Tubing spooler

[xyz5150]

I was wanting to make a tubing spooler today. I don't have any 5/16 tubing yet and i have never seen a roll in person. I was wondering if some one could give me some rough dimensions on a roll(height, width, center diameter).

[sugarmountain]

A role of leader 30p is aprx 16"-18" wide by 8"-9" tall. The opening in the center is aprx 6". Most all other manufacturers will be similar.

[markct]

there realy not that needed, i have put up miles of tubing and never used one, sure was easier once i was shown the trick of taking off 5 coils then flipping the roll on your arm and taking another 5 then flip again, comes off snag free and no twists

[sugarmountain]

I agree, seems to be one less thing to carry around also! those reels seem like you would have to allways start at the mainline and go to the end tree, i generally go the opposite, easyer for me to do the end tree first. But, i have never used a spooler for 5/16 either.....some people like them?

[waysidemaple]

I have also found that its is easier to go from the end tree to the mainline, and I generally just stick my arm through the middle of the tubing and head for the mainline. I have thought about using a spooler but its just an unneccessary expense at this point. Maybe later on down the road i'll try one.

[sugarmountain]

Of course these days all the big time super wicked massive opperations are saying 3-5 taps per line so you pretty much just need arms reach right!:)

[dnap63]

Now I like to use a spooler, it seems I always had a mess on my hands before I made mine. I built mine quite simple if I remember right I used 4 pieces of 3/16" rod bent in an L shape I bent another length of rod around a 15" car rim to make the bottom ring and then welded the L shaped pieces every 90 degrees. I used a solid 4" elec. box cover for the top with 4 holes around the outside for the top of the L pieces and a hole in the center that the swivel hook is bolted through. I hang it on the wire and go, it keeps my hands free to carry the other tools.

[sugarmountain]

It doesnt all come off when she gets spinning? have you seen the new one lapierre just came out with, pretty neat but not sure of the $

[sugarmountain]

so you pull the tubing out to the end tree, make the connection with whatever you use then stretch it back to the mainline, cut, hook conn. so on? probaly just as fast

[maple flats]

I built one and used it for 5 years and it worked well, but at last years Winter Maple Conference I won a factory one as a door prize. It works a little better, but not much. I think it might be very slightly lighter than what I made too, but not much.
I like to hang the spooler on the main line (or branch line) and walk the lateral to the end tree, then I attcah to the end tree, pull snug as I return to the spool, cut and attach to the main line. Then I move to work the next lateral the same way. When I get to the end of a roll, I attach the next at a tap tree using a drop.

[sugarmountain]

Probably an electricians spool for 12/2 romex etc. would work great, I think you can get those at home depot. Probably have to change the hook a little.

[dnap63]

that is a good idea the romex spool, a coil of wire is about the same diameter as a roll of tubing.

[maple flats]

Total guess, but wouldn't an electricians spooler be heavier and set on the floor. When I was in business all of my spoolers sat on the floor. Not real handy in the snow.

[whalems]

you can also get spoolers that hang off of 2x4 studs. That type would be easy to modify for tubing.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

A roll of tubing is much bigger than a 250' roll of 12-2 wire.

[Homestead Maple]

I was going to post an uncoiler that I bought on Ebay but I can't find it easily, so I'll try later.

I did find it here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fold-A-Way-wire-dispenser-uncoiler-NM-MC-cables-/260365191352?pt=BI_Electrical_Eq