OT--Making Rope

[Pitchy]

I have a small original roop making machine like this one that i built from half inch plate steel, the center gear is 12 inch.
There are 16 strands of baling twine on each hook which made a 50 foot long by 1 1/2 in thick rope.
Any questions feel free to ask.

[JerryB]

A highly skilled craftsman, I would say. Thanks for the picture story, very nice.

[gcs]

That's pretty neat!
A few questions if you don't mind, it looks like your twisting from both ends, are they in opposite directions?
It looks like you can vary the thickness by the amount of strands of twine?
and finally, is there a process to make longer lengths other then moving the motor end farther away?

[Kansas Ed]

I had to design one of these for my final project in CATIA V5 a couple of years ago in college. Those are neat little contraptions, and prior to that if I had ever run across one at a garage sale I would have gone: "huh?" I've never seen one work, but I can say that I like the far end piece, not to mention the weighted lawnmower to handle the shortening of the rope but still keep the tension on it. Cool old piece!

Ed

[2ndovc]

That's pretty neat right there!!
Where did you find such a thing?



jb

[Blaine]

I'd say you're about one handy fella......

[Pitchy]

That's pretty neat!
A few questions if you don't mind, it looks like your twisting from both ends, are they in opposite directions?
It looks like you can vary the thickness by the amount of strands of twine?
and finally, is there a process to make longer lengths other then moving the motor end farther away?

Thanks Gents, 2ndove i found the small one at a antique shop then copied it in a large version.

gcs, yes you keep the motor end, single hook from turning with the splitter until the three bundles of twine are twisted in one direction seperatly. After they are twisted up by turning the gears then by moving the slitter down the three strands it will twist the other direction behind it making rope.

Yep the thickness is varied by the number of strands.

As far as length moving father away is the only way i know of.

Also the reason for the hook on the electric motor is when you get that much rope hanging on a swivel it doesn`t want to spin but the motor spins freely .

I also made this device that goes down the strings by itself making rope behind it.

[Pitchy]

Try this and see if it works.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v629/ ... C10483.mp4

[JReed]

That is way cool.

[stickfred]

Thanks for the great post Pitchy. That is a neat contraption you rigged up. Something new for me to think about.

Rick

[Ysabel Kid]

That is way cool.

+1 That says it all!

Again, the skills the folks have here never cease to amaze me!!!

[mouthpiece]

Do you like that electric powermower? Thinking about replacing my gasoline model because of Libyan gas price increases.

:>)

[Nath]

Neat, wish I was your neighbor

Nath.

[Grizz]

Thanks for posting that.

Probably not that long ago every town had a rope walk in it. Maybe combined with a sail loft on the coasts and rivers. Now it's all gone. 'Cept for Pitchy.

What would it take to make 4-strand?

How long is the finished rope in the foto?

Best,

Grizz

[Pitchy]

Thanks glad ya all liked it, the first pic of the rope is around 50 feet if i remember right.
Can`t make a four strand on these machines, only have three hooks that spin the same speed.

[44magHunter]

Very nice work. I like the BowTech sign too. I personally have an Admiral and a Sentinel. Both are GREAT bows.

[Pitchy]

Very nice work. I like the BowTech sign too. I personally have an Admiral and a Sentinel. Both are GREAT bows.

Thanks, i have a Liberty, go BowTech

[Cimarron]

I have a friend with an original one of those. He sets up during the steam engine show and makes ropes for the crowd. Those things are really cool to watch work. You have a good deal of skill to make one. Congratulations.