Reel program
Reel pickup and buyback
We buy empty one-way wooden reels that can carry cable again, and we pick them up from yards, docks, garages and job sites across Chicagoland. Send the count, the flange sizes and a photo of the stack, and we quote before the truck rolls.
- 1. Buyback Sound one-way reels, paid for.
- 2. Maker take-back Returnable reels, routed home.
- 3. Recycling Past reuse, broken down.
- 4. Resupply Checked reels to new owners.
What we buy
A reel has value when somebody can put cable on it again. That means a one-way reel (one the maker doesn't want back) with flanges that are flat and whole, lagging / staves that are mostly intact around the drum (barrel), a round, solid arbor hole and drive holes that haven't been torn out by a payoff stand. Nailed wood is the usual build; plywood reels count too.
Size matters as much as condition. Mid-size reels, 30 to 60 inches, are what rewinders, contractors and plants ask for most, so they sell on fastest. Very small reels are bought in numbers, and very large ones when a buyer is lined up for them.
What the quote needs
- The count, split by flange size if you can (outside edge to outside edge).
- One photo of the whole stack and one close-up of a reel tag or stencil.
- Where they are: dock, yard, garage or job site, and the ZIP.
- How they load: forklift on site, loading dock, or by hand only.
With that, we can tell you which reels we expect to buy, which look returnable to a maker and which look like recycling. The driver confirms reel by reel at the stop.
Pickup and settlement
Pickups run on corridor days, one region at a time, so small lots ride with bigger ones. The driver counts and checks each reel, loads the ones we buy and the ones going to recycling, leaves any returnables staged with a list, and hands over a ticket that shows all three. Payment follows the ticket.
Large or recurring lots can have their own truck. If you empty reels every week, look at the recurring yard pickup.
Sizes that sell, sizes that don't
| Flange | Typical demand | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Under 24 in | Low, in numbers only | Palletise or box them; singles are rarely worth a stop |
| 24 to 30 in | Steady | Building wire, control cable, table and craft buyers |
| 36 to 48 in | Strong | Rewinding, storage, contractor stock, patio tables |
| 60 to 72 in | Good with a buyer lined up | Feeder and utility cable; heavy, forklift only |
| 84 to 96 in | Case by case | Very heavy; collected when a reuse or recycling route is set |
Build changes the picture. Nailed one-way wood is the bread and butter. Plywood reels are bought in numbers. Plastic reels usually belong to a distributor loop, and steel reels almost always belong to a maker or a utility.
Condition decides the rest. Two 48-inch reels can be worth very different amounts if one has rotted lagging.
Why sellers call us instead of a hauler
A hauler takes everything and charges for it. A wood recycler takes the reels that are done and nothing else. A maker takes its own reels by the truckload. We do all three sorts at once: we pay for the reels that can work again, point the returnables home, and take the rest for recycling on the same truck.
Questions
Who buys empty cable reels in Chicago?
We do, along with picking them up: one-way wooden reels in reusable shape, from 24 to 96 inches, across the city, the suburbs and Northwest Indiana.
Will you pick up fewer than a truckload of reels?
Yes. Small lots ride with larger pickups on the same corridor day, so a handful of reels doesn't have to wait for a full load.
Do you buy reels with cable still on them?
No. We buy empty reels. Cable left on a reel is the owner's material; part-used reels stay with you, and scrap cable belongs with a metal recycler.
What if some of my reels are returnable?
Those belong to the maker. We list them for the maker's own program and buy the one-way reels from the same stack.
How is a buyback price worked out?
By size, build and condition, reel by reel, and by how many there are. The quote from your photos is confirmed by the driver at the stop before anything is loaded.
Do you pay for plastic reels?
Rarely. Most plastic reels belong to a distributor or maker loop. Send a photo of the markings and we say where they go.
Reel words on this page
- One-way reel
- A reel nobody is collecting. Once empty, it belongs to whoever holds it.
- Flange
- The round side discs that hold the cable in. Flange diameter, edge to edge, is the size a reel is known by.
- Lagging / staves
- The boards nailed around the drum, and the protective boards sometimes nailed across the flanges over finished cable.
- Arbor hole
- The centre hole a spindle, shaft or payoff bar passes through.
- Drive hole
- A smaller hole off-centre in the flange that a drive pin uses to turn the reel.
- Payoff
- The stand or trailer a reel turns on while cable is pulled off it.
- Drum (barrel)
- The cylinder between the flanges that the cable winds around.
Request a pickup or quote
Work order received
- Reference
- Request
Next we read what you sent, sort the reels by tag and condition, and come back with what we buy, where returnables go, and a pickup day for your corridor. If it helps, reply with a photo of the stack and the reel tags.