The question has been asked: "What rope should I use for a gin pole?"
The next question will be: How do I cut and seal the end? Here is the
summary of those answers, from 1998. -- Fred K1VR
From: "Jim Smith" <jimsmith@ns.net>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 16:56:56 -0700
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Rope End Sealing
One method I've seen that works great is to use a small piece of heat
shrink tubing on the end. -- Jim Smith KQ6UV
-----Original Message-----
From: Terry Sharar <terrys@romulus.ncsc.mil>
To: towertalk@contesting.com <towertalk@contesting.com>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Tuesday, September 15, 1998 4:37 PM
> I recently bought some 3/8 inch braided dacron rope to use with a
>gin pole. I'd like to receive some suggestions on the best way to seal
the
>rope ends, something better than the black electrical tape the vendor
>used. -- Terry Sharar WB3DSB
=====
From: K7LXC@aol.com
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 20:39:08 EDT
In the absence of a hot-knife that'll melt and fuse the rope at the
same time, I just make a clean cut with a sharp razor knife and then use
a lighter or flame of some sort to melt the strand ends together. Don't
breath the vapors! -- Steve K7LXC
=====
From: Tom Osborne <w7why@mail.coos.or.us>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1998 00:41:01 -0700
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Rope End Sealing
I used to do a lot of line splicing when I was rafting logs on the Coos
River, and we used to burn the end of the rope with a torch to seal it
and keep it from fraying. Work's good. Tom W7WHY
=====
From: "Jim Berry" <basalop@gte.net>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 18:11:21 -0700
Get out your old trusty Zippo and melt the end with a flame.
=====
Terry, I also melt the ends with a flame to fuse them, although I like
the
idea of the heat shrink tubing suggested by KQ6UV and may try that next
time myself. When melting the ends, though, first wrap a couple of turns
of some kind of tape around the rope where you plan to cut it. Then cut
the rope through the midpoint of the tape with a razor blade or sharp
knife
-- the tape will keep the twists of the rope from splaying out before you
get a chance to melt them together. Done carefully, I can usually keep
the
fused end almost the same diameter as the rope itself. -- Dave AB7E
=====
From: Eric Gustafson <n7cl@sparx.mmsi.com>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 18:46:45 -0700
Flame sealing works well. But if you get any molten plastic on
your skin, you'll regret it. Also, if your rope must be threaded
through a correctly sized pulley, the blob at the end can be
troublesome.
If you have the luxury of preparing the rope indoors before using
it outdoors, the following may be useful.
1. Pass the rope through a washer that has the same hole
diameter as the rope rated O.D.
2. Use the flame method or a heat gun (like for heatshrink) to
melt the end of the rope (You are holding the washer in some
pliers aren't you?).
3. Before the end cools to solid, pull the washer over the
melted end. This will nicely size the end so that it will
pass anywhere the rope is supposed to go. And, the excess
won't end up on your fingers.
I have also used tubing to size these ends. But it is harder to
decontaminate the inside of the tubing between uses. -- Eric N7CL
=====
From: LYN <designserv@ipass.net>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 22:17:08 -0400
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Rope End Sealing
A hot knife (or a hot knife blade for a hefty solder gun) works better
than a torch or cigarette lighter. I'll second the motion about NOT
touching it for a long time after you have removed the heat. -- Lyn,
W4WDN
=====
Several have suggested heat-fusing the ends. I agree, but
there is a simple way to keep from having a big BLOB when you do it.
Wrap ordinary clear plastic tape around the rope, just back from the end.
Tight. Cut the rope just in the taped area, using a SHARP knife. Fuse
the
end with a torch. Pull the tape off just before it cools.
This gives a well fused end, but no big end due to fraying. -- Bill-
W4BSG
=====
From: DavisRFinc@aol.com
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 23:39:12 EDT
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Rope End Sealing
We sell a lot of rope and I use a lot of it for various applications. I
have always suggested to customers that the quickest and easiest way is
to use whatever flame is best for the environment (inside or no wind:
even a match or candle will do it; in windy situations a lighter, butane
torch or surplus flame thrower (HI)).
If you want the ease of matches even outside, do it in the bottom of a
bucket. If you have many to do, put a candle in the bucket. If you use
a
bucket and have a real long beard, tuck it in your shirt (the beard).
"Do it" is translated: take a safety razor, cut the rope end if need be,
pass the end thru flame for 3 seconds then immediately grab the end with
a rag or your gloved hand and quickly pull the rope out. That's it, no
bulging. I always add: The rope end is molten and high temp. BE
CAREFUL with all the incendiaries (especially the flame thrower). If you
must do it to a "T", advise the Fire Dept. If they object, call K1VR.
Aforementioned ref. experience with double braided Dacron jacketed poly
core up to 1/2" O.D. -- Steve Davis, K1PEK
DAVIS RF Co., Commercial wire/cable, RF connectors, custom cable design.
Discounts to hams Visit our web site at www.davisRF.com.
1-800-328-4773 (1-800-DAVIS RF)
=====
From: Dale Jones K5MM <ddjones@nas.com>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 20:55:15 -0700 (PDT)
A very hot 200 watt soldering iron (a big one, such as a Sears soldering
iron) with a wedge-tip is indeed a much more effective tool for sealing
the end of dacron rope. The ideas of using clear tape or heat-shrink
are good ones, too.
The big, hot soldering iron enables you to QUICKLY seal the end of the
rope, thereby avoiding the big-blob problem created by zippo lighters
and the like. Also, the big soldering iron is able to 'customize' the
shape of your rope end. For example, you can make the end 'pointy' if
you like.
Little, flaky 25 watt soldering irons or guns will not do the job very
well. -- Dale K5MM
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