Guides · handling
How to move a cable reel
Checked 9 November 2026 — Move a cable reel by rolling it on its flanges over firm, level ground in the direction of the arrow, or by lifting it with forks under both flanges or a shaft through the arbor hole and a spreader bar. Never lift a reel by one flange, never drop it off a truck, and never roll a big one down a slope without a line.
From the reel desk · Checked 9 November 2026
Moving a reel, step by step
One. Know the weight
Check the tag or the maker's table. A 36-inch reel is about 80 lb empty, a 48-inch about 200, a 60-inch about 400.
Two. Choose roll or lift
Roll small and medium reels across firm level ground. Lift large ones, or any reel going onto a truck, with forks or a shaft.
Three. Roll with the arrow
Push on the flange rim in the direction of the arrow painted on it, walking beside the reel, never in front.
Four. Lift from both sides
Forks under both flanges, spread wide; or a shaft through the arbor hole with slings to a spreader bar. Never a sling around one flange.
Five. Load standing and strap
On a truck, reels ride standing on their flanges, chocked and strapped over the drum, never lying flat.
Weights to plan for
Southwire's published empty weights:
| Flange | Reel | Empty weight |
|---|---|---|
| 23 in | C-5 | 34 lb |
| 30 in | A-10 | 66 lb |
| 36 in | N-24 | 83 lb |
| 42 in | A-29 | 154 lb |
| 48 in | A-38 | 212 lb |
| 60 in | A-62 | 397 lb |
| 66 in | A-76 | 473 lb |
| 84 in | S-120 (steel) | 895 lb |
By hand
Reels up to about 30 inches can be carried by one person; up to about 40 inches, by two. Beyond that, roll or use a machine. Rolling is easy on a slab or firm ground and dangerous anywhere else: a reel on a slope gathers speed and does not stop. On grass or gravel, lay plywood sheets as a track.
By machine
A forklift lifts a reel with the forks under both flanges, spread as wide as they go, and the reel tilted back against the mast. A crane or boom lifts with a shaft through the arbor hole and slings to a spreader bar, so the slings pull straight up and do not squeeze the flanges. Southwire's heavy reels have steel hubs pressed into the arbor to take that load.
Onto and off a truck
- Loading: lift, do not roll up a ramp, for anything over about 42 inches. Set reels standing on their flanges, chock them and strap over the drum.
- Unloading: the same in reverse. Never roll a reel off a tailgate or a dock edge; it lands on a flange edge and splits the boards.
- Ramps: for smaller reels, a ramp with a hold-back line and two people, one on the line.
For buyers
When a large reel is delivered, the truck needs firm ground to the drop point and something at your end to take the weight: a tractor with forks, a loader, or a ramp and several people. Tell the desk which before delivery day.
Handling, in short
- Roll only on firm, level ground, pushing from behind the reel, and in the direction of any arrow painted on the flange.
- Chock both flanges every time a reel stands on its rims, front and back.
- Stay uphill. Nobody stands in the path a reel would take if it got away.
- Lift with forks long enough to reach under both flanges, or with a shaft through the arbor hole and a spreader bar so the slings clear the flanges.
- Never drop a reel off a tailgate or a dock edge. A cracked flange turns a reusable reel into scrap.
- Store on rims, on drained gravel or pavement, with walkways between rows. Lay small reels flat only where stacks stay square and low.
- Keep paper with steel. Serial numbers and invoices travel with any returnable reel until its maker has it back.
The details: moving reels, storing reels, readying a pickup.
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
Sources
Each opened and read on 9 November 2026.
- Southwire, Reel Packaging Information (CableTech Support): reel series, wooden reel dimensions and weights, steel reel dimensions and charges, tag contents; cites NEMA WC26