Untangling the Mysteries of the Coiled Cord

September 14, 2016|News & Headlines

Coiled cords made their debut in America way back in the 1930’s at the birth of the trucking and telecommunications industries. In the 7 decades since retractile cords have appeared in nearly every field. All one has to do is spend a day in front of the television to witness the variety of applications from House’s operating theater to the police radios on Blue Bloods, the cabs of the vehicles on Ice Road Truckers to the cabins on Deadliest Catch, kitchen heating lamps on Food Network to funky commercial lighting on Bar Rescue; coiled cords serve needs in nearly every industry. But how do they work, how are they made and why are they so much more expensive than “normal” wire and cable??? Do they have magical properties at that price?? The answer is yes! Quality retractile cords are anything but ordinary!! In fact it takes sleight of hand in construction to create magic in action. It is that Hocus Pocus that makes retractile cords more valuable than ordinary insulated wire.

Now I certainly can’t give you the spell for our particular brand of magic but allow me to provide a little insight into a world of “Eye of Jute”, “Conjuring Coils” and “Voltage Voodoo”. The first step in manifesting the perfect curly cord is mystical copper. It has to be high quality, of very specific stranding and have an extremely unique lay. It is elusive as many of the biggest stranded copper suppliers are unable to conjure this perfection and it can take years of work to create the perfect formula. But when you do, Bippity, Boppity, Boo you have the most important item for these magic charms.

Another pivotal detail for successful retraction is the ceremonial set up in extrusion and cabling. These processes are extremely ritualistic. They must be repeated in the same exact manner time and time again. It is a precise, exact process and the extruder operator has to be every bit the Wizard. The formulation for recreating the same quality insulation and jacket time and time again is a major factor in characteristics of retraction and the length of life of the coiled cord. Far too often we see coiled cords that are put together with substandard materials and no understanding of the traditions that must be followed to make a truly enchanted curly cord.

Once the spell has been cast to create the perfect wire for retraction we send it into the mystical world of coiling, cooking and reversing. It is a world of precise science and formulation more than potions and hexes but no less mysterious. The correct rod is akin to the right magic wand, the proper methodology to create the coils is like the perfect recipe to go into the cauldron, proper cooking temperature is the Alakazam and reversing the final crescendo, the Voila if you will. Presto you now have the perfect coiled cord!!!

So next time you’re sitting in your living room watching that captivating picture box and a retractile cord should magically appear remember it took a coven of people following precise practices to make it. It takes a team of witches and warlocks to concoct a recipe for coiled perfection. And I think we all can use a little magic whatever the price.

Happy Halloween from AUTAC Inc!!!