- Lane
- Antelope Valley and the 14
- Freeways
- ZIP codes
- 93550
- 93551
- 93552
- County
- Los Angeles County
Empty cable reels picked up in Palmdale
We pick up empty wooden reels in Palmdale on the Antelope Valley run up the 14. Air Force Plant 42 and the aerospace contractors around it are the centre of Palmdale's industry, and solar and utility work across the valley adds larger reels.
What gets made in Palmdale
US Air Force Plant 42 dominates Palmdale's east side: more than 5,800 acres of runways, hangars and factories where Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman build and test aircraft. The plant shares its runways with the city's airport, and a ring of suppliers, machine shops and service firms has grown up around it.
West of the plant, along the 14 and Sierra Highway, Palmdale has its own business parks, building suppliers and contractor yards. Route 138, Pearblossom Highway, carries traffic east toward Littlerock and the Victor Valley.
Aerospace work uses wire and cable in quantity, much of it specialised: control, data and power cable for test facilities, hangars and production lines. Reels inside the plant belong to the contractors, and whether they can come out on our truck is their call and the government's. Reels at the contractors' own yards outside are straightforward. Southern California Edison serves the city, and its transmission and distribution work across the valley adds big bolted reels.
Where Palmdale's empty reels come from
- Aerospace contractors and suppliers
- Control and power cable on 24 to 48 inch reels.
- Solar and transmission work
- Collection and power cable on 48 to 72 inch reels from projects across the valley.
- Local contractors
- Electrical contractors in Palmdale stack mixed reels between jobs.
How the Antelope Valley and the 14 run reaches Palmdale
The Antelope Valley run comes up the 14 through Soledad Canyon and reaches Palmdale first, then carries on to Lancaster. Small stacks wait for a run with a larger stop; a contractor clearing a yard, or a solar laydown yard, usually sets the date. Wind on the valley floor can stop flatbed loading, so we may move a window.
Other stops on the Antelope Valley and the 14 lane: Lancaster. Reels from Palmdale can share a deck with any of them.
Getting Palmdale's reels ready for the truck
Count by flange
Measure across the round end of each reel and group them: 24, 36, 48, 72 inch flanges are the sizes we see most from Palmdale. A phone photo of the stack helps us size the run. The measuring guide shows where to put the tape.
Stage them where a flatbed fits
Put the reels where a 53 foot flatbed can pull alongside off Route 14, not down a lane it cannot turn in.
Give us a window
Tell us the hours your gate is open and staffed. Stops on the Antelope Valley and the 14 lane get a pickup window by email once the run is planned.
Say how they get lifted
A forklift on site loads anything up to 96 inches. Without one, reels up to about 42 inches can be tipped and rolled up a ramp; bigger ones need a lift.
Flag the stencilled ones
A reel painted with a cable maker's name may be returnable. Tell us and we will say whether it should go back to its owner before we take it.
After the run, sound reels from Palmdale are sorted for resale to contractors, makers and growers who want wooden spools; split flanges, torn arbor holes and rotten staves go to wood recycling. See resale or recycling for how a reel is graded.
Reel sizes that usually come out of Palmdale
| Flange | How it loads | Empties per 53 ft deck (est.) | Empty weight, lb |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 in | Flat, stacked 4 high | 416 | 23 to 24 |
| 36 in | Flat, stacked 3 high | 102 | 64 to 77 |
| 48 in | On edge, two rows | 26 to 30 | 106 to 177 |
| 72 in | On edge, two rows | 20 to 24 | 204 to 592 |
Estimates from published reel and loading charts; method on reels per load.
Nearest areas to Palmdale on the grid
Straight-line miles between town centres, not road miles.
Other Los Angeles County areas, by grid square
- Vernon 90058D6
- Commerce 90040D6
- City of Industry 91744F6
- Santa Fe Springs 90670E7
- Long Beach 90802D8
- Carson 90745D7
- Rancho Dominguez 90220D7
- Compton 90220D7
- Wilmington 90744D8
- Torrance 90501C7
- El Segundo 90245C7
- Huntington Park 90255D6
- Northeast Los Angeles 90031D6
- Sun Valley 91352C5
- Pacoima 91331C4
- Chatsworth 91311B4
- Canoga Park 91303B5
- Van Nuys 91401B5
- Santa Clarita 91350B3
- Lancaster 93534E1
- Pomona 91766G6
Palmdale pickup questions
Can you collect from inside Plant 42?
That depends on the contractor and the plant's access rules. Reels staged outside the plant at a contractor's own yard are easy.
How often does the truck come up to Palmdale?
When there is enough on the lane to make a run. The more reels you have, the sooner it comes.
Does wind affect pickups?
High wind can stop loading on an open deck. We watch the forecast and move the window if we have to.