel them.
>
> It's like a 'memory effect' they have, ( as if they are not flexible enough )
> and want to keep moving in a direction that they must have been stored in
> previously.
>
> This probably sounds like a minor thing. But the total time wasted and
> frustration trying to unravel the thing mounts up time after time.
>
> I've tried that trick sailors use in giving it a small twist every time you
> reel it around your arm, but its just a bit too stiff to do that
> successfully. Has anyone else found a good way to deal with this? It has
> crossed my mind that this cable is just too old and has lost what flexibility
> it did have once.

Which is the wrong way to treat it. NEVER wind in around your elbow, it
is far too tight a coil and will damage the flex. What I do is hold the
plug end in my right hand then gradually add loops to my right hand,
the loops just about long enough to reach the floor. For every loop I
add, I add a twist to it, so it settles in properly. Finally I just
hang it up on a hook.

Feeding it out, start where I need the socket and work back the plug
finally plugging it in.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk