My tarp suspension system: Zing-It + Dutchware hardware + Distel Hitch knot

[AVatorL]

I did it! My tarp suspension:

1) aluminium stakes with (lark's headed) continuous loop and Dutch Fleaz
20190509-DSC_0682.JPG

2) continuous ridgeline with (spliced) Dutch Hook and Dutch Wasp
20190509-DSC_0687.jpg

3) continuous ridgeline tarp connectors: continuous loop with Distel Hitch knot and Dutch Hook
20190509-DSC_0689.JPG

4) now I'm making about 5.5' dog bones. They will be lark's headed to a tarp. A loop on the other end I'll use in case if I need longer tie out. I'll just connect one more dog bone to the loop.

Does it looks good? Did I miss something? I was going to use prusik, then I found an old post about Distel Hitch and so far I like it. But had no chance to test with a tarp yet. Does it work well?

It's my first experience in splicing and in making tarp suspension system more complicated than simple ropes attached to a tarp. But thanks to the forums I feel like I know what I'm doing

I used Hook Latch Splicing Needles for splicing. It took some time and multiple unsuccessful attempts to understand how to work with them without loosing rope end and without using too much brute force. I even thought that I'll break the needles. And then it just started to being an easy job. And I tried different needles before I selected two of them for all work with 1.75mm Zing it. Bigger needle to put rope end through the hole, smaller needle - to bury the end.

P.S. Should I connect a pull out in the center of my tarp to a ridgeline? With a s-biner maybe?

[cmc4free]

Looks good! In response to your "brute force" comments, did you pull any individual strands and cut them off to taper the ends before pulling the ends through the line for the bury? Skipping that step would be the only reason I could imagine any brute force being required (some people just cut the ends on a diagonal, as an easier method of tapering, but I prefer a true taper by removing 3 strands). I do use a small hook latch needle as an easy means of pulling individual strands out of the braid, but for performing the bury a simpler, better tool is just a piece of small gauge wire. For Zing-It, I use about a 10 inch piece of small gauge copper wire, folded in half. The "eye" formed by the folded center of the wire works great for pulling the end through and it doesn't have the hook and latch parts that can snag. If you try using that in place of the latch needle next time, you may find that less force is required.

Your end result looks great, though - nice work.

[AVatorL]

Thanks. You're right. I didn't cut the strands. I saw people doing this but this time I was looking at some instruction where this step was skipped. But I found that rotating a needle with a rope while the end of the rope is starting to getting buried really helps. Now I can do it with no brute force applied and really fast.

Is there any other reason to cut the strands (does it affect spliced rope strength somehow)?

[cmc4free]

I think there is another reason, but it wouldn't necessarily apply for a tarp suspension. I believe I've read that for more load-bearing applications, such as hammock suspension (and others that aren't really on-topic for this forum), not performing the taper can reduce the breaking strength of the spliced line. You'd have a more abrupt transition from where the line is it's normal diameter (where the center is hollow) to where it's thickest (where the center is filled with another full diameter section of cord). By tapering, this transition is more gradual.

Tarp suspension loads come nowhere near the breaking strength of Zing-It, so I don't think it matters as much as it might when using Amsteel for hammock continuous loops, whoopie slings, etc.

Someone else can correct me if I'm off-base on this.

[Baka Dasai]

Is there any other reason to cut the strands (does it affect spliced rope strength somehow)?

Yes, it affects the strength. Tapering the ends smoothes out the transition between double-thickness and single-thickness, thus reducing the stress on the rope at that point.

However, Zingit is much stronger than required for a guyline, so the reduction in strength from not tapering probably doesn't matter.

But...tapering makes splicing MUCH easier. Try it.

[AVatorL]

Thanks to all. I'll try tapering. For sure I'll use it when splicing hammock suspension ropes.