Geek Crafts: Three uses for old cat5 cable

WiFi may have security issues and less transmission speed compared to wired connections, but I think anyone who has ever had to crimp a cable by hand is relieved to see the end of the wired era.

A lot of places (particularly businesses) still use cat5 ethernet cable to connect their computers to the Internet. But for most of us, the ready availability of WiFi and WiFi NICs has left us with a ton of extra cat5 cable. Even if you want to keep some around just in case (like if the connector between your cable box and your wireless router gets destroyed somehow) that still leaves plenty of cable looking for a purpose.

1. Wire for random other crafts
If you have ever spliced cat5 by hand, you know that it is actually a bundle of insulated wires which is twisted together and covered with an insulated sleeve. All you have to do is slit the sleeve and pull out the wires and you have a supply of spare wire.

I have used the wire from cat5 cable for a lot of DIY projects over the years. Cat5 guts have held together parts of my chicken coop, tied measuring spoons together, and a thousand other uses. It's like string, but it doesn't break or rot!

2. Knitting
Knitting with wire is a whole sub-section of knitting as a craft, and the twisted pair cables inside Ethernet cable is nicely flexible - much more so than the wire you will usually encounter at the craft store. It would be perfect for knitting, although the splicing could get to be a pain. You could make some really cute crafts with all the different colors, though!

3. Bracelets and necklaces
ThinkGeek used to sell bracelets made from twisted pair cables - so pretty! You could also pull out the twisted pairs and use them to make friendship bracelets, bangle bracelets, or a necklace. Or, if you happen to have some connectors and a crimper handy, make this clever Ethernet buckle bracelet. I love it!

Image courtesy Flickr/Broken Simulacra