Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Craftsmanship => Accoutrements => Topic started by: Pitchy on June 09, 2010, 07:23:28 PM

Title: Rope Making
Post by: Pitchy on June 09, 2010, 07:23:28 PM
Been doing a little rope making using baler twine. I had a small origanal rope machine but it wasn`t up too what i wanted to make so out came the plazy cutter and some 1/2 inch steel.
The first method we used for a swivel and tensioner didn`t work out, the garage door spring got too stiff the further it pulled and the swivel would stop working. Next was the electric motor which works perfect for the swivel, we set it on some ten foot boards thinking that would be long enough for the distant the motor travels when twisting the rope but not so. Next we mounted the motor on a old lawn mower base and with a cement block tied to the back to act as a drag it worked perfect.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10457.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10459.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10460.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10462.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10463.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10464.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10465.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10466.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10468.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10469.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10470.jpg)
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Post by: BEAVERMAN on June 09, 2010, 07:49:18 PM
Sweet! man that plasma cutter sure does some nice work Len!
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Post by: Pitchy on June 09, 2010, 07:52:26 PM
Thanks buddy, that gear cutting is a challenge, sure hate to have to make some fine tooth ones.  :lol:
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Post by: mike rumping on June 09, 2010, 08:00:14 PM
Looking great!!
Mike
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Post by: Pitchy on June 09, 2010, 08:10:21 PM
Thanks Mike, the swivel and proper resistance on the far end is important. The motor spins real free and doesn`t bind in any way, as ya can see in the pic we tried wedges in the rear wheels for drag first but the mower would pull crooked. After tying a cement block to drag behind as drag and a rudder so to speak it worked good.
Making rope is fun, we even made some using the twirling stick method.
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Post by: Riley/MN on June 09, 2010, 11:09:54 PM
Man Lenn, you are an inspiration - the way you get an idea and then just go make it happen....You Da Man!
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Post by: Roaddog on June 10, 2010, 06:34:19 AM
Lenn you are something else. That is way cool.
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Post by: Ironwood on June 10, 2010, 07:29:02 AM
Wow!  Great looking rope!  Lenn, is there anything you can't do when you set your mind to it!  :)
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Post by: Pitchy on June 10, 2010, 07:58:21 AM
Thanks Gents.  :shake
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Post by: mike rumping on June 10, 2010, 08:44:58 AM
One question, how do you finish the ends of a length of rope to keep it from unraveling?   :oops:
Mike
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Post by: Pitchy on June 10, 2010, 12:13:04 PM
Just figured that one out myself, the end on the motor end is a closed loop so no loose ends. If ya take two of the three strands on the machine and move them too one hook then turn the crank the opposite direction it will twist right up to the end. We tied a few wraps of twine around the end anyway.
When it quits raining i`ll post a picture.
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Post by: FG1 on June 10, 2010, 12:37:45 PM
Very cool Lenn ! Now ya need to grow some fiber hemp (not the wacky hemp) !
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Post by: Choupic on June 10, 2010, 01:16:21 PM
Mighty good lookin rope.
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Post by: R.M. on June 10, 2010, 02:26:50 PM
Mighty impressive there Lenn. We used to make it that way back when I was a Scout, but not to that degree.
What length did you start and end up with? What diameter?
Great job on the gears too. You never fail to impress me. Keep up the good work.
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Post by: Pitchy on June 10, 2010, 02:40:10 PM
Thanks guys,   :)
Seems the longer ya make it the more ya loose RM, about five feet on the 20 foot finished one inch. diameter rope pictured here.

Here ya go Mike, the pics on twisting the ends, a person can put hooks or links in the ends to tie it all together also.
There are 13 strands each on this rope, total of 39.


(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10471.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10472.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10473.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10474.jpg)
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Post by: vthompson on June 11, 2010, 01:53:37 PM
Very impressive I tip my hat to ya!
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Post by: mike rumping on June 11, 2010, 03:20:55 PM
Man oh man, just wonderin' what a nice length of hemp rope would cost?  LOL
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Post by: Pitchy on June 11, 2010, 03:52:59 PM
I wouldn`t of believed it, made this auto follower, it goes right down the rope by itself making rope behind it.
I`ll shoot ya a pm.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10479.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10478.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/InTheWind/SDC10477.jpg)
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Post by: Shadow Hawk on June 12, 2010, 07:14:26 PM
thats one great  rope maker you made up .  very cool :lt th
 and that follower is way cool. back in the day they did the rope like this the followers i have seen are just like that but rounded(just the way they where made your is just as good) there was agroup of people a few years back that went around washington and oregon setting up end of trail camps for teaching people about the trades and life of oregon trail travelers. one of the people had an old rope maker that worked very simular to your except theres twisted and spun the rope at the same time from one end.(there hooks not only turns like yours but they spun around a center gear also. ther name was oregon trail.. something. i can't remember the entire name. yours is real close and i think its  real cool.
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Post by: Pitchy on June 12, 2010, 10:01:14 PM
Quote from: "Shadow Hawk"
thats one great  rope maker you made up .  very cool :lt th
 and that follower is way cool. back in the day they did the rope like this the followers i have seen are just like that but rounded(just the way they where made your is just as good) there was agroup of people a few years back that went around washington and oregon setting up end of trail camps for teaching people about the trades and life of oregon trail travelers. one of the people had an old rope maker that worked very simular to your except theres twisted and spun the rope at the same time from one end.(there hooks not only turns like yours but they spun around a center gear also. ther name was oregon trail.. something. i can't remember the entire name. yours is real close and i think its  real cool.

Thanks Shadow Hawk, sounds like a neat rope machine.
Those rope makers are getting hard to find.
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Post by: BEAVERMAN on June 12, 2010, 10:35:19 PM
Very interesting thread Len, pretty cool!
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Post by: Pitchy on June 12, 2010, 10:43:12 PM
Thanks Jim.  :)
Title: Rope Making
Post by: Pitchy on June 13, 2010, 03:17:13 PM
Check out the video, click on picture  <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" title="Smile" />