Hiding cable in residence 2

[crooter]

I saw a product once that was a floorboard that had a channel inside for cable--the idea was you remove the existing floorboard and replace it with this product and you can run cables hidden in a finished home.

The problem is I cannot find the link I saved for this product and have tried searching google for it but still cannot locate it.

Anyone know what it is or who manufactures it?

Thanks

 

[tnphoneman]

There is under carpet cable but I have never seen this. What are you trying to accomplish and maybe someone would have an idea?

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[buitenhek]

Neat idea. There is money to made in that one.

Another example: cable mfg
Is it possible to have a slimfast version of a CAT6A cable and jack? I realize 4 pr of 23 awg (0.02257" dia) specifies a certain cable OD...but is there a way to use, for example a 40 awg (0.003145" OD), for shorter distances and still maintain throughput?

These thin cables could be hidden around carpet tack strips and baseboards or under carpet/tile with minimal intrusion.

I know we had flat CAT5 cable for a while but that was too hard to install and goofy to terminate.

Regards
Peter Buitenhek
ProfitDeveloper.com

"Never settle for a job well done...always look for cost cutting measures

 

[crooter]

I kept on googling floorboards and kickboards and raceways and I finally found it

Its called wiretracks but unfortunately it looks as though the company is KAPUT

http://www.wiretracks.com/prod-rf.html

But thanks for the suggestions

 

[RyanEOD]

Crooter,

In looking at their website I am wondering WHY?? That is a GREAT idea!!!!

 

[tnphoneman]

Wrong business model, lack of funding and lack of sales capability and finally just plain burned out.

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[RyanEOD]

They still selling at all tnphoneman? Do you have intimate knowledge about it? I looked around the site and the Crown Molding idea is genius! I see the site hasn't been updated since 2005 but yet it is still active . .makes me wonder if someone still has the rights/info/time?

 

[tnphoneman]

Their MFG went out of business and the dies/molds were destroyed. Lack of funding was the major factor after the MFG quit.

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[RyanEOD]

Dang, that sucks. Did you use the product at all? Was it as good as it looks?

 

[tnphoneman]

No I did not but there are a few pieces available on ebay. The last of the stock.



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[Infinity306]

I started WireTracks in late 2003 after figuring out a solution to a problem that had long bothered me. Every time I moved, I found that the new home or condo did not meet my wiring needs. WireTracks is an elegant solution to a common problem

After I launched WireTracks, we were very successful at getting media coverage. Within the first year, there were about 100 newspaper and magazine articles, countless web articles, a dozen or so radio interviews, and a little television coverage. We went to trade shows and received amazing response. We weren’t giving any freebies away, but we would walk out of each show with over a thousand leads from a 10 x 10 booth.

Everything felt exactly right and as though we were going to be successful quickly.
Unfortunately, things moved more slowly than we anticipated and we were underfunded. We sold a lot of WireTracks channels, but never reached the level of critical mass necessary to sustain and pay for the business.

A year or so ago, I restructured the business to be very efficient by eliminating our offices, getting rid of our staff, and reducing WireTracks to a part-time, one-person business, working on the “long tail” premise. This worked fine, but resulted in mediocre customer service. I could meet orders, but dealing with the other business demands were challenging.

As I managed the day-to-day activities, our manufacturer went out of business and destroyed (or sold) our molds. The costs to retool are too large, so I am closing WireTracks and selling off the remaining inventory.

We have a small quantity of 8’ WireTracks Original remaining and a modest amount of WireTracks NC. Although WireTracks NC is designed for new construction, it is easy to install in remodels, maintains a better alignment, and provides a nice seal with the sheetrock. Since designing it, I have used it in all my installations, both new and remodel.

The remaining inventory of our WireTracks NC and Original wire channels will be listed on eBay. We are out of WireTracks CM, but Spectre Audio in Toronto still has some remaining stock. They can be reached at 416-897-2496 or najeeb@spectreaudio.com.

I am disappointed as our products have helped many people, but will no longer be available. We are open to licensing arrangements. If you are interested in licensing WireTracks, you can contact Bruce Gutman at 206-361-6110.


Regards,
Bruce Gutman

http://www.wiretracks.com/index.html

More info from the Wiretracks homepage..

 

[trvlr1]

If you are handy with a wood working router, you can get baseboards from your local hardware store and route out a channel on the back to run cables in. At appropriate points you can either drill a hole through the base board and mount jacks on the surface, or cut into the wall and run cables through the wall to the required height. I did this successfully in a bonus room where I had limited access into walls/floors/ceilings and it turned out very well. Just don't nail through the wires when attaching to the wall!

 

[tnphoneman]

Just to give you an update.... I have had a discussion with Bruce and we are in the preliminary stages of bringing this product back to life. I have to gather more specifics and get a handle on the costs vs price aspect and logistics. Not to mention retooling and finding another manufacturer.

At this time I do not have a time frame for a return to market but I like the product and I am working towards that end.

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[RyanEOD]

TNPhoneMan,

Keep me in the loop! Someday when I am driving through TN on my way back to see the family I will have to swing through and take you out for lunch or something . . I always love talking to other phone guys and would really like talking to someone as knowledgeable as yourself!

Ryan

 

[mikeydidit]

It is (or at least sounds like) a nice product for doing clean, neat looking installations. I think the problem Bruce found himself facing was that most homeowners install their own solutions and 99% could care less if it looks bad. Unless that homeowner happens to have a wife like mine and says " No way you are leaving that like that" ... But most people really do not care or at least thats what I have seen.

Now you get into a nice looking molding (now its special with a hidden grove in it) and it starts getting pricey. Also you now need a painter to seal it, match the paint already there, and this is starting to turn into a PITA.

Not saying their is not a select group (us for instance) that would use something like this. But you have drastically cut down your corner of the market.

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[cckens]

If you're like me and need to replace all the baseboards anyway, the router option does look attractive, but you can't run too much in that as moulding isn't all that thick. The WireTracks option would allow for more runs and a larger number of cables if you happen to want to make sure you run enough.
My 2 cents for sure, but I'd pay for it!

Ken

"cckens is a nick... why the H-E- double-hockey-sticks am I using a nick for a name? Am I afraid of who I am?"
-me
"...don't know why, but I think of chickens when I see that nick...maybe even choking chickens???"
-Tony (wahnula)

 

[tnphoneman]

It is all going to have to come down to what the numbers look like.

Also there was not much market penetration. All the sales were online and this is a product that needs to be in the big box stores. In talking I think that the production costs were way too high for the market and that needs to be rectified.

I refuse though to send anything to China for production.

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[crooter]

Well good look! This would not only be a good product for low voltage, but maybe also for doing additional electrical work without having to cut out the walls and try to match the texture and paint.Maybe HOME DEPOT????--keep us all informed if you are successfull

 

[Lostpbx]

You couldn't use it for anything other than low voltage, there are codes that have to be met with regular electrical like all wires over a certain voltage are required to be secured to the frame of a stucture or protected. But if this product was on the market again I would sure us it in all the buildings I work in so we don't have to see the strip moldongs going down the walls everywhere. I wouldn't even care if there was baseboard over it as long as it looked flush with the wall nobody would notice it.