Rope Washer

[caving_fox]

If you're going to do something you might as well over-engineer it. The Rope Washer Mk1.

Some leftover kitchen splashback, a couple of lengths of 4x2, 15mm pipe clips (ditto leftover) plus some pulleys and brushes from BnQ and a hose adaptor. The pulleys are quite cheap and I don't have long expectations of them - anybody know any reasonable equivalents? Finding something that takes 12mm rope without being £££safety gear was challenging.

Currently stability is not brilliant - It has 2 'storage' hooks on the back to mount anywhere. Perhaps they need to be wider apart - although then won't fit on my steps. It just about works with enough weight on the steps to counteract the force of pulling the rope through. W

 

[Ian Ball]

Noice!

What's the friction like on a stiff fat rope? and is the rope path alterable, or will you end up with a flat line through your brushes?

How wet do you get using?

 

[caving_fox]

Noice!

What's the friction like on a stiff fat rope? and is the rope path alterable, or will you end up with a flat line through your brushes?

How wet do you get using?

Haven't measured the friction! 12mm pulleys so should be ok. But even with not too stiff rope there sideways force is enough to make it unsteady (pull gently and add more bricks!).

Will get a flat line through the brushes. They can be re-drilled to move them and/or replaced at £2 from BnQ. Or maybe even swapped out ofr astroturf which was the original plan, but I didn't have any.
The aim was to be not wet while using (eg winter nights). You can stand a distance away to pull the rope through.

 

[andrewmcleod]

Petzl Ultralegere pulley wheels seem to be popular on caving hut rope washers. Just a plastic wheel though; no bearings.