A cable winding apparatus mounted on an arm of an excavator. The cable winding apparatus comprises a housing, a hydraulic motor disposed within the housing where a portion of the hydraulic motor extends through the second wall of the housing, a drive shaft extending through the housing that is connected to the motor, and a collapsible power reel. The collapsible power reel comprises a plurality of segments movably coupled to the collapsible power reel and extending radially from the collapsible power reel. The plurality of segments can engage a cable and enable the cable to be wound around the collapsible power reel as the hydraulic motor rotates the collapsible power reel. The plurality of segments are configured to collapse in an axial direction, thereby enabling the wound cable to be easily removed from the apparatus.

A cable winding apparatus mounted on an arm of an excavator. The cable winding apparatus comprises a housing, a hydraulic motor disposed within the housing where a portion of the hydraulic motor extends through the second wall of the housing, a drive shaft extending through the housing that is connected to the motor, and a collapsible power reel. The collapsible power reel comprises a plurality of segments movably coupled to the collapsible power reel and extending radially from the collapsible power reel. The plurality of segments can engage a cable and enable the cable to be wound around the collapsible power reel as the hydraulic motor rotates the collapsible power reel. The plurality of segments are configured to collapse in an axial direction, thereby enabling the wound cable to be easily removed from the apparatus.