"Best" cable elevators?

A suggestion for the tying of teepees. use small zip-ties.
You can glue the sticks and ziptie them easy. Pull the ziptie with a plier and cut off the end. works good!
(the ball measuring system sounds like a good idea too)
If your cables are not too heavy, use round toothpicks for sticks

Terra Cotta flower pots work fine at well under a dollar each.....

Another solution is to use a four inch PVC pipe. Use a hole saw to drill the holes of the desired diameter in the PVC. These will need to be 75% larger than large enough to hold whichever cables you are going to be lifting. Drill the holes at a distance twice the desired height of the elevator. Next, cut the lengths needed at half way through the drilled holes and half between the distance of the holes. You will end up with elevators of your desired height with small (or large) troughs (sp?) in them. Work as well as anything else I've tried. Can be painted if desired. Best Regards.

tennis balls.

I use wood blocks (cedar) available at any grocery or hardware store for under $1 a block. They will lift the cables 3" above the floor.