A clamp for holding rope for splicing

[michael mott]

After spending a couple of hours yesterday sorting out the whole splicing gig, I felt that it would be much easier to clamp the smaller lines to free up both hands while threading and weaving the strands back on themselves so using up a few odds and ends this is what I came up with.

 

first I took the dremel chuck out of the earlier mini drill and fitted it to an ebony block. The dremel chuck will allow for different size ropes because of the interchangeable collets.

 

 

The other end was made from a short length of 3/8 hex brass both ends can be rotated in their holders.

 

 

By using an adjustable clamp I can use different rope sizes and create different eye sizes easily

 

 

 

After the rope is clamped to the loop end the rope is pulled through the dremel collet then the collet tightened to put some tension on the rope that will be threaded into. I did have to drill through the dremel holder to allow the rope to pass through.

 

 

 

and now rotated a quarter turn

 

 

Tomorrow I will see how the clamp works.

 

Michael

 

 

 

[WackoWolf]

Michael,

 

    Keep us posted about this, looks very nice to be also show more pictures. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[captainbob]

Looks good.  I'm sure going to use the Dremel collet idea.  Thanks.

 

Bob

[michael mott]

Joe, I will post some more pictures as soon as i get a little practice in.

Bob, Glad that some of this will be useful.

 

Today while making a couple of new goes at some small eyes in scale 1/2 inch rope I found the brass clamp to be a bit too large so today I have reshaped it a little giving it a bit of taper and also I made a brass sleeve for the dremel chuck to bring it closer to the clamp. another modification I am thinking about is to make the chuck and the clamp be able to swivel freely when needed this will entail adding a collar to the back end of both elements.

 

I have also found that by unraveling a little more of the rope that would customarily be the case so that I can turn the ends into their own needles or marlins if you get my drift. (sorry Bob I couldn't resist).

the last thing is that the tips of the three ropes are now going to be colour coded red,  blue,  green, this helps to keep the sequence in order.

 

Michael

[michael mott]

This evening I was able to sequence the splice as follows.

 

The set up includes making the three strands stiff for about and inch I used carpenters glue rather than the CA you have to wait a bit longer but I think it is better.

 

 

next the three ends are marked with the colours I used red blue and green because I had them handy.

 

 

Next the end of the unraveled rope is siezed.

 

 

Now the sequence begins I used Blue Green Red

 

 

 

 

After a few rounds

 

 

 

 

end of part one

 

Michael

 

 

[michael mott]

part 2

 

The tails are now snipped off.

 

 

Then the eye is unclamped.

 

 

Next a thimble is inserted.

 

 

I am pleased with the overall look of this one, Now all I have to do is more of the same.

 

 

The clamp now that the modification are started, showing the extended collet end, and the refined clamp end. Like any tool it will take a while to get comfortable with its operation.

 

Michael

 

[jud]

In one of the photos it looks kind of like you started your short splice with a crown knot, was that just an optical illusion? Didn't see the part about throwing the thing on the deck and rolling the finished splice under you foot. That setup looks like it would be a great aid in making splices by freeing up your hands, long splices and short runs of seizing could be done using that rig, good invention. thanks for sharing.

jud

[michael mott]

 

In one of the photos it looks kind of like you started your short splice with a crown knot,

Jud, no I did not put a crown knot there I think I need to do some better photos. I will talk to Walter about getting busy with his feet in the future. You are correct about freeing up both hands in fact that is exactly the reason for making this clamp in the first place.

 

Michael

[captainbob]

Nice eye splice with just the right number of tucks.  And it stretched nicely over the thimble.  Well done.

I've done this type of work on full sized rope and know what it takes, you make it look so easy.

 

Bob