rope question

[paul ron]

i see alot of you use scale rope on your models. im planning to do the same on my next models and in the process of making a rope walk.

 

curiosity has set in as to how many twists per foot does real rope have? ... say for 1850s clippers like the flying fish, the cloud, cutty sark... etc? is that taken into account for scale ropes?

 

 

 

[Gregory]

It would vary with the size of the rope and the size of the yarns. 

When laying up rope the idea is for the yarns to be twisted as tight as possible without crinkling the rope.

This is true for full size or scale rope.  

 

The number of twists per foot will be what you have when the rope looks good.

 

 

[druxey]

Around 45 degrees seems to be about right, rather than twists per foot.

[paul ron]

the 45deg makes better sense. i expected to see answers saying it depends... but im sure there were standards regardless of depends. 

 

ill do some more digging into the manufacturing of traditional Maritime ropes.

 

thanks

 

[Gregory]

On a manufacturing level ,  something like weight per foot might be a standard.   I really don't think they are counting twists.

 

Just  a guess..

[popeye2sea]

I believe rope was sold by the fathom.   Cables were made in lengths of 100 fathoms and different rope sizes were made to a certain weight standard.  For instance 100 fathoms of 14 inch cable was to weigh 41 cwt. Cablets were made in 120 fathom lengths, and  Hawsers were made in 130 fathom lengths. 130 fathoms of 4 inch hawser weighed 5 cwt.

 

Information is from Steels elements of rope making.

 

Regards,

 

Henry