Splicing Plasma

[me3@neuralfibre.com]

Seeing as the AU$ is so good and hte US$ so poor, it's time to order some plasma rope.

I'm after tips on slicing the stuff. I already have a rated safety hook and am thinking of just ordering the rope, nothing on the ends, and a couple of thimbles.

I have spliced thin stuff on boat winches before and believe the 5/16 and 3/8 is similar. Does anyone that has done it have any tips? When I did the boat winch it was just "through, through, then down the centre".

I plan to install an alloy fairlead and am worried about damaging it with the hook / thimble etc. I would prefer a plastic one, but they are hard to find (any tips to source)

Whislt on it
What are the thoughts on this large thimble rather a hook? http://www.cseoffroad.com/visywiro.html
Save having hook on car and could pull rope up inside so no UV issues.

And I know they copped a flogging here not long back, but the winch saver thingy (poly block on rope) would also protect the fairlead nicely. Personally though I think it would be cheaper to buy a poly bump stop off a mcpherson strut car, would do the same / similar job.

Thanx
Paul

[Rhysta]

Get a Kong Dog Toy and stick it at the end where the hook is.

It kinda goes over it and will stop it from hitting dinting etc your fairlead.

[KaMo]

Paul I have a PDF issued by a company called unirig to the tugs here in W.A. on how to splice 12-strand plasma. I can't find it at the moment, and its a PDF so im not sure how to host it when i do find it. If i manage to find it i can email it to you if you would like and you can put it on your site.

This method is the same, although the illustrations aren't quite as good as the PDF:

http://www.ropeinc.com/sp11_sbraid_eye_tuck.htm

Seperating the strands into the clockwise and anti-clockwise strands, and getting the first tucks right is the hardest part, but even then is pretty simple. Would help if you can splice 3-strand to begin with.

[bru21]

mate all the splicing info is way over done. just seperate and cut out every 2nd strand it 3 inches from the end. tape it up. have about a foot of splice. there for measure 2 ft and enought for the loop. punch it through so equal numbers are on each side. count 6 along and punch it back. do this 5 times and tuck the remainder in the centre so its smooth. pull tight.

thats it

[David_S]

Check out the website of your rope manufacturer or supplier. Samson Rope have excellent easy to follow instructions for their Amsteel Blue.

One tip I have found helpful is to use a knife sharpening steel (such as used for fishing) as a "lead-in" when threading the rope back inside the outer braid.