Flemish String jig plans

dgmultimedia

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...
I am still confused by the Flemish string; twisting of the loops at the end. I see how it's done and can manage it OK, what keeps jumping into my head is the splicing I have seen on ship's ropes. I thought that is how the end loops would be made on a Flemish string.
The difference in a Rope loop spice is that the bundles of fibres are already twisted together and when forming the splice the loose ends ( which are bundles of twisted fibres usually 3 or 5) have to be woven back into the 3 or 5 bundles on order to get the bundles to take the strain - with a flemish twist loop you are combining the fibres and twisting the bundles (2 or 3) as you go so there is no need to "weave" separate bundles into each other...
 

Rik

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Ah yes, I see that, but mine is literally just two nails. It is very portable so it is easier when travelling to do demonstration string making sessions around the county at different clubs. I just find a table or use the floor and hammer in the nails at the required distance apart.


Seriously, I appreciate the fun to be had from learning a new skill. It has to be done for yourself before you really "know" what it's all about.
I found a book on plaiting leather belts using just the single piece of the belt and no cutting and joining separate lengths. One minute it's a mess and next minute it is finished and looks so complicated and neat. It is a lovely feeling.
I am still confused by the Flemish string; twisting of the loops at the end. I see how it's done and can manage it OK, what keeps jumping into my head is the splicing I have seen on ship's ropes. I thought that is how the end loops would be made on a Flemish string.
The video posted in the earlier thread is a good visual explanation...
https://youtu.be/C07evRZT_PQ
If you skip forward to about 24:45, you see the "2 nails" in use...
 

geoffretired

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Dgmultimedia and Rik,
I am sorry to have put you both to some trouble on this issue. I explained my self very badly.
Let me start this again, please.
When I first heard about Flemish twist strings many years ago, I looked at some pictures and immediately "saw" rope splicing. It looked like that to me.
Ever since then, I have imagined the loops to be spliced like a rope. I know that splicing is quite tricky, so thought nothing more about it until some recent threads on here. Then I watched a video and saw how the twisting was simpler than the splicing I had seen.
At the time, as I watched, I wondered if the person in the video was showing a simple version and I imagined that the twisting would be no where near as strong as splicing. That took me on to guessing that perhaps it was OK to twist for light weight longbows, but no good at all for warbows or similar.
So really, my concern is, how strong is the twisting method? I know Rik had a problem first time; but that resulted ( I think) from not twisting the strands before crossing them over next. Is the finished string's strength dependent on that twisting before the crossing over; in the sense that too little and it doesn't work; or even too much is bad, too?
 

Valkamai

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The twist method flemish strings can handle a fair amount of poundage geoffretired. This is a 12 strands Dacron string lifting 5 23 kg bags, approx 253lb. The string was constructed as per the method in the video.
 

Rik

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I don't think it was a strength issue in my case, more a technical one. Because I hadn't pre-twisted the bundles before beginning the second loop, it effectively worked against the original braiding. That wasn't obvious until tension was applied. If I hadn't been making a two loop string it probably would not have been an issue.
 

geoffretired

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I don't think it was a strength issue in my case, more a technical one.
Hi Rik, Yes I meant a strength as determined by the twisting, a technical issue.
If no pre twist makes a difference, I was wondering if too much pre twist would undo some of the strength.
 

Rik

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I needed to make a new string at the weekend, and decided I'd have a long term time saving if I made myself a measuring jig.

But I really couldn't be ##### with drills and nails... So, push pins!
I had some spare flooring boards (engineered with a pine back) and they go in relatively easily. So a bit of measuring and marking, and one box of push pins later and I have a measuring board. Net cost: 99p...
 

albatross

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Have you seen the YouTube video of the 'modified' Flemish twist string jig? It is basically the same principle but in two parts. It can fit onto a length of anything and clamped in place at any distance you need to get the string length you want. When I saw it I cut the centre section out of my jig and fitted a bolt in each section so I can use it on my continuous loop string jig uni strut channel. It works a treat.
 

Rik

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I needed to make a new string at the weekend, and decided I'd have a long term time saving if I made myself a measuring jig.

But I really couldn't be ##### with drills and nails... So, push pins!
I had some spare flooring boards (engineered with a pine back) and they go in relatively easily. So a bit of measuring and marking, and one box of push pins later and I have a measuring board. Net cost: 99p...
Couldn't edit the old post to add a photo... So here's a pic of the pushpin jig:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1z8WF7PZtqwHU5j9jcOb4CgyVZRI9-wme/view?usp=drivesdk
 
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