Cable railings are comprised of three main components. The first are the posts that support the cables and attach them to the surface where the railing is to be mounted. These posts can be wood or metal, but it is important that they be designed to withstand the pressures of tensioned cables. The second feature of the cable railing is the cable itself. We recommend using 316 stainless steel 1x19 cable which has the rigidity needed for a proper cable tension. We recommend 1/8" cable for light use areas such as decks and 3/16" cable for commercial settings. Under the Uniform Building Code a 4" ball can not pass through any opening in a railing. To meet this code we recommend spacing the cables 3" apart. To maintain cable rigidity we recommend that railing posts be spaced not more than 42" apart.

The third component to a cable railing is the fittings. These are the pieces of hardware which affix the cable to the post. With our fitting system , these break down into two groups: receiver/tensioners and push lock fittings. The receiver/ tensioner takes a threaded stud which has been swaged onto the end of the cable . When the tensioner is turned with an allen wrench, the cable is tightened. The push lock fittings secure the other end of the cable so that the tension can be applied. Let's go over the different types of these products and see how they are applied.

The picture above shows an Invisiware Receiver. This fitting is designed to secure the swaged fitting on the end of the cable. Keuka Studios sells its cables pre-swaged for your convenience. The picture below shows how the cable and the receiver fit together. After the reciever is installed, the other end of the cable is inserted in the push lock fitting and the cable can be tensioned. The cable is tensioned by using an allen wrench in the socket end of the Invisiware receiver.