What empty reels weigh
An empty 24-inch wooden reel weighs about 23 to 24 lb, a 36-inch reel 64 to 77 lb, a 48-inch reel 106 to 177 lb and a 96-inch reel anywhere from about 250 lb for a light duct reel to 1,199 lb for the heaviest cable build. The spread at each size comes from the build: plank thickness, drum size and whether the reel is nailed or bolted.
Empty weights by flange size
These are published weights for empty wooden reels, mostly from Okonite's reel table, which lists each standard size with its flange, traverse, drum and weight. Where a size has several builds, the range runs from the lightest to the heaviest. Dura-Line's own loading chart gives lighter weights for its duct reels, from 151 lb at 50 inches to 250 lb at 96 inches, because duct is light and its reels are built for it.
| Flange | Empty weight, lb | A full deck, lb (est.) | Handling |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 in | 23 to 24 | 9,568 to 9,984 | One person |
| 30 in | 39 | 7,371 | One person |
| 36 in | 64 to 77 | 6,528 to 7,854 | Two people, or a ramp |
| 42 in | 90 to 100 | 5,400 to 6,000 | Two people, or a ramp |
| 48 in | 106 to 177 | 2,756 to 4,602 | Forklift, or a careful roll |
| 60 in | 187 to 347 | 4,488 to 8,328 | Forklift, or a careful roll |
| 72 in | 204 to 592 | 4,080 to 11,840 | Forklift or crane |
| 84 in | 223 to 920 | 4,014 to 16,560 | Forklift or crane |
| 96 in | 250 to 1,199 | 4,000 to 19,184 | Forklift or crane |
A full deck is the planning count for that size times the empty weight. Estimates.
Nailed against bolted
Two reels with the same flange can differ by hundreds of pounds. A nailed reel is built for one trip: thinner flange boards, a lighter drum, and nails or staples holding the staves. It is the usual reel for building wire. A bolted reel carries heavier cable, so its flanges are thicker, its drum is stronger and through-bolts with nuts and washers clamp the whole thing together. Steel arbor plates are common on them. At 72 inches and up, the bolted build is what pushes the top of the range toward 600 lb and beyond.
You can tell them apart in a minute. Look at the flange face: bolt heads and nuts in a ring around the drum mean bolted; nail heads along the staves mean nailed. The nailed and bolted reels page goes further, including what each is worth afterwards.
What the weight means at your dock
Up to 42 inches, reels can be handled by hand. The driver can tip them, roll them up a ramp and stack them, which is why reels this size ride along on almost any run, forklift or not. From 48 inches, a forklift makes the job safe and quick. From 72 inches, check the forklift's rated capacity against the heaviest reel and remember the load centre: a reel's weight sits half a flange from the fork face, further out than most capacity plates assume.
Liftgates are rarely the answer. A reel larger than about 42 inches is wider than most liftgate platforms when it stands on edge, and it can roll. If there is no forklift, tell us on the request; we plan the run with that in mind, and the guide to moving large spools covers rolling and tipping safely.
Why we ask about loading, not weight
The request form asks how the reels can be loaded, not what they weigh. A yard with a forklift, a dock with a forklift, or hand loading: that one answer tells the driver more than a scale ticket would. Weight only matters when a reel is wet through, rotten or still has cable on it, and the photos usually show all three.
Words on this page
- Nailed reel
- A one-way reel held together with nails; the usual reel for building wire, mostly resold for light use or recycled.
- Bolted reel
- A heavier reel held together with through-bolts, used for utility and large cable; often returnable.
- Flange
- The round end of a reel; its diameter (24 to 96 inches and up) is how reels are sized, sorted and loaded.
- Drum
- The barrel between the flanges that the cable winds on; its diameter sets how much cable a reel holds.
- Arbor hole
- The centre hole a reel stand's spindle goes through; a torn or oval arbor hole takes a reel out of service.
Read next
Weight questions
Can two people lift a 36 inch reel?
Yes, at 64 to 77 lb empty two people can lift and tip one. Rolling it is usually easier than carrying it.
Does a wet reel weigh more?
Yes. Wood that has sat in rain or on wet ground takes up water, and a soaked reel can be noticeably heavier than the dry figure. Weigh nothing; just tell us if the stack has been sitting outside through a wet spell.
Is weight ever the limit on a reel pickup?
Not for empties. A full deck of the heaviest empty reels weighs well under what a flatbed carries. Floor space runs out first.