making small segments of cordage on a bench top rope machine part 2

 Part one shows the machine setup and cordage making. Go back to part one.


This is part 2 showing how the segments are finished off.

The wind is complete and the separator is disengaged from the twisted yarns. A few additional turns on the crank brings the wind to the critical end point.

 Here the separators is removed leaving the tensioned yarns in place. A tiny drop of white glue is introduced into the center of the cordage and a few more turns are taken. This holds the four strands together after the rope is removed from the machine.

 A piece of vinyl tape is applied to compress the yarns and prevent unravelling. This can be removed in a few minutes as soon as the glue takes hold.

The traveller (at the other end) is disengaged and the cord is allowed to relax into it's natural shape.

 Once the tension is removed the end loops can be disengaged from the hooks.

The finished cordage segment is relaxed. The twisted pairs are naturally held together by the reverse twist of the group of four.

Some excess wind has been released as the cordage is removed from the machine but the material is at equilibrium and ready to be used.


See the products of this machine in some of the following posts.


design and photographs copyright 2016 George Hutchinson

Rope bracelet with star knot meridian 1738

This is a complex knotted bracelet project that is based on a pattern developed by Norbert Trupiano and posted on Charles Hamel's  web in the "Nono Tuts" section. You will have to scroll down to the "Bracelet with Star Knot Meridian" headline to read about this one.

The design is made on a pattern grid that has been printed and then placed on a cardboard tube. The cord is then routed on the pattern using pins to hold the shape until the knot is complete.

The image shows a completed knot made from 1.5 mm white nylon braid that has not yet been worked up to final shape. You can see the reverse loops of the star knot clearly in the second photo.

The pvc mold shown in the photos is about 7 1/8" circumference. The knot was laid out on a 10 3/4" cardboard tube using the pattern grid.

This knot resembles a flat sinnit turks head (ABOK #1379) except that it is not really a turks head in the strict definition.

Here's a closeup of the knot worked up to final shape. You can see the star knot in the center of the weave.

See the same design made in 3 mm cotton here.

                        available here

photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

This image is the pattern grid that was created by Norbert and used to lay out the knot. The red line is the registration line where the pattern can be repeated to create a larger circumference.


Pattern grid design copyright Norbert Trupiano, used with permission.