XXXXXXX 2007 MAXIMUMPC 00
how (^2) ImprovIng your pc experIence, one step at a tIme
Now that you have laid the framework for
your masterful movement toward cable
happiness, it’s time to get to the nitty-grit-
ty. Grab your zip ties, roll up your sleeves,
and start bunching cables together. Be
sure to combine like-minded cables as
much as possible. For example, speaker
wires shouldn’t go alongside USB cords,
as your speakers might pick up interfer-
ence when you use a USB device. The
same is true for network cables and
power cords—consider them the oil and
water of your wiring setup.
Start at the back of your mother-
board and work your way toward each
major area in your workstation: desk,
subwoofer, and so forth. Keep the overall
line tight by throwing on a new tie every
six inches or so. And once you’re done,
you can use cable clips to conceal these
larger cable mash-ups along the under-
side of your desk.
Most computer-based cables
are thin, efficient, and tidy. By
comparison, power cables
are large, unwieldy, and irritat-
ing. And they take up a ton of
room when they’re all jacked
into a single surge protector.
Just throwing a surge
protector on the floor is the
surest way to begin a cable
nightmare. Concealing wires
is an art form, and you can
start your magnum opus
by making sure your surge
protector stays in one place.
We used screws, but you
can also use Velcro strips
to mount your power strip.
Some good target locations
include baseboards, the
underside of your desk, or
even the back of a desk leg.
Make a rough measurement of the dis-
tance between the anchoring holes before
you start drilling or nailing. It’ll save you a
trip to the store for some wood putty.
Protect Your Power
3
Clamp Your Cables
4
Tie, tie, tie. You can never use enough cable ties, trust us. They’re easy to
cut off if you make a mistake, just don’t nick a cable along with the tie.