sweetsparkette
New member
Does anyone have a quick how-to on braiding a mare's tail? I made one about 8 years ago and not quite sure how to start. Any help would be appreciated!
Mare's Tail
- Thread starter sweetsparkette
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Massachusetts
Wrong forum for horse grooming questions.
- Location
- Massachusetts
OK, after getting this PM I see I was wrong to close the thread.
I will reopen it.
Smart $ said:A mare's tail is using a pulling rope "braid" around wire in the middle of a pull. The pull is done simultaneously at pull points, rather than figure-eighting the wire on the floor and pulling a section at a time.
I believe you should reopen the thread
I will reopen it.
A real quickie is, and I'm assuming you are using 3-strand rope, is separate a fair length of the 3 strands (depends on size of rope and size of wire). Start a 3-strand braid...
...then include the wire as if a 4-strand braid...
If this is plastic rope, melt the ends of each stran to prevent fraying. When you get to the end of the braid, just bind the strands to the wire with duct tape.
Another less quick method forming the tail, is to make a big eye. The amount of rope in the eye equal to twice your desired tail length. After making the eye, cut in middle of eye rope length and unravel the strands. In this method you'll have six strands to wrap the tail. The quickie method of wrapping is to just do two strands at a time, using criss-cross over-under wrapping for the entire length, then repeat for the other two pair.
Another method of forming the tail is to cut off twice the length of the desired tail. At the center of that length, use the pull rope to make a rope to chain splice around it (exactly the same braid as an eye, only the eye is closed, or zero length). Then unravel your tail strands. This also gives you six to wrap with.
Edit to add: You may also find these instructions useful: http://www.samsonrope.com/splicing-instructions.cfm
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Cow
Senior Member
- Location
- Eastern Oregon
- Occupation
- Electrician
LOL. I thought the same thing but figured it must be some sort of rope knot...
billsnuff
Senior Member
- Location
- East of 480sparky
you might like this page. it has animation for tying knots. it is also a phone app. hope this helps.
http://www.animatedknots.com/index.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com
http://www.animatedknots.com/index.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com
cadpoint
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
There are also the split type of pullers: http://www.mytoolstore.com/klein/kln34.html
I'm a frayed knot. :grin:
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- Location
- Massachusetts
No. Half-hitching is fine for low-tension pulls (...and don't we wish all of them are
). But for high-tension pulls, most to all the tension is on the first hitch. The high amount of tension can deform, possibly even tear the insulation... which we definitely do not want to happen.A mare's tale is just multiple unraveled strands of the pull rope braided or otherwise criss-crossed around the wire(s) so as to mimic a chinese finger puzzle effect, distributing the pull tension to a larger area of the wire insulation.
No. Half-hitching is fine for low-tension pulls (...and don't we wish all of them are
A mare's tale is just multiple unraveled strands of the pull rope braided or otherwise criss-crossed around the wire(s) so as to mimic a chinese finger puzzle effect, distributing the pull tension to a larger area of the wire insulation.
I would use my kellems grips with the side pulling loop.
dbuckley
Senior Member
- Location
- Canterbury, New Zealand
No no no no no. That terrible practice is how one gets cut badly.
Learn to whip the ends of a rope. Its easy, and takes just a few seconds.
If I can do it, anyone can. My knot vocabulary runs to all of about four knots, so its (k)not like I'm a super boy scout or something!
That's great. Same principle... but a kellems grip isn't always readily available, let alone a split-weave one, when you need it. On some jobs it suprises me when the contractor actually supplies the proper rope
You know what they say, the 6 P's.
Proper Planniing Prevents Piss Poor Performance :grin:
glene77is
Senior Member
- Location
- Memphis, TN
The Frayed Knot.
This little String guy slithered into a bar, slithered up onto the stool,
flipped his little string tail on the counter and demanded a 'drink'.
The barkeep retorted "We don't serve strings in here!"
The little String guy slithered down the stool, and back outside.
The little String guy considered his rejection and became ripping mad,
and pulled at his little string head, until it frayed badly.
Then the little String guy thought about it some more
and became so enraged that he tied himself into a knot.
The little String guy slithered back into the bar, slithered up onto the stool,
flipped his little string tail on the counter and demanded a 'drink'.
The barkeep retorted "Aren't you the little String I just chased out ?"
The little String guy responded "NO! I'm a Frayed Knot !"
So much for that one.
or as the Japanese do it {^.^}
I don't see how one gets cut with a melted end. I never have. Been burned by dripping melted plastic, and not that anyone wants a kind of burn, but that kind is definitely one you don't want because the plastic sticks to your skin. The easy option is to just wrap the ends with some 33 or 88 (1700 if the big cheese is bird doggin' ya
).In my experience, no sense in putting too much time into it (unless you got countless miles of multi point pulls goin' on), 'cause it'll likely get cut off.
Kellums and Mares Tails.
Kellums and Mares Tails.
I pulled a little cable and I have never had a cable manufacturer ( medium voltage cable, 5-25 KV) OK a mares tail or a Kellum grip for a pull of more than 1000 lbs tension. Even then they want you to cut off 6-12 foot behind the grip.
Pulls that are higher need eyes and harnesses.
If the cable won't meggar out and you call the vendor have your story straignt. :roll:
Kellums and Mares Tails.
That's great. Same principle... but a kellems grip isn't always readily available, let alone a split-weave one, when you need it. On some jobs it suprises me when the contractor actually supplies the proper rope
I pulled a little cable and I have never had a cable manufacturer ( medium voltage cable, 5-25 KV) OK a mares tail or a Kellum grip for a pull of more than 1000 lbs tension. Even then they want you to cut off 6-12 foot behind the grip.
Pulls that are higher need eyes and harnesses.
If the cable won't meggar out and you call the vendor have your story straignt. :roll:
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