Make your rope on a rope walk

Don Case said:
Is it possible to make rope nice and tight like this and have it softer. This is like annealed copper wire. I may have trouble getting it to look natural.
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Nice looking cable Don. I experienced the same stiffness when using synthetic thread so I switched to cotton thread. Cotton seems to be much more pliable. My go-to thread is DMC Cordonnet and I get it here. https://hhtatting.com/product-category/threads/dmc/
 
Dubz Modelling World said:
To get the synthetic thread cable more soft just put it in an oven for 5 minutes at 170 degree Celsius.

cheers

Dirk
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I agree with Dirk, after baking the rope it's much more soft.
here you can read how I do it

Make your rope on a rope walk

I did a lot of research on how to make rope on a rope walk and build my own rope walk. I love to share my experience with you. The quality of the rope delivered in your kit is not always of high quality. Fluffy, badly made so that you can better use it to tie up your old paper than to rig your...
shipsofscale.com
almost the same way. Also take in mind, I believe it was an advice of Dirk. 5 min for thick rope but thinner less time.

Edit: It was BenD who mentioned it.

Make your rope on a rope walk

Hello Stephan, Not sure what your source thread budget is...but I was using Gutermann E151 (and E121) for my ropes. Finding that in the US was difficult so I had a Polish builder (Matt) purchase some and send it to me when he traveled once to the US. I bet you can find it in Europe. A forum...
shipsofscale.com
 
I cook all my rope. This one was actually cooked twice. Once when it was just rope and again when it became cable. I think it's twisted too tight but I can't get that nice crisp look unless I twist it that tight. Unfortunately since a lot of us made our own ropewalks the word "tight" is hard to define. I only use one motor unless I'm twisting very small stuff, like 3x1 tex 10. When you just have a single motor you are relying on low friction to determine when it starts twisting so I think that's a big factor in my stiff rope.
 
Don Case said:
I cook all my rope. This one was actually cooked twice. Once when it was just rope and again when it became cable. I think it's twisted too tight but I can't get that nice crisp look unless I twist it that tight. Unfortunately since a lot of us made our own ropewalks the word "tight" is hard to define. I only use one motor unless I'm twisting very small stuff, like 3x1 tex 10. When you just have a single motor you are relying on low friction to determine when it starts twisting so I think that's a big factor in my stiff rope.
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I also made a rope walk using a single motor and relying on the weighted side to spin when friction builds up. I use a size 0 fishing swivel (Amazon) that has very low friction so it even works on small stuff.
If interested here’s a link to a short video of my ropewalk in use. (YouTube)
 
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