Anyone still use rope to tie things down?

Baby Grand · May 19, 2017

I've been using the Trucker's Hitch (I learned it as the Stevedore's Hitch) for over 30 years and it makes working with rope a very versatile option. That, and a bowline will let you get a lot done quickly, inexpensively, and at a weight that you can easily carry. I like the bowline because it never slips and I can always untie it, even if I have overloaded the rope. I keep two 12' pieces of 1/2 nylon 3 strand wrapped around the handles on my fenders for quickly securing loads to the bucket hooks or to wrap around a slash pile so that it can be quickly moved.

Each rope is back spliced on one end & eye spliced on the other for quick attachment to a hook.

IslandTractor · May 19, 2017

John White said:
This is a subject sort of off line. But securing your rope and ratchet straps and bungee straps so they don't tangled up. I use to fight it too. I have to have my blood drawn every month and as I was sitting in the nurse office a thought came to me. They use a rubber band about 3/4" wide and about 12" long. I seen the trash can was full of them. I asked her if I could take some. She said she would look away and I could take what I want. I filled my pockets with them. I find they are really handy around the shop. All my light cords, ratchet straps, ropes, bungee cords, cell phone cords, battery charger cords, compressor cords, vom test leads, test light lead. It just takes a minute to take this rubber and give it a wrap or two around any thing and it will keep it from getting tangled. So next time you have your blood pressure checked ask for some of them and it will reduce your blood pressure when trying to untangle a bag full of tie straps or ropes.

Yes, I do that sometimes with the big rubber bands that come around asparagus etc. However it means you need to keep track of another piece of gear so not exactly convenient (though better than a rat's nest). Rope however can be coiled and secured very simply without needing anything other than the rope itself.

I do use and like ratchet straps but if I had to give up either rope or ratchet straps I'd give up the ratchets in a heartbeat. Chain for big stuff and rope for everything else.

newbury · May 19, 2017

IslandTractor said:
I have a love hate relationship with ratchet straps. Sure they work well but storing them is a nightmare compared to the simplicity of properly coiling and securing a line for storage. I'm often spending more time untangling ratchet straps than actually securing the load. A line can be coiled and secured so it doesn't tangle in seconds.

If you don't have a good supply of rubber bands bag the straps. I often put them in repurposed Wal-Mart bags. But I prefer using repurposed zip-loc style baggies.

SWMBO has an aversion to reusing a ziploc, even if it was only used for dried beans and was going to be used for dry beans again. With every quart bag costing more than what I used to pay for a hamburger (10 cents) it frustrates me. But they make GREAT storage containers for stuff that is not going to be eaten. For ratchet straps I just wind the strap around the buckle, maybe give it a cinch, drop it in a baggie and I'm good to go. I've a wide variety of ratchet straps, from the little HF orange 1"x10' to real straps 3"x30' and tend to carry a bucket of different sizes around in the truck. Those in ziploc are easy to see what's inside.

And I've found with ratchet straps almost ANYONE helping me can figure out how to use and tighten/loosen one, versus giving classes on knot tying.

That being written, and to only slightly hijack the thread, what are your sources of rope?

I use a lot of 1/2" to 1/4". I'm always reminded of Samwise Gamgee wanting and using rope. So I buy it by the roll.

I've been buying 1/2" x 300' nylon off Amazon primarily but I had one roll come in with the ends broken off and it was basically a pile I had to rewind.

I also had a role of 3/8 that about halfway through the 500' roll was a cheap splice and it was supposed to be 1 piece.

nybirdman · May 19, 2017

I still use ropes for some cases;required skill in the industrial construction business.Rachet straps do have their place for sure;the secret with them is to purchase "good ones",not the cheap/ flimsily straps.

EddieWalker · May 19, 2017

As an Eagle Scout, I used to enjoy using rope for a variety of things. Making bridges was one of my favorite things to do from tree to tree. But I switched to ratchet straps 20 years ago and haven't looked back.

downsizingnow48 · May 19, 2017

I learned all the rope knots from my Dad who never used anything else. Very useful knowledge at the time. I still have rope around but mostly it just hangs in the corner. Sometimes I need a rope but mostly use straps for a long time now.

dragoneggs · May 19, 2017

IslandTractor said:
I have a love hate relationship with ratchet straps. Sure they work well but storing them is a nightmare compared to the simplicity of properly coiling and securing a line for storage. I'm often spending more time untangling ratchet straps than actually securing the load. A line can be coiled and secured so it doesn't tangle in seconds.

And I thought it was just me that wrestles with ratchet straps while spewing profanities.

ullinghair: There's got to be an easier way!

IslandTractor · May 19, 2017

dragoneggs said:
And I thought it was just me that wrestles with ratchet straps while spewing profanities. ullinghair: There's got to be an easier way!

Baggies.