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Flange size · loads flat, stacked

36-inch flange reels

A 36-inch reel is the size most electrical contractors stack against the fence: building wire and feeders from commercial jobs. About 102 fit a 53-foot flatbed laid flat, and they weigh 64 to 77 lb empty. It is one of the best sizes for resale.

Empties per 53 ft deck (est.)
102
Empty weight
64 to 77 lb
How it loads
2 across, 3 high
Form answer
30 to 47 in
Plan view of a 53 ft, 102 in flatbed loaded with 102 empty 36 in reels 53 ft deck (636 in) 102 in Flat reels: 36 in stacked 3 high. Plan view, not to exact scale.
102 reels of 36 in: 2 across the 102 in deck, 17 along it, 3 layers high on the 22.5 in wide build. Estimate, drawn in plan view.

What ships on a 36 inch reel

Feeders, service entrance cable, larger building wire and multi-conductor power cable often come on 36 inch reels. Okonite lists two common builds: 36 x 18 x 12 at 64 lb and 36 x 24 x 17 at 77 lb, with cable capacities of 1,900 and 2,000 lb. The odd 37.5 inch build turns up too.

Measured across the round face, a 36 reaches about hip height on an adult. Two of them side by side span about six feet. Their staves are usually nailed; bolted 36s exist but are uncommon.

How 36 inch reels load

On a 102 inch deck, two 36 inch reels fit across and seventeen along a 53 foot length. Stacked three high, that is about 102 reels on a full deck, at 64 to 77 lb each. Above 36 inches, flat stacks get heavy to handle, so a forklift helps; without one, the driver tips and rolls them up a ramp.

Resale or recycling

Thirty-six inch reels resell well. They make good dining and bar tables, they suit growers and ranches, and contractors buy them back for cable storage. Most come from building jobs and are kept under cover, so their wood is often in good shape.

How we grade a reel is on resale or recycling; what makes one worth more is on what reels are worth.

Staging and lifting 36 inch reels

A 36 inch reel is about as large as one person should roll unaided. Roll it on the flange edge, not the face, and keep your feet clear of the direction it might fall. Stage them on edge, in a row, on firm ground with a chock or a scrap of timber at the end of the row. On the truck they lie flat, three high, and the driver straps each stack.

What buyers do with them

This is the classic dining-table and bar-table size, especially the 36 x 24 x 17 build with its wider traverse. Ranches use them for feed and tack, growers for benches, and contractors keep them for cable they buy in bulk.

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Where 36 inch reels pile up

These are the area pages where 36 inch reels are among the usual sizes we see:

Pickup maths for 36 inch reels

The 36 inch reel is the stack you see behind a contractor's shop in Sun Valley, Santa Ana or Fontana. Commercial building, school and hospital work across the basin empties them steadily, and wire distributors along the 5 and the 60 generate more from cut-to-length sales. They are one of the sizes most likely to be mixed with others in a yard.

36 in reelsShare of a 53 ft deckWhat it looks likeEmpty weight, lb
1010%Ride-along640 to 770
2020%Ride-along1,280 to 1,540
5150%Part load3,264 to 3,927
102100%Full run6,528 to 7,854
204200%More than one deck13,056 to 15,708

Computed by the load planner from the planning count of 102 per deck. Estimates, not promises.

Mixed stacks: try the planner

Most yards have more than one size. The reel load planner adds 36 inch reels to the rest of your counts and shows how much of a 53 ft deck they take, and whether that is a ride-along, a part load or a full run.

36 inch reel questions

How many 36 inch reels make a full run?

About 102 on a 53 foot flatbed, laid flat three high.

Can 36 inch reels be hand-loaded?

Yes, by tipping and rolling them up a ramp. A forklift is faster.

Do 36 inch reels make a good table?

Yes. They are one of the sizes we sell most for tables.

Which 36 inch build makes the best table?

The wider 36 x 24 x 17 build stands more steadily, but both common builds work.

Can I roll a 36 inch reel by myself?

Yes, on its flange edge on firm ground, keeping your feet clear. Use a ramp to load it.

Request a pickup or a price

Tell us the count and the flange size; we will tell you if it fills a deck or rides along on the next run. Buying? Tell us the size and how many.

  • Mixed brands, nailed and bolted, part loads: all fine.
  • We answer by email with a pickup window or a price.
  • San Diego County is outside our area.
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