Patent ID: 6877688

Claim:
A method of preparing a mold for casting a large concrete product formed in the mold at a mold location, the concrete product having a plurality of strands to prestress the concrete product, comprising the steps of: placing a single strand pack of strand on a strand pack payout device at an assembly location; placing a strand reel on a strand reel winder, the strand reel having a plurality of slots, each slot for receiving a length of strand; rotating the strand reel on the strand reel winder about an axis of the strand reel; pulling out a first segment of the strand of predetermined length from the single strand pack under tension and winding said first segment of strand of predetermined length into a first one of said plurality of slots in the strand reel under tension; pulling out at least a second segment of the strand of said predetermined length from the single strand pack under tension and winding said second segment of said predetermined length into a second one of said plurality of slots in said strand reel under tension; and removing the strand reel from the strand reel winder and transferring the strand reel to the mold location to eliminate the need for strand packs at the location to supply strand to the mold.