My first go at splicing...

**toferj** · 12-17-2014, 21:32

So I decided to make my first go at splicing a fixed length ridgeline. I used Ian Young's video on the YouTubes to guide me.

My Grand Trunk hammock is 10' long or 120". According to Ian's video, the "ideal" ridgeline length is about 83% of the length of the hammock. So, .83 x 120 = 99.663 rounding up it looks like I want a ridgeline that is 100" long.

Despite measuring, my end product is only 98" long (give or take)... So I tried again. This time I ended up with a line 102" long (roughly). So, I ended up going with the slightly shorter one... Not sure why.

Here's a picture of the end result:

**GreatBigDave** · 12-17-2014, 23:04

WhooHoo Way to splice! Did you Brummel the eye splices? both? Looks like a very long bury - Did you taper? What kind of rope?

**GoatHanger** · 12-18-2014, 06:14

Congrats on first of many! Be prepared to make a lot of stuff, because the better you get at it, the more you'll give whatever you make away. Have fun!

**Bubba** · 12-18-2014, 10:28

Remember you lose length because of the buries. The outsides of buries expand and therefore shorten when the inner line is buried. Count on something in the neighbourhood of a 20% decrease so if your bury is going to be 6 inches, then plan to lose about an inch give or take depending on your taper.

**V_Allen** · 12-18-2014, 10:56

Nice work - your hooked now! Yeah, the bury can change the length.

**Needleisure** · 12-22-2014, 00:21

what size or diameter line did you use for this one? I'm about to use the 2.2 for my first...

**toferj** · 12-23-2014, 23:13

Thanks for all of the replies, everyone! Sorry I had not been watching the thread so closely.

This is 2.2mm zing-it line. I did lock brummel both eyes, and I did taper the ends. I didn't realize that the bury would decrease the overall length, but that makes sense I guess. Thanks for the numbers on the bury shrinkage!

Since this I've made a couple of continuous loops and a couple of dog bones. My main hurtle seems to be knowing how much rope to start with so that I end with a certain length end product.

On the last couple of projects, I did not taper the ends. Does that serve a purpose other than making it easier to thread onto the end of my needle?

**GreatBigDave** · 12-24-2014, 00:59

The taper is important, it prevents a sharp bend in the fibers of the outer rope at the end of the bury which would weaken the rope. On the other hand, the Brummel also significantly weakens the line.

**cougarmeat** · 12-29-2014, 01:23

I never head that the Brummel weakens the line before. I only heard that you have to remember it's the bury that holds the line and the Brummel just keeps it from coming loose when slack. When I make my ridge lines, I make one eye, then measure down the line and see how much I have left over at the other end. I can make any adjustment on the second eye by making it bigger/smaller or adjusting the bury. Because that 83% is just a suggestion, I don't mind if I'm off an inch one way or the other. I do strive to get better at hitting my goal - but hanging situations can often add more than that inch in variation by themselves.

Congratulations on joining in. I understand that Dutch has great prices on DIY amsteel and West Marine has 40% discounts a couple times a year.