Chapter III: Part 3

To continue the netting the stick is withdrawn and placed under =A=, in the third meshing diagram. The needle is then passed under the stick as before, brought through the loop =B= and as before to form another mesh. This is continued to make a chain of meshes, say forty-five or fifty, sufficient for the width of the hammock. The loop =A= originally tied is then unfastened and it will be found that the meshes are all of the same size.

The chain is then opened out at right angles to the line in which it was made, shown in the next diagram, and working across is begun by making a mesh at =A=, then at =B=, =C=, and so on, until the length of the first lot of meshes has been reached, when the net is turned over and another row of meshes worked in the same manner.

To insure uniformity it will be well to put the loops, =D=, =E=, =F= and =G=, separately on the hook or nail as the meshes under them are made. After a little practice a cord may be reeved through the top line of meshes, tied into a loop and passed over the knee and then over the foot as the work progresses.

An ash stick may be used at each end to which the end meshes are looped and tied, and a piece of codline may be passed through the side meshes on each side and attached to the ends of the sticks. At each end a stout cord is secured to the stick in the form of a triangle for hanging the hammock. Another plan is to tie a number of cords together by doubling them in the center and forming a loop, and each of the free ends is attached to one of the meshes of the net. The best plan is to reeve a cord about the size of a little finger through the end meshes and splice it into the form of a grommet. A thimble, =A=, is fixed in the end to which the supporting cords are attached and the cords which are reeved through the side meshes are spliced into the eye =B= at =C=. When these clews are used the net must be made longer than for sticks.

STRENGTH OF ROPE, ETC.

Rope is measured by its circumference. A four-stranded rope is about one-fifth weaker than a three-stranded one.

Generally blocks should be three times the size of the rope which it is intended to reeve in them.

The hauling part bears twice the strain of the standing part of a fall, the pin of a block is often more worn on one of its sides than on the other and should be turned frequently.

Sheaves and pins of blocks should be carefully examined at short intervals.

BREAKING STRAINS, ETC.

HAWSER-LAID ROPE RULE

Square the circumference and divide by 3 for the breaking strain; in tons. Divide by 4 for the proof strain; divide by 6 for the working strain.

WORKED EXAMPLE

A rope 4 inches in circumference; required the breaking strain.

4 inches in circumference.
× 4
----
÷ 3) 16
----
_Ans._ 5.3 tons = breaking strain.
====

4 inches in circumference.
× 4
÷ 4) 16
----
_Ans._ 4 tons = proof strain.
====

4 inches in circumference.
× 4
----
÷ 6) 16
----
_Ans._ 2.7 tons = working strain.
====

To find what weight a rope will lift when rove as a tackle.

Multiply the weight the rope is capable of suspending by the number of parts at the movable block and subtract ¼ of this for resistance.

To determine the relative strength of chain and rope.

Consider the proportional strength to be 10 to 1, using the diameter of the chain and the circumference of the rope; ½-inch chain may replace 5-inch rope.

Table showing the sized wire rope which may be used as a substitute for hempen rope.

Hemp Rope Wire Rope
Inches Inches
3 1½
4 1¾
5 2
6 2½
7 3
8 3½
9 4
10 4½
11 5

STEEL WIRE ROPES

1. The four qualities of steel wire used for wire making are:

=Breaking Strain p.s.i.=--Extra plough steel, 110 to 120 tons. Mild plough steel, 95 to 100 tons. Best patent steel, 80 to 85 tons. Bessemer steel, 40 to 45 tons.

2. =Specifications.=--Specification should state: (1) Length of rope. (2) Size of gear. (3) Speed. (4) Load, _exclusive of rope_. (5) If for wet workings. (6) Gradients. (7) Particulars of curves.

3. =Working Load.=--The maximum working load at average speed, including weight of rope, should not exceed a tenth of the breaking strain as tabulated on page 156.

4. =Sheaves and Barrels.=--Great care should be taken that wire ropes are not worked round drums or over pulleys of insufficient circumference, that they do not strike against any hard substance while in motion. They should be about 30 times the circumference of the rope in diameter.

5. =Uncoiling.=--Much care should be taken in uncoiling wire ropes, to prevent kinking. The coil should not be laid stationary, but should be placed on a turntable or reel and unwound from the outer end.

6. =Grease.=--To prevent corrosion, all working ropes should receive a regular dressing of wire rope grease thoroughly laid on.

7. =Starting.=--The greatest strain on a rope being at the moment of starting, every care should be taken to insure perfect steadiness of movement, as jerking is ruinous to ropes.

Weights and Breaking Strengths of Round Wire Ropes.

+--------+----------+--------+-------+-------+-------+--------+
| Diam. | Circumf. | Lbs. | | Best | Best |
|Inches. | Inches. | per | Plough Steel |Patent |Bessemer|
| | | Fathom.| Extra.| Mild. |Steel. | Steel. |
+--------+----------+--------+-------+-------+-------+--------+
| | | | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. |
| ½ | 1½ | 2¼ | 8½ | 7½ | 6¼ | 3¼ |
| | 1¾ | 3 | 11½ | 10 | 8½ | 4¼ |
| ⅝ | 2 | 3¾ | 15¼ | 13 | 11 | 5½ |
| | 2¼ | 5 | 19¼ | 16½ | 14 | 7 |
| ¾ | 2⅜ | 5½ | 20 | 17¼ | 15½ | 8 |
| | 2½ | 6¼ | 23¾ | 20¼ | 17½ | 8¾ |
| ⅞ | 2¾ | 7½ | 28¾ | 24½ | 21 | 10½ |
| | 3 | 8¾ | 34¼ | 29¾ | 25 | 12½ |
| 1 | 3⅛ | 9½ | 36½ | 32 | 27 | 13½ |
| | 3¼ | 11¼ | 40 | 34 | 29 | 14¾ |
| | 3½ | 12¼ | 46½ | 39¼ | 34 | 17 |
| | 3¾ | 14 | 53½ | 45¾ | 39 | 19½ |
| 1¼ | 4 | 16 | 61 | 54 | 44½ | 22¼ |
| | 4¼ | 18 | 69 | 62 | 50 | 25 |
| | 4½ | 20 | 77 | 70 | 56 | 28 |
| 1½ | 4¾ | 22½ | 86 | 76½ | 63 | 31 |
| | 5 | 25 | 95 | 85½ | 70 | 34½ |
| | 5¼ | 27 | 105 | 96 | 77 | 38½ |
| 1¾ | 5½ | 30 | 115 | 106 | 84 | 42 |
| | 5¾ | 33 | 126 | 114 | 92 | 46 |
| | 6 | 36 | 138 | 125 | 100 | 50 |
| 2 | 6¼ | 39 | 155 | 133 | 120 | 60 |
+--------+----------+--------+-------+-------+-------+--------+

INDEX

Artificial Eye, 119

Back-Handed Sailor’s Knot, 97, 98

Bale Slings, 84, 85

Belaying Pin Splice, 102

Bend Hawsers, 100

Bend Shortening, 71

Bending Sheet to Clew of Sail, 123

Blackwall Hitch, 44

Boat Knot, Simple, 95

Boat Knot with Thole Pin, 96

Boltrope, 14

Bow Knot, Double, 74, 75

Bow Knot, Single, 74, 75

Bow Shortening, 71, 72

Bowline Bend, 47, 48

Bowline Knot, 25, 26

Bowline Knot, Standing, 28

Bowline on a Bight, 27

Bronze Rope, 18

Builders’ Knot, 73

Builders’ Knot, Double, 74

Buntline Hitch, 38

Burton, Spanish, Double, 82, 83

Burton, Spanish, Single, 81, 82

Butt Slings, 84

Cable-Laid Rope, 13

Can Hooks, 84, 85

Capstan Knot, 96

Carrick Bend, 48

Carrick Bend, Double, 48, 49

Catspaw, 72

Chain Fastening, 90

Chain Fastening to Sheaves, Double, 91

Chain Hitch, 49

Chain Knot, 68

Chain Knot, Double, 69, 70

Chain Splice, 115, 116

Clinch, Outside, 28

Clinch, Running or Inside, 28

Clinch, Simple, 28

Clove Hitch, 39, 73

Coir Rope, 14, 18

Crabber’s Eye Knot, 37, 38

Cringle on a Crown, 127

Cringles, 125, 126

Crossed and Square Fastening, 92

Crossed Running Knot, 30, 96

Cross Lashing, 103

Cross Netting, 150

Crowning, 56

Crown Knot, 57

Cut Splice, 116

Dead-eye Lashing, 101, 102

Diamond Knot, Double, 63, 64

Diamond Knot, Single, 62, 63

Dog Shank, 70, 71

Double Blackwall Hitch, 41, 42

Double Builders’ Knot, 74

Double Knot, 22

Double Wall Knot, 56

Durable Rope, 18

Englishman’s Knot, 33

Eye Splice, Rope, 115

Eye Splice, Wire Rope, 130

False Knot, 31, 32

Fender, Round or Pudding, 141

Fender, Soft, 142

Fibres, 12

Figure of 8 Knot, 21

Fisherman’s Bend, 46, 47

Fisherman’s Knot, 33

Five-Fold Knot, 22

Flemish Eye, 119

Flemish Knot, 76, 77

Galvanized Iron Wire, 18

Granny, 31, 32

Grommet, 118

Gunner’s Knot, 99

Half Hitch, 36

Half Hitch and Seizing Bend, 47, 48

Hammock Clew, 150

Hammock Lashings, 14

Hawser Bend, Simple, 47

Hawser Rope, 13

Hawsers, 18

Hemp Rope, 18

Junk, 14

Jury Knot, 108

Killick Hitch, 42, 43

Knot Shortening, 71, 72

Lanyards, 14

Lark Boat Knot, 94, 95

Lark’s Head, 88, 89, 96

Lark’s Head, Double, 97, 98

Lark’s Head, Stoppered, 96

Lark’s Head, Treble, 97, 98

Lark’s Head with Crossed Ends, 97

Lark’s Nest, 57

Lengthening the Rope of a Sail, 122

Long Splice, Rope, 114

Long Splice, Wire, 131

Loop Fastening to Sheaves, 91, 92

Loop Knot, 23, 24

Loop Knot for Large Cordage, 24

Loop or Bend Shortening, Simple, 71

Lubber’s Knot, 32

Magnus Hitch, 43

Malay Hitch, 145

Manila Rope, 18

Marling Hitch, 42

Marlinespike, 118

Marlinespike Hitch, 43, 44

Manrope Knot, 57, 58

Matthew Walker Knot, 59, 60

Matthew Walker, Double, 60, 61

Meshing Loop, 147

Metallic Rope, 18

Midshipman’s Hitch, 42

Mousing a Hook, 100

Necklace Tie, 103

Nettle Stuff, 14

Netting Needles, 146

Nippering or Packing, 104

Oakum, 14

Open-Hand Knot, 32

Ordinary Knot or Tie, 34

Overhand Loop, 21

Packing Knot, 106, 107

Parbuckle, 84

Parcelling, 124

Pass a Life Line, To, 85

Pass a Stropper, To, 86

Paunch Mat, 134

Pitcher Knot, Single, 23

Pitcher Knot, Double, 108, 109

Point a Rope End, To, 52, 53

Portuguese Knot or Necklace Tie, 103

Pricker, 118

Purchases--
Burton, 81
Double Luff Tackle, 80, 81
Four-fold, 81
Gun Tackle, 79, 80
Handy Billy, 80
Luff Tackle, 80, 81
Runner, 79, 80
Runner and Tackle, 82
Three-fold, 80
Up and Down Tackle, 81
Watch Tackle, 80
Whip, Double, 79
Whip, Single, 79

Put a Strop on a Spar, 87

Racking Seizing, 109, 110, 111

Reef Knot, 31, 73

Roband Hitch, 39

Rolling Hitch, 40, 41

Rope, 11

Rope Yarn Knot, 35

Rose Lashing, 103

Round Fender, 143

Round Turn and Two Half Hitches, 43, 44

Running Bowline, 26

Running Knot, 75, 76, 77

Running Knot Checked, 75, 76

Running Knot Crossed, 30, 96

Running Knot in Eye of a Rope, 101

Running Knot, Simple, 96

Running Knot with Check Knot, 24

Running Noose, 29, 30

Sailors’ Knot Fastening, 94

Secure Lead Line to Lead, 100

Secure a Rope Round a Belaying Pin, 93

Secure a Rope Around a Cleat, 93

Selvagees, 120, 121

Sennit, 14

Sennit, Crown, 140

Sennit, Square, 141

Serving, 124

Shell Lashing, 103

Sheep Shank or Dog Shank, 70, 71

Sheet Bend, 46, 47

Shortening Tie, 34

Short Splice, Rope, 112

Short Splice, Wire, 129

Shroud-Laid Rope, 13

Shroud Knot, 64

Simple Boat Knot, 95

Simple Hitch, 21

Simple Knot, 21, 73, 74

Simple Running Knot, 23

Simple Stoppered Loop, 88

Single Plait or Chain Knot, 68

Six-Fold Knot, 23

Sling a Cask on End, 86

Slip Clinches or Running Knots Seized, 29

Slip Knot, Stoppered, 98

Slip Knot Secured by Slip Clinch, 99

Slippery Hitch, 39, 40

Slippery Ring Knot, 94

Snaking and Seizing, 65

Spanish Burton, 81, 82

Spanish Burton, Double, 82, 83

Spanish Windlass, 83

Spritsail Sheet Knot, 66

Spun Yarn, 14

Square Fastening, 93

Stationer’s Knot, 77, 78

Steel Rope, 18

Stopper Knot, 57, 58

Strands, 12

Stun’sail Halyard Bend, 44, 45

Sword Mat Splicing, 138

Sword Matting, 136, 137

Tail Jigger, 87

Tent Pole Knot, 75, 76

Throat Seizing, 120

Thrum Mat, 140

Timber Hitch, 36, 37

Timber Hitch for Towing Spars, 37

Toggles, 107

Tomfool Knot, 23

Topsail Halyard Bend, 45

Treble Knot, 22

Turk’s Head Knot, 58

Twine, 14

Twist Knot, Single, 69, 74

Twist Knot, Double, 74, 75

Twisted Rope Fastening, 89

Underhand Loop, 21

Useful Band, 106

Wall Knot, 54, 55

Waterman’s Knot, 89, 90

Weaver’s Knot or Tie, 32, 33

Wedding Knot or Rose Lashing, 102, 103

Weaving, Simple, 144

Whip a Rope, To, 50, 51

Whipping, American, 103

Whipping, To Finish, 105

Whipping, Palm and Needle, 51, 52

Whipping, West Country, 104

Wire Hawsers, Steel, 130

Wire Rope, 18

Wire Rope Eye Splice, 130

Wire Rope into Endless Band, To Splice, 131

Wire Rope Long Splice, 131

Wire Rope Splicing, 128

Wire Splice, Short, 129

Worming, 124

Yarn, 12

Transcriber’s Notes.

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Evident typographical and punctuation errors have been corrected silently. Inconsistent spelling/hyphenation has been normalised.

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New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain.