Making an eye with heatshrink wrap?

[Kelpie]

I need to form a very neat eye in some small diameter dyneema, for attachment as a halyard tail. The previous tail was 3-strand with a spliced eye, but the bulk of the splice caused it to jam too often, and in the end it had frayed so much that it actually failed.
I currently have a tiny little bit of cord tied on to do the job but it isn't really strong enough for the job in the long run.

I think that any sort of a knot will be too bulky, unless there's something out there I don't know about. So I was wondering about using heatshrink tubing to act as a seizing and form an eye that way. The rope is braided, with a braided sheath, and this combined with its small diameter make it well beyond my abilities to contemplate splicing.

 

[sarabande]

take courage and a fid in both hands. Give it a go on a bit of spare line, and then do a destruction test with the car.

Lookkee here ; loads of How To videos.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=braided+splice&search_type=&aq=f

 

[Refueler]

If the tail is not subjected to loads, then you could remove s short length inner part, then either with splicing hook or bent wire - drag the outer now flat sheath into the standing part of the rope to create an eye ... the inner end butting up to the rope.

Or another way is flatten the outer sheath after removing the short length of inner and sew it to the standing part of the rope creating an eye. The first part of the sew catching the inner part to stop it retreating bacl along the rope ...

If you can get away with leaving the rope complete = then using palm and needle - sew the end back to the standing part forming the eye.

Whatever you do will create a larger diam where splice is ..

 

[ccscott49]

Could you not just sew it then whip it, that will be both strong and non bulky.

 

[Jmolan]

If I understand your situation. I use small 4mm or 5mm Dynex as the working end of the halyards on my 34'. Where it is plenty strong, it is very hard on the hands.
I have taken a piece of doublebraid that has a core the same size as my Dynex. Remove 3 or so meters of core in the double braid and replaced it with the Dynex. Sew a small amount over the cover where the core ends and whip the end where the core enters the cover. It it a chinese finger then as the load comes on it, the braided cover will tighten down on it. There is no bump or fat spot to hang up.
This allows me to be able to handle the tail when hoisting, and not have to have too large of diameter (expensive) Dynex laying on the deck doing nothing. I think of it as the "new" wire to rope halyards. There should be some pic's in the top URL below I think....

 

[misterg]

... So I was wondering about using heatshrink tubing to act as a seizing and form an eye that way...

No.

1) The heat-shrink won't pull the 'splice' together tightly (it's not much stronger than chewing gum as it shrinks);

2) It 'sets' on cooling and won't maintain and long-term pressure on the 'splice'

3) I believe Dyneema(TM) and Spectra(TM) are damaged at temperatures well below 100°C (80° springs to mind) - Polyolefin heat shrink tubing shrinks at ~135°C; PVDF or Kynar starts to shrink at ~175°C, & PTFE at > 327°C. So you would (IMHO) bugger up your rope in the process of heat-shrinking.

Better alternatives have already been suggested

Andy

 

[Manuel]

Heatshrink is not suitable. My favorite of the proposals is ccscott's suggestion of sewing and whipping then maybe put some amalagamating tape round it to secure the whipping? A thimble as well? Take the tail well back.

 

[Leighb]

I would agree that a proper "stitch and whip" splice is the easiest answer for amsll dia stuff. I have made eye splices in 4mm dyneema this way. Easy to do and pretty quick. Last for ever if done correctly.

 

[Refueler]

Heatshrink is not suitable. My favorite of the proposals is ccscott's suggestion of sewing and whipping then maybe put some amalagamating tape round it to secure the whipping? A thimble as well? Take the tail well back.

Many thanks for that - considering that I suggested sewing first !

Sorry if I seem to be a bit touchy on it - but I'm getting a bit fed up with others getting recognition on something that I also mentioned just before ! It's getting quite common and I see others subject to it as well ...

Alright ...

 

[Kelpie]

Thanks, sewing and whipping seems to be the way to go. I presume I need some sort of special thread of course? (**goes to look up swindlery catalogue**)

 

[pampas]

cut a 3/4" length of copper pipe that two ends will just feed through. lay the ropes flat, with a lump hammer and a BLUNT cold chisel, one hard blow between the two ropes job done, then sew the tail or whip.

 

[fishermantwo]

Thanks, sewing and whipping seems to be the way to go. I presume I need some sort of special thread of course? (**goes to look up swindlery catalogue**)

I have been using Braid fishing line. Its just spectra, 50 lb breaking strain is easy to sew. Fairly cheap too from China off Ebay.

 

[Woodlouse]

Sewing and whipping is the way forwards. Ideally try and get some 1mm dyneema whipping twine. It's got a breaking strain of 100kg and will be almost as strong as a splice.

 

[Kelpie]

Should have mentioned, the dyneema tail in only 2.5mm! A 1mm whipping would be too bulky. Fishing line type stuff seems to be the way to go.

 

[electrosys]

For something non-critical, I'd consider a wee dab of Araldite - not the Rapid type, that would set too fast (you want to give it time to soak-in) - with some heatshrink on top for neatness, and to keep the UV away from the epoxy. If you want to keep it more nautical-looking, instead of heatshrink, whip over the glued area with some braided fishing line or similar.

 

[Kelpie]

That sounds pretty quick and easy, I had wondered about that option.
Last week I 'whipped' the end of my shoelace by dipping it into some epoxy, it seems to be working fine so far...