Finishing the Working End of a Plastic Woven Line

**rgsparber** · Sep 5, 2020, 07:56 AM

If you have ever cut the end of a plastic woven line, you are familiar with the little cloud that forms. Ignore this cloud of fibers, and it grows. Applying heat to this cloud causes it to melt into tiny blobs. The cloud has been tamed.

Well, I'm not too fond of those sharp little blobs. Here is a way to get a nice, uniform end.

If you are interested, please see

https://rick.sparber.org/LineMelt.pdf

Your comments are welcome. All of us are smarter than any one of us.

Thanks,

Rick

**mklotz** · Sep 5, 2020, 08:47 AM

I wonder if a piece of close fitting copper/brass tubing could be used in place of the aluminum foil. Pulling it off before the melted plastic sticks to the tube might work or perhaps there's some witch's brew that could be used as a release agent.

Regardless, thanks a lot for the foil trick. I make a lot of tool leashes with paracord and even do some decorative knotting so this is very helpful to me. I get very tired of sanding those catchy lumps off with a Dremel.

**rgsparber** · Sep 5, 2020, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by mklotz

I wonder if a piece of close fitting copper/brass tubing could be used in place of the aluminum foil. Pulling it off before the melted plastic sticks to the tube might work or perhaps there's some witch's brew that could be used as a release agent.

Regardless, thanks a lot for the foil trick. I make a lot of tool leashes with paracord and even do some decorative knotting so this is very helpful to me. I get very tired of sanding those catchy lumps off with a Dremel.

Marv,

The key is to have a tight fitting metal cylinder. I did make a mold from aluminum bar stock but it had too much thermal mass. While the plastic was still hot, I could slide off the mold with no harm.

A few layers of aluminum foil is hard to beat.

Rick

**Saltfever** · Sep 6, 2020, 02:16 PM

Hmmm, maybe a steel block with a shallow, blind hole, heated dull red (or less by experimentation), would work. Heat the "mold" and press the frayed end into it. Don't know if it will work but I'll try it soon.

Great Idea, Rick, and thanks. Its always a source of frustration because it is never as good as one wants.

**rgsparber** · Sep 6, 2020, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by Saltfever

Hmmm, maybe a steel block with a shallow, blind hole, heated dull red (or less by experimentation), would work. Heat the "mold" and press the frayed end into it. Don't know if it will work but I'll try it soon.

Great Idea, Rick, and thanks. Its always a source of frustration because it is never as good as one wants.

Saltfever,

I built two split molds from aluminum before giving up. It was too hard for me to position the line and not have it touch the metal and start to melt in the wrong spot. It seems that you are trying to "push a rope." I do hope you can get it to work.

The reason the aluminum foil works is that it is a tight fit to the line before heating. Yes, this mold is a one time use, but the cost is rather low.

Rick

**Frank S** · Sep 7, 2020, 08:21 PM

Shrink tubing works well also Not only do you get to melt the fibers but the tubing compresses the very end of the line
You can also buy it in bright colors to make it easy to find the end of the rope in a tangle

**rgsparber** · Sep 8, 2020, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by Frank S

Shrink tubing works well also Not only do you get to melt the fibers but the tubing compresses the very end of the line
You can also buy it in bright colors to make it easy to find the end of the rope in a tangle

Frank,

I have updated the article to include your suggestion plus added a little more. https://rick.sparber.org/LineMelt.pdf

Thanks!

Rick

**al anders** · Sep 7, 2020, 10:25 PM

line could be bound before wraping, strength and nice dressed

**desbromilow** · Sep 8, 2020, 02:39 AM

I always cut the rope, then melt the end with a lighter (cheap plastic BIC), and once the "cloud" blobs forms, roll the sides of the blob against the lighter body to form a blunt ogive point on the rope. Once everything cools down, the thin smear of cooled plastic is peeled off the side of the lighter body and tossed away.

**hilerioal@outlook.com** · Sep 8, 2020, 06:35 AM

Your idea is truly a remarkable solution to plastic cut offs. I have always just heated the ends & twisted with my fingers sometimes getting a burn. My heavy
callouses tend to muzzle the heat at first till it reaches my dermis.(not the best way) Thanks for the idea. Don't know how people like yourself come up with
these problem solvers. "PEACE" AL