Rope Making

[Pitchy]

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.

[BEAVERMAN]

Sweet! man that plasma cutter sure does some nice work Len!

[Pitchy]

Thanks buddy, that gear cutting is a challenge, sure hate to have to make some fine tooth ones.  

[mike rumping]

Looking great!!
Mike

[Pitchy]

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.

[Riley/MN]

Man Lenn, you are an inspiration - the way you get an idea and then just go make it happen....You Da Man!

[Roaddog]

Lenn you are something else. That is way cool.

[Ironwood]

Wow!  Great looking rope!  Lenn, is there anything you can't do when you set your mind to it!  

[Pitchy]

Thanks Gents.  

[mike rumping]

One question, how do you finish the ends of a length of rope to keep it from unraveling?  
Mike

[Pitchy]

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.

[FG1]

Very cool Lenn ! Now ya need to grow some fiber hemp (not the wacky hemp) !

[Choupic]

Mighty good lookin rope.

[R.M.]

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.

[Pitchy]

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.