Buy · used reels
Used cable reels
A used cable reel has carried cable once and been emptied, so it will be weathered, stencilled and scuffed, but a sound one is as strong as a new reel. The desk describes used reels in plain terms (structure, surface, history) so you know what you are getting before it is delivered.
From the reel desk · Checked 9 November 2026
Structure first
The desk sorts used reels by structure before anything else, because structure decides what a reel can do.
- Sound. Flanges flat and whole, arbor and drive holes round, staves complete. Good for re-spooling or any table.
- Minor damage. An edge board broken through one ply, a stave or two missing, a little wear at the arbor. Fine for a table or light winding. AFL's own rules accept an edge board broken through one ply.
- Damaged. Boards broken through, several staves gone, rot at a flange edge. Sold for parts or as lumber.
Surface second
Used reels spend months outdoors in yards. Expect:
- Grey weathering. Sun and rain turn the wood silver. It sands back to bare wood.
- Stencils. Makers paint their name and the reel number on the flange. Some buyers like them; they also sand off.
- Tags and staples. Cable tags are stapled near the arbor. They list the maker, product, footage and weights.
- Scuffs and fork marks from forklifts and rolling.
AFL's program says scuffs and weathering are acceptable even for reels it takes back to refurbish. They are cosmetic.
History
The tag or stencil tells you what the reel carried. Southwire's series letters give the build: A and C nailed reels for aluminium and copper conductor, N for insulated cable, E and G plywood for building wire. An E suffix marks an export reel treated with preservative, fine outdoors and not what you want for indoor furniture.
What the request should say
Give the size, how many, and what you will use them for. "Two used 36-inch reels for patio tables, nailed, surface wear fine" lets the desk match you quickly. If condition matters a lot, ask for photos of the actual reels before delivery.
Reading the numbers
- Flange
- The diameter of the round end, edge to edge. The size a reel is known by.
- Traverse
- The inside width between the flanges, where cable winds. It sets how tall the reel stands on end.
- Drum
- The diameter of the barrel the cable winds onto. Stiff power cable needs a big drum.
- Arbor hole
- The centre hole for a shaft. 3⅛ in on most wooden reels; 5¼ in and up on heavy steel ones.
- Weight
- Empty, or tare, weight in pounds as the maker publishes it. A tag on the reel gives the same figure.
- Series letter
- Southwire codes the build: A and C nailed, N plywood or nailed, E and G plywood, S steel.
Reels you are likely to have
| Reel | Build | Flange | Traverse | Drum | Lb | Usually carries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-5 | Nailed wood | 23 | 17 | 12 | 34 | Copper building wire, grounding |
| A-10 | Nailed wood | 30 | 22 | 16 | 66 | Service drop, bare aluminium |
| N-24 | Nailed wood | 36 | 28 | 14 | 83 | Insulated and multiplex cable |
| A-29 | Nailed wood | 42 | 28 | 21 | 154 | Overhead conductor, feeders |
| A-38 | Nailed wood | 48 | 28 | 24 | 212 | Aluminium and ACSR, large feeders |
| A-62 | Nailed wood | 60 | 28 | 28 | 397 | Utility conductor |
| A-76 | Nailed wood | 66 | 28 | 30 | 473 | Heavy conductor |
| S-120 | Steel, returnable | 84 | 36 | 42 | 895 | Transmission and medium voltage |
Other makers' reels differ by an inch or two. All flange sizes · How to measure
What to put in a request
- Count and measure. Count the reels and measure the largest flange edge to edge across the face. A photo with the tape in it is better than a guess.
- Check the build. Nailed lumber, plywood sheet, steel or plastic. Look for a stencil or tag naming the maker and the reel number.
- Set aside steel and tagged returnables with their serial numbers. Those go back to the maker, not to the desk.
- Say where they stand: yard, dock, garage level, alley or curb, plus clearance, gate hours, badging or escort a driver needs.
- Say what loads them: forklift, pallet jack, loader, ramp, or only people. Reels over 42 inches weigh more than 100 lb empty.
- Say how often: one time, weekly, monthly or at each job close-out.
- Buying instead? Give the flange and height you want, how many, and how the reel gets from the truck to where it will sit.
- No form handy? Email info@dcwoodenspools.com with the same details and a few photos.
Questions the desk gets
Is a used reel as strong as a new one?
A sound one is. Weathering is on the surface; what matters is whether the flanges, staves and arbor hole are intact.
Will a used reel have nails sticking out?
Sometimes, from staples or tags. The desk pulls what it finds, but check before you sand or sit.
Sources
Each opened and read on 9 November 2026.
- AFL, Wood Reel Recycling Program: nailed wood only, no plywood; flanges at least 1½ in thick and 30 in across; 75% of staves; full truckloads; mainly East Coast and Midwest
- Southwire, Reel Packaging Information (CableTech Support): reel series, wooden reel dimensions and weights, steel reel dimensions and charges, tag contents; cites NEMA WC26