Tidying up with hook and loop cable ties

by Danny Staple

When building robots, it’s not hard to get cables in a bit of a mess.

I have a few tools I like to reach for:

You can use hook and loop cable ties in a few ways

Robot chassis with its cables tidied using hook and loop cable ties

There are a few uses for these ties.

  • The obvious - tying cables together.
  • Tying cables to posts or structural elements.
  • Strapping components like batteries to the frame in a bodgy, removable way.

Closeup of a hook and loop cable tie wrapped around a bundle of wires

All of these have been used in my Learn Robotics Programming 3rd edition robot.

Hook and loop cable ties are handy for a few reasons

Plastic cable ties and hook and loop ties seem equivalent, and the plastic ties are far cheaper. However, hook and loop ties have a few advantages:

  • They are reusable and adjustable - unlike plastic cable ties, you can unwrap them, or adjust the tightness, or move them around the project without cutting and wasting them.
  • You can use a pair of scissors to cut them to length - you don’t need to use the purchased length, smaller lengths can make tidier wraps.
  • They can form a “webbing” for holding larger items than cables to a frame.