[EricH]

Originally Posted by DampRobot

Could someone (Adam?) go into a bit more detail about rigging the cabling in an elevator? For example, what type of cable is best, how do you deal with tensioning and stretching, and how do you tie it off the best? What are good ways to attach the cable to the drum, how do you keep it from getting tangled, and what are good ways to do pulleys?

I don't have recent experience, but I do have a few answers.

Generally, my experience is with wire rope. It's strong, and if you get it coated, it's pretty smooth. It can be tied off by using a thimble or simply creating a loop, or if you happen to have 3 holes, weave it through them and pull tight (best on the drum, mind you). Take a look at McMaster. BTW, if you're planning to use compression sleeves to create your loops, do yourself a favor and get the proper crimpers--the "vice or pliers" method could fail. I've even seen a poorly done standard crimp fail--one of mine, to be exact.

Tensioning is actually pretty easy if you have a turnbuckle. Running a tight cable generally will prevent tangling; the turnbuckle, when turned, keeps the cable tight. (NOT on the drum end, though!)