Rope

: Alfred Hitchcock's Rope is also the title of a movie by Alfred Hitchcock

A rope is a length of fibers, twisted or braid together to improve strength, for pulling and connecting. It has tensile strength but is too flexible to provide compressive strength (i.e., it can be used for pulling, not pushing). Common materials for rope include Manila hemp, hemp, hair, nylon, and steel. Sometimes woven straps or chains are used where rope could be used, especially in securing loads to vehicles.

Other fibrous plant materials sometimes used include cotton, linen, coconut-husk fiber (coir), jute, and sisal. Other synthetic fibers in use include various forms of polypropylene, polyethylene (e.g. Spectra ® a high modulus polyethylene), aramid (e.g. kevlar ®), and polyester (e.g. dacron &ling this way imparts a twist to the rope. Braided ropes (and objects like garden hoses, optical fiber or coaxial cable cables, etc.) that have no lay, or inherent twist, will uncoil better if coiled into figure 8 coils, where the twist reverses regularly and essentially cancels out.

Before modern rope making machines were invented, these ropes were constructed in a rope walk. This was a very long building where strands the full length of the rope were spread out and then laid up or twisted together to form the rope. The cable length was thus set by the length of the available rope walk. (See also the unit of length called cable length.)

Braided ropes for sailing, climbing, and safety

"Laid"addition to limiting the stretch.

Braided ropes without a core have a much lower strength to weight ratio, but are cheaper than kernmantle ropes. Thus, they are used for low cost applications and where strength is less important, such as general utility applications in the home. Braided ropes are made in a wide range of diameters, from 1mm to over 13mm for rescue applications.

How to handle rope

Rope made from hemp or nylon should be stored in a cool dry place. It should be coiled and not twisted. If rope is found to be fraying you can melt some wax onto the end or in the case of nylon rope just melt the end so it fuses together. For fibre rope, fixing frayed ends can be more difficult. A strong twine should be used to lash the frayed end together to produce a whipped rope; this will help the end from coming apart again and make tying knots easier. If a load-bearing rope gets a sharp or sudden jolt or shows signs of deteriorating the rope should be replaced immediately and should be discarded or only used for non-load-bearing tasks.

External links

Tension Technology International offers resources on rope fiber characteristics


Home Articles Construction Tools Woodworking Store Tools Furniture Bathroom Flooring	Rope : Alfred Hitchcock's Rope is also the title of a movie by Alfred Hitchcock A rope is a length of fibers, twisted or braid together to improve strength, for pulling and connecting. It has tensile strength but is too flexible to provide compressive strength (i.e., it can be used for pulling, not pushing). Common materials for rope include Manila hemp, hemp, hair, nylon, and steel. Sometimes woven straps or chains are used where rope could be used, especially in securing loads to vehicles. Other fibrous plant materials sometimes used include cotton, linen, coconut-husk fiber (coir), jute, and sisal. Other synthetic fibers in use include various forms of polypropylene, polyethylene (e.g. Spectra ® a high modulus polyethylene), aramid (e.g. kevlar ®), and polyester (e.g. dacron &ling this way imparts a twist to the rope. Braided ropes (and objects like garden hoses, optical fiber or coaxial cable cables, etc.) that have no lay, or inherent twist, will uncoil better if coiled into figure 8 coils, where the twist reverses regularly and essentially cancels out. Before modern rope making machines were invented, these ropes were constructed in a rope walk. This was a very long building where strands the full length of the rope were spread out and then laid up or twisted together to form the rope. The cable length was thus set by the length of the available rope walk. (See also the unit of length called cable length.) Braided ropes for sailing, climbing, and safety "Laid"addition to limiting the stretch. Braided ropes without a core have a much lower strength to weight ratio, but are cheaper than kernmantle ropes. Thus, they are used for low cost applications and where strength is less important, such as general utility applications in the home. Braided ropes are made in a wide range of diameters, from 1mm to over 13mm for rescue applications. How to handle rope Rope made from hemp or nylon should be stored in a cool dry place. It should be coiled and not twisted. If rope is found to be fraying you can melt some wax onto the end or in the case of nylon rope just melt the end so it fuses together. For fibre rope, fixing frayed ends can be more difficult. A strong twine should be used to lash the frayed end together to produce a whipped rope; this will help the end from coming apart again and make tying knots easier. If a load-bearing rope gets a sharp or sudden jolt or shows signs of deteriorating the rope should be replaced immediately and should be discarded or only used for non-load-bearing tasks. See also Lashing knot Whipped rope External links Tension Technology International offers resources on rope fiber characteristics
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