Rope Maker's Bible
RopeMaker@hotmail.com
The STORY of HOME MADE -- HAND MADE ROPE
Dann Johnson
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Other Rope Makers have shared a lot of information
with me in the past dozen or so years, and as time permits I hope to
post more of that information for others to share. I wish to offer special
thanks to Rowdy Pate, Greg Davis, John Flory, Leonard Grubbs, and
Emery Downen for sharing information with me.
In 1997 I began to post to the Web,
some of the pamphlets and booklets that came with some of the rope machines.
It took much longer than I could have guessed. If you have
a booklet that came with an original rope machine, I would hope you would
also share with us.
Rope machines have followed a basic
style for hundreds of years. The basic shape is 3 hooks set linear
or in a triangle that turn like a crank. 4 or more hooks can
be used in this basic rope machine. See the 1908 IDEAL Rope Machine,
by Berg of Madison, Minnesota. I have made several
machines like this and I have seen a number of similar home made and commercial
models with out any gearing. I like putting the three hooks in a triangle
shape better than 3 in a row as below.
As I understand it, In the
1830s "modern" Rope Factories which have machines to twist
and wind up the completed rope in one continuously operation began to replace
rope walks that had produced hand made ropes.
On the farms and ranches, strong
home made rope continued to be used. I imagine that pioneers including
the likes of Daniel Boone knew how to make their own rope,
on simple rope machines similar to the Berg "Ideal" rope machine.
John FLory documented about
a dozen patents for pre 1900 geared rope machines going back as
far as 1807. There were a number of patents were granted
for geared 3, 4, and 5 hook rope machines in the first two decades of the
20th century, but careful reading of the claims section on the patent, the
wrench tool was often the claim for the novel "new idea".
Here are a few samples.
Berg
Ideal Rope 1908 Machine
This is a oak wood rope maker
stenciled with black lettering
"Ideal Rope Making Machine
Mfg. By E. O. Berg Manufacturing Co.
Pat Dec 2 1908 Madison Minn.".
It has a wooden handle
crank and three hooks. There is no gearing:
simply an offset hook that
turns with a 1 to 1 ratio with the crank.
The Meyer Rope Machine
Meyer 1924
Rope Machine
The Meyer Rope Machine is
a 4 hook machine is a simple but
effective wood rope machine.
Manufactured in Sheffield Iowa
The 1901 Bucklin/
Thomas Rope Machine
Thomas 1901 Rope
Machine
A 1901 3 hook machine. Geared
up 3 to 1 . November 12, 1901 Pat.
This is one of the most common rope
machines, but asking prices
at antique shops often top
$125.
The Nes Wizard Rope Machine
Sherwood Rope
Machine 1913
My Nes Wizard
Rope Machine has a 1917 Patent date,
but the NES Rope Machine
booklet has a 1913 Copywrite.
I also have a copy a 1915 Patent
by Sherwood on self sliding spreader,
similar to a English rope makers'
"top". This rope machine works for
making 4 part rope. The center (5th)
hook has other purposes.
Example of New Era, Metters,
& Hawkeye Rope Machine
Hawkeye (New Era
1911) Rope Machine
New Era style Rope machine. Pat
July 18, 1911
This is a 4 hook machine, but the center
hook does not
correspond to a rope ply, rather it
is a gathering hook, As the
center hook is usually at a 1:1 ratio with the hand crank,
The Center Hook is also
convenient for those who choose to twist
several individual wires into a wire cable.
According to some of the rope machine
booklets,
the Center hook can also be used for "unmaking"
un -laying a portion of a rope for splicing.
The Wonder Rope Machine, a Large
5 hook Machine.
The Wonder is geared 4.5 to 1
( turns of the hooks to turns of the
handle )
This is Rope Machine is much heavier
than the rest
of the rope machines which appear
designed for farm / use.
Most Wonder Rope Machines
that I see,
been dropped and broken.
The NUWAY Rope machine uses 4 hooks
held in a casting
Similar to a New Era, but uses
a sun gear rather than a
ring gear. Richard Van Vleck
of American Artifacts
granted use of the two
photos below.
Links:
Berg IDEAL
Rope 1908 Machine
Hawkeye (New Era
1911) Rope Machine
Meyer 1924
Rope Machine
Royal RopeMachine
Sherwood NES
Wizard Rope Machine 1913
Bucklin / Thomas
1901 Rope Machine
The Wonder Rope
Maker
Rope Booklet
23 Pages: 1913 Sherwood Improved Hand Rope and Wire Cabling Machine
Rope
Making 1915 Era Booklet NEW ERA: 14 pages
Instruction
Folder: 1915 Era Booklet: 8 pages of Instructions for New
Era Rope Machine
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