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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
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,Quote:
Originally Posted by mklotz
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
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,Quote:
Originally Posted by 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
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
line could be bound before wraping, strength and nice dressed
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.
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
Frank,Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank S
I have updated the article to include your suggestion plus added a little more. https://rick.sparber.org/LineMelt.pdf
Thanks!
Rick
Rick it looks like you have created a solution which is the best of both worlds.
The way I have done it was to slide the shrink tubing until the very tip end of the rope was flush with the end of the tubing then using the little disposable butane torch to heat he end fibers of the rope first melting them from center out then heat the tubing.
Shrink tubing also comes in many varying grades and thicknesses I like the thicker grades but not with dielectric grease in it as that just reduces the bond to near nothing good for electrical cables in corrosive environment but not for serving the ends of nylon or fibrous ropes.
I also use the thick tubing for covering the wire ends of small steel cables or when back weaving a loop if for nothing else but to make the end appear more finished and neater looking
I normally wrap the rope with electrical tape before i cut it and then either cut it with my big weller soldering gun that fuses the rope as it cuts or I cut it with a knife and then burn the ends. The tape holds it in place and is easy to remove if you like.
I just melt it and when it starts to burn wipe it down with a a rag with a twist if it is a layed rope. Leaves a pointy end that can be snipped of close if needed. Never had a rope done like this fray. I'm a big fan off whipping as well and a two part whip for a loop is incredibly strong. Sometimes I will paint some 'liquid tape' over the whip for a bit of extra protection.
Frank,Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank S
have you considered using glue lined heatshrink tubing? it's predominantly used in electrical work, but the inside of the tubing is coated with a layer of hot melt glue. As the tube shrinks, it squeezes glue into the fibres of the rope, and seals it all together. If you leave about 4mm of excess tubing past the end of the rope prior to heating it, the unsupported tip of the tubing will shrink further down creating a blunt point, which is filled with clear glue firming it up.
Often limited in colours (I only tend to see black tubing) but it is quite strong, and works well on ropes which don't melt (thinking sisal or other natural fibres)
HTH,
Des
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Thanks rgsparber! We've added your Woven Plastic Line Finishing Method to our Miscellaneous category,
as well as to your builder page: rgsparber's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:
<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-woven-plastic-line-finishing-method"> <img src="/uploads/235428/homemade-woven-plastic-line-finishing-method.jpeg"/> </a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-woven-plastic-line-finishing-method">Woven Plastic Line Finishing Method</a> <span> by <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/builder/rgsparber">rgsparber</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/plastic'>plastic</a>, <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/heat-treatment'>heat treatment</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>
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If you cut the rope quickly with a red hot blade, the ends seal themselves with no fraying.
i must be doing it all wrong. I use shrink tube on the line at the point I will cut - before cutting. Shrinks up tight then cut the line and tube at the same time.
Nick,Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick79
I'm the one doing it wrong. When I tried shrink tubing, my heat gun did strink the tubing, but it did not melt the line. Then the tubing just fell off. I must be missing something here.
Rick
I always just wrapped the rope with a shop rag a few inches from the end. Heat the end with some handy heat source till it shows signs of melting, and immediately pull it through the cloth while rolling it between my fingers to make the end spiral through the cloth.
Baddog,Quote:
Originally Posted by Baddog
Can you post a picture?
Thanks,
Rick
Attachment 36616
This shows about how I hold it before applying a lighter. Just apply flame until you see it liquify/blacken, then pull melted portion into/through the cloth while sort of rolling your fingers holding the cloth. The end shown was created just this way. The tiny point could be clipped, but such narrowed "points" can be useful in their own right. And if you don't want to draw out the point, you just don't roll/pinch as much as it pulls through. I've made ends like that where it was more ball like, but the largest diameter was pretty much the cord diameter. And the "roll it" portion isn't really required unless really picky about the outcome. Pulling through the rag (I've used paper towel too) acts somewhat like a die, and even without undue effort it comes out good for 99% of my uses.
Baddog,
I tried your approach twice and got consistent, great results. I did clip the point because it was sharp. Your picture doesn't seem to show any burn marks but I did have them. I suspect I left the flame on the line a little too long.
Thanks!
Rick
Glad it worked for you. And yes, if you don't want a black end, you just stop the heat as soon as you see it liquefy and pull it through the cloth. But black ends can be useful for spotting the end when coiled/stored.
That one is exactly as it was created. If I were to cut the pointy part off, it would still leave a solid end that is nice and rounded. If you don't want it pointy, you can pull it just into the cloth, and then open the cloth without pulling it through. It's not completely predictable and varies by how thick/hot and how far in you pull it through, and how tightly you hold the cloth around it, though generally works well enough.
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Thanks Baddog! We've added your Line End Finishing Technique to our Miscellaneous category,
as well as to your builder page: Baddog's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:
<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-line-end-finishing-technique"> <img src="/uploads/235607/homemade-line-end-finishing-technique.jpeg"/> </a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-line-end-finishing-technique">Line End Finishing Technique</a> <span> by <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/builder/Baddog_2">Baddog</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/plastic'>plastic</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>
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Pretty much how I make my boot laces from Paracord.
