A couple of cabling questions

[Gashmore]

First, where can you get 18AWG shielded two pair cable in less than 1,000' spools? I need about 40' to wire up my steppers.

Second, how far from each other should the stepper and spindle power be? Can you run them both in the same cable carrier? How about the limit switch cables?

[JavaDog]

Originally Posted by Gashmore First, where can you get 18AWG shielded two pair cable in less than 1,000' spools? I need about 40' to wire up my steppers.

Local hardware store/ACE/Home Depot/Lowes/Etc...?

[Gashmore]

Not likely around here. The Home Despot might have some 2 pr shielded 22AWG but I already have a 1K' spool of that if anybody needs any.

[Al_The_Man]

Most manufacturers such as Alpha and Belden have 100ft spools, is there any cable supply houses in your area? They will sell by the ft, if you have to mail order in, one of the best is Digi-key, they also sell by the ft. Also there is Newark and Mouser.
Al.

[bkukowski]

use mouser.com under multiconductor cable, search for 6c 18awg (6 conductor) or however many you need. Be sure to double check the description! here's a link http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?&han...=244&crc=false

also, you can check digikey.com and newark.com, they may also have cable
Hope this helps!!

[Gashmore]

Digikey is usually my first source but this time they were a total strike out. Allied was the same. Newark had it in 1K' spools but I did just find a 100' roll of Belden 9368 at Mouser. $115.00

[Gashmore]

I take that back. 100' is a non-stock item. Smallest stocked is 500' for $422.00. Guess I will just have to be patient.

[Bloy2004]

I went to a local electricians home base (where the crews meet in the morning and load up) They had racks and racks of various wires.
They gave me 30 ft and I made out a order paper but they never billed me ...kinda indicating that I just take it.

Bloy

[JavaDog]

Originally Posted by Bloy2004 I went to a local electricians home base (where the crews meet in the morning and load up) They had racks and racks of various wires. Bloy

How does one go about finding places like that, just make friends with some electricians?

[OCNC]

Originally Posted by Gashmore First, where can you get 18AWG shielded two pair cable in less than 1,000' spools? I need about 40' to wire up my steppers. Second, how far from each other should the stepper and spindle power be? Can you run them both in the same cable carrier? How about the limit switch cables?

We might not be talking about the same thing but Digi-Key part #C2534-100-ND is a foil shielded two conductor 18 AWG cable listed for $36.55 for a 100 ft. roll.

Chris

[Gashmore]

I saw that on the Digikey site but that is one pair. I need 2 shielded pair in one jacket. Otherwise the KableSchlep carriers that salvaged won't work. The X-axis carrier needs to fit 2 runs of 2 pr 18awg to power the Y & Z motors, 2 runs of 4 pr 22awg for the limit switches and a separate ground wire.

I could use that for spindle power though.

[Bloy2004]

Originally Posted by JavaDog How does one go about finding places like that, just make friends with some electricians?

I just looked up electricians in the yellow pages (not a very big one here) and found the office/warehouse location in our small industrial park. After digging in the neighboring dumpster of the overhead door company (I asked first) for old screw tracks/motors etc., I went to the electrical contractors building and the guys saw my sample and we looked around. They also had barrels of discarded wire but they said they'd get some off the roll. I submitted a purchase order to the foreman ...and that's it.
........below........Less to do with your question......
The real heartbreakof this rather successful excursion was the nearby salvage yard full of sheet aluminum, tube, angles, and who knows what else..... They got burned once from someone who fell and sued while in the "junk" area, so they don't allow anyone (accompanied or not) into the goodies area.
BUT.... although the contract this salvage yard has with the local shipyard (aluminum boats) to take the scraps without option to resell, I was able to go to that shipyard and take many scraps. The guy would pull out a little scale and take a dollar a pound. I think it went to the employee's party fund.