Reel size
48-inch cable reels
The 48-inch reel is the start of the big reels: heavy, forklift-handled, and the most common size on feeder and utility distribution jobs. It is also the size that makes a dining-height spool table.
The numbers
- Flange thickness
- 2 to 3 in
- Height on its flange
- about 28 to 38 in
- Handling
- Forklift; rolling it by hand is risky on any slope
- Weight method
- Two flange discs plus the stave shell, at 28 to 40 lb per cubic foot
What it carries
Large feeder cable, underground distribution cable, outside-plant fibre and heavier communications cable. Thick-flanged nailed builds are common, and so are bolted returnable reels.
Who empties them
Utility and grid contractors, data-centre electrical crews, warehouse and plant fit-outs, and solar contractors pulling collection cable. They stand in rows in laydown yards and truck courts.
Buyback, return or recycling
Strong buyback demand for sound one-way reels. Many 48-inch reels are returnable, so tags are checked on every one. Rotted lagging is a common recycling reason at this size, since big reels often sit outdoors for months.
Uses for buyers
Dining-height tables, large displays, farm uses, and storing long runs of feeder or fibre.
Where they turn up around Chicago
Utility and grid jobs across ComEd and NIPSCO territory, data-centre campuses in the O'Hare corridor, warehouse fit-outs at Elwood and Joliet, and solar collection-cable pulls at the edge of the metro. They often stand in long rows, which makes a big pickup quick with forks.
Many carry maker stencils; sort them before booking a truck.
Checking one
- Inspect the bottom flange and lowest staves first; that is where rot starts.
- Look for through-bolts: bolted 48-inch reels are usually returnable.
- Check the arbor for cracks running out from the hole.
- Make sure no cable tail is left on the drum.
Tables from 48-inch reels
A 48-inch top seats six comfortably. Because the reel is heavy, it won't wobble once level, but sanding a top this large takes hours. Many people add a round plywood or glass top over the flange instead, cut a little larger, which hides the arbor hole and the board seams.
How much cable it holds
Layered capacity at the middle build shown above, with 2 inches of clearance below the flange rim. Real cable packs less neatly; treat these as upper figures and check with the capacity calculator.
| Cable diameter | Length | Layers × turns |
|---|---|---|
| 0.25 in (6 mm) | 39,880 ft (12,155 m) | 40 × 112 |
| 0.35 in (9 mm) | 19,820 ft (6,040 m) | 28 × 80 |
| 0.5 in (13 mm) | 9,970 ft (3,040 m) | 20 × 56 |
| 0.65 in (17 mm) | 5,700 ft (1,735 m) | 15 × 43 |
| 0.8 in (20 mm) | 3,690 ft (1,125 m) | 12 × 35 |
| 1 in (25 mm) | 2,490 ft (760 m) | 10 × 28 |
| 1.25 in (32 mm) | 1,570 ft (480 m) | 8 × 22 |
| 1.5 in (38 mm) | 930 ft (285 m) | 6 × 18 |
| 1.75 in (44 mm) | 690 ft (210 m) | 5 × 16 |
| 2 in (51 mm) | 620 ft (190 m) | 5 × 14 |
In metric
- Flange
- 122 cm
- Traverse
- 61 to 81 cm
- Drum
- 51 to 71 cm
- Empty weight
- about 68 to 172 kg
Questions
Can a 48-inch spool be a dining table?
Yes. With a 28 to 32-inch traverse and thick flanges, it stands about 30 to 38 inches on its flange.
Do 48-inch reels need a forklift?
For loading, yes. Rolling one by hand on level ground is possible but risky.
How many 48-inch reels fit on a flatbed?
It depends on the build and the weights, but a flatbed carries a few dozen standing in rows, strapped through the arbors.
Is a 48-inch reel too heavy for a residential deck?
At roughly 150 to 380 pounds empty, it is fine on most decks, but spread the load and keep it away from the edge.
Reel words on this page
- Flange
- The round side discs that hold the cable in. Flange diameter, edge to edge, is the size a reel is known by.
- Traverse
- The inside width between the flanges: how wide a layer of cable can be.
- 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.
- Returnable reel
- A reel its maker expects back, usually stencilled or tagged to say so.
- Reel tag
- The label or plate carrying the maker, the reel number and sometimes the return terms.
Selling or buying 48-inch cable reels?
Pick buy, sell or recycle, the product, the count and your ZIP, and the full request opens with those filled in.
Or write to info@chicagowoodenspools.com with the count, flange sizes and a photo of the stack.