p.s. I'm in Salem, Oregon, so proximity might be nice for shipping costs or possible pick-up/delivery options.

dkap, Try "structured wiring" in your search. Also, try www.smarthome.com or www.homecontrols.com.

Randy, thanks for the tips. Searching for "structured wiring" in Google resulted in not much of interest from what I could see. Too descriptive of processes more than parts...

I've actually been looking at Smarthome's cable organizer system. I prefer something a bit more secured, but it isn't a bad option. Do you know of any specific items to look for at Home Controls? That site is pretty darn large and no categories or products are jumping out at me as fitting the bill. Also pretty slow, making searching for something which I don't know what or where to look for rather difficult... I may have to send them an email or call and see if they carry something of the sort.

Dan

There is no requirement to run A/V cables in a raceway in the attic. You could just use a wooden board to keep them organized.

How would a board keep them organized? Would you place nails along it, sticking up as guides? Or are you envisioning boards standing on their sides to keep the cables in line?

Also, I'm not thinking codes or requirements for this particular project, just ease of installation and maintenance. That and something to protect the cables from being tripped on and dragged (that's a storage area up there, too).

I got a follow-up email from Electric Supply Online with a refined search (would have been easier just to point me to the appropriate category page, but oh well). Here are the 2x5' and 4x5' products they carry:
http://www.electricsupplyonline.com/arlington-pole_guards.php

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LOOKS LIKE THE OLD STYLE 1/2 ROUND RAIN GUTTER

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I'm thinking that may not have the side opening I'm looking for...

Dan

What are these cables for? are they low voltage (less than 24 volts)? I don't know the laws in the States, but here in Canada if they are low voltage, you can use regular PVC DWV piping. It is fairly cheap, and available in different diameters. For the 90 degrees elbows, though, I would rather use 2 45 deg elbows, spaced by about 6 inches, so the cables don't bend too much (which can ruin the shield of a coaxial TV cable). Hope this helps!

They will be flexible speaker wires and possibly video cables and a subwoofer cable, so a 90 degree bend shouldn't be any problem. Also, I'm leaning toward a 2-3" wide elbow joint, and I wouldn't think the curvature around that bend is any more than what coax is often coiled with in bulk (off the spool, at least)...

What exactly does the DWV signify with regards to PVC? A PVC pipe will definitely work, but as mentioned above, it is completely enclosed and would require running strings through it for pulling additional cables back and forth. That seems like a rather undesirable trait... If I can find a cable guide with a partially open face, it will be easy to just lay the wires down in it with no fuss.

Dan

DWV= drain waste vent
Is this an walk in attic with a floor? Is that why you are concerned about damage? I wasn't thinking of nails but maybe some of those clamps that wrap around the wire and take a screw. If you actually need to protect them then a wooden box with sides and a top would work. I don't think those plastic channels with lids will not take weight on them. They are designed for neetness more than protection.

It's a ladder access area with a solid wood floor (except at the ends of the house where the roof slopes down -- that's exposed insulation). Here's a picture looking up at the area:
http://run-down.com/house/102202_garage.jpg

The wires will probably be running about 1' beyond the wall the ladder is up against, running right to left in the picture (along the wall). I plan on using that area for storage, so at least the main access area should have the wires pretty well covered. I'd hate to catch my foot on one and find the cement floor instead of the top run of the ladder... Building up some wood channels like you're describing may not actually be a bad idea. I could do it pretty cheap with some low grade wood and secure it with angle brackets or something like the clamps that hold down PVC. Not a bad backup option.

There are a couple of electrical supply stores in town, so I'll give them a call in a couple of hours and see if they have anything workable.

quote:

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I don't think those plastic channels with lids will not take weight on them.

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I assume you're referring to the Smarthome cable organizers or something similar?

Dan