Dontcha just love new ropes..

[Chris]

Mmmn, it's like working with puppies and new born babies.

OK OK. Well after a disastrous off road session this weekend, I decided it was time for an infusion of new plasma. I went to Winch It, Chris Plumb who was mightily helpful in accommodating my needs. 25 hours later, I had a box of goodies on my hall.

Safety yellow.



Now instead of hook (supplied) I decided to follow JW's lead and go for something a little different. A thimble


I machined up a fid to spice the rope and set too.




Half an hour later and the mainbrace was well and truly spliced. Proper job. And a rock guard duly slipped over.



The rope comes with a rock guard on the tail end and sort of shrink tube on the hook end. I don't think the shrink is very tough so I reversed the rope and put the sleeve at the thimble end. Yes, better.


The thimble comes with a mighty shackle. I bought 2 additional ones as I had bust one up on Sunday.



Whaddya mean why? Oh you must be new to the forum I guess.

Essentially, I will not have the shackle in there all the time so all that will be showing is the thimble sticking out of the hawse. Nice and tidy. No hook to stow, no jangly bits.

Like this, only different obviously.



Winch-it. Excellent. Go buy something. Tell him I sent you

 

[clivehorridge]

What's the rating on the shackle Chris? I tried to enlarge the photo, but apart from seeing "made in China" I couldn't see a rating (joke!).

I paid a fortune for 4 of them, can't remember how much, but it was a lot. I think forgetting the price is nature's safety valve, to save you going insane (or to stop the wife finding out) works both ways.

 

[Chris]

They're 4 3/4 tonnes Clive. £4.99 each. Bargain. Seem nicely made not simply stamped out of an old Russian tank turret.

C

 

[clivehorridge]

£4.99 ? Wow! I recon I paid more like €10 each, but I think they're slightly higher rated. Anyway, neat job on the rope, and I thought it was only me that liked the "feel" of new ropes, too many years in the Sea Scouts playing with freshly bleached cotton mainsail and jib sheets (steady on... ooh err!).

 

[Chris]

Splicing it was pure pleasure Clive. I sat round the back in the sun and spliced like a good un. That sucker's not coming apart. I've been on You Toob!

 

[Olazz]

CJ, nice bit of kit, but if that shackle fails, thats one hellva missile coming your way no?

 

[clivehorridge]

Splicing it was pure pleasure Clive. I sat round the back in the sun and spliced like a good un. That sucker's not coming apart. I've been on You Toob!

That's an excellent vid, he makes it look so easy. I know it's not too difficult, but after paying such a lot for good plasma, I'm frightened to even have a go!

Maybe you've inspired me Chris, I like the look of your set-up now...

 

[Chris]

Well the only way to avoid any missile really Lazz is to have a loop knotted in the end of your rope. Plasma (or synthetic) has very very little energy stored in it. I have seen them fail and the loose end barely has enough energy to knock your coffee over. The more wieght you have on the line the faster it dies. But you have a massive steel hook on the end of every rope and all I have done is replace that with a shackle. Given that most of the time that you are winching, you have a shackle on the end of what ever you fasten the hook to - in effect I have done away with the hook! If the rope fails, the tethered end (with the hook on) doesn't go anywhere. It's the loose end that whips.

The thimble on there is actually alloy too it's not steel. It's very safe. I have done a lot of winching and I trust this set up a great deal. You should see a steel rope snap!

Splicing plasma when new is soooo easy. There's no potential for damage to it.

Sorry, shuld have said - shackle failure? Never seen it. Not een in industry where we were lifting 30t drop weights. The pin is 22mm thick.

 

[Captainoversteer]

Ive just retired my original 'winch it' plasma,fantastic stuff for the money but its gotten to the point that I spend more time splicing it than actually winching! I used to religiously wash/dry it after every day out but in the last couple of years this has fallen by the wayside.Certainly makes a difference!
Im now on wire on the rear winch,for the last couple of events as I couldnt really warrant spending a couple of hundred quid of new plasma for my 'toy' although I now remember how nasty/heavy wire is. Even my winchbitch(Mrs) has commented on it so clearance may well be issued for me to splash out!
Splicing really is quick/easy so long as you have a sharp knife and a roll of tape.

 

[Chris]

And a sharp knife doesn't stay sharp for long does it. Couple of cuts and it will be blunt. It's amazing stuff. Very very tough. Essentially it's like Kevlar.

 

[Captainoversteer]

And a sharp knife doesn't stay sharp for long does it. Couple of cuts and it will be blunt. It's amazing stuff. Very very tough. Essentially it's like Kevlar.

Thats very true,never really thought about it before but now you mention it,it does ruin blades fast. Also contributed to by the abrasive mud and crap in the rope?
As you say,amazing stuff! and very surprising what abuse it wwill stand up too.Im just not feeling the love for the wire!

 

[Chris]

Old one in the washer now. Looking quite clean. I shall check it through then reverse it and splice a hook on. This can then replace the new wire rope on my Come Up winch for the new truck. I shall take the front rope off this weekend and wash that too and put a thimble or something on each end and have a 90' Dyneema extension.

 

[Gary820]

Looks good, more discreet then a big yellow hook. I was going to paint the hook black but getting a few ideas now.

 

[Chris]

Good man. Now you're getting it. More toys. It's the only way.

C

 

[Gary820]

I'm on with the winch mount at the mo so it's a current thought process

 

[Chris]

Pictures or we send the dogs in. Sorry but it's the law

York? Bah it's only an hour's run. You can always hide out here for a bit.

 

[silvercruiser]

1+ for winch it. And snap i also have the yellow winch rope its just a shame its on my land rover 90.

 

[Gary820]

Just got home from the man cave so I'll put a few pics up shortly (in the garage section)

Yeah York not far. I'm out your way in a couple of weeks Chris, visiting friends in ashbourne. Most likely in the 80 so now's the time for shares in bp lol.

 

[Chris]

Ashbourne, that's Karl's neck 'o the woods. Not far from me either. Make sure you pass through the ford at Fenny Bently on the way to the A5i5 Swing by Milners for a sack full of spares too. It's all here.

 

[Gary820]

I'm trying to convince the missus to do some lanes while over there but she's not having it lol. Might have to sneak off with my mate in his trooper while they talk weddings or "the sat nav made me go this way" might work lol