Securing Ropes Wrapped Around Masts

[acaron41120]

What method do you use to secure the ropes wrapped around the fore and main masts? A drop of clear glue, superglue or what? Thanks in advance.

[Knocklouder]

Hello, I use a drop of super glue, wrap it around and another drop , then tuck in the ends careful to much stains the rope. Then 50-50 mix of white glue and water . It's not the right way but it works for me.  You could look on utube for Paul Lester Mayflower build he shows how to tie off the bindings. hope it helps     

[Knocklouder]

3 minutes ago, Knocklouder said:

Hello, I use a drop of super glue, wrap it around and another drop , then tuck in the ends careful to much stains the rope. Then 50-50 mix of white glue and water . It's not the right way but it works for me.  You could look on utube for Paul Lester Mayflower build he shows how to tie off the bindings. hope it helps     

Video 16

Edited February 28, 2023 by Knocklouder

[Stevinne]

I use a technique I learned wrapping the windings on my fly rod - I make a loop of thin monofilament that I put up against the wood as I wrap the windings. When I get to the top of the wrap, I put the thread in the loop and pull the loop down until the end of the thread is hanging out the bottom of the winding, gently pull it tight and then cut off the bit that's showing

[popeye2sea]

You can make the wooldings and secure them without glue  in the folowing manner:

 

Lay a bight of the line you are using along the mast.  Make it a bit longer than the final width of the woolding.  Make sure to leave a good length of the end to be able to grab on to later.  Start taking turns of the woolding around the mast working towards the bight in the line.  When you have the desired width for your woolding pass the working end through the bight. Now grab the end of the line you left long earlier and pull.  This will draw the working end down behind the woolding and tighten the whole thing up.  Trim the ends close to the top and bottom of the woolding.  Done!

 

Regards,

 

Henry

[acaron41120]

I used the bight and wind method so far on the fore mast. But they slide up and down fairly easily. Perhaps I didn't tighten them enough. I'll give it another and try to make the windings a little more taut. Thank you all for your excellent help.

[wefalck]

For securing all ropes, knots etc. my preferred medium is dilute varnish or shellac. If something is not right, you can soften it with a drop of acetone or alcohol and adjust.

[shipman]

Eberhard, what varnish type would you recommend and some idea of solution medium and ratio as a thinner, please?

[allanyed]

11 hours ago, acaron41120 said:

But they slide up and down fairly easily.

Hi Allen,

From David Lees' Masting and Rigging page 2,  "Wooden hoops were nailed to the mast at the top and the bottom of each woolding to serve as a protection and to help keep the wooldings in position on the mast."

 

Allan

[wefalck]

@Shipman, I am using either zapon-varnish or shellac solution. The former straight out of the tin and the latter I mix myself from shellac flakes and alcohol to a viscosity that seems adequate for the job.

 

The zapon-varnish can be softened with aceton and shellac redisolved obviously in alcohol.