Rope-O-Matic - by [RG] CC++
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Rope-O-Matic

This guide enables you to make a tool to wax rope before using it for the rigging.
It coats the rigging line, thus protecting it and keeping down the "Fuzzes" and "Fizzes".

Now, let's build a tool which does exactly this. The plan is to extend a glass container with a construction which can hold rope and guide it through the wax in the container. The whole assembly can be placed in a bigger glass container which can be filled with boiling water to melt the wax.

Tools and materials
The following tools and materials are used :
- Some wood 0.5MM2.5mm
- One glass container with a plastic cover
- Metal rod, d = 2mm
- Nails
- White glue
- Super glue
- Handsaw
- Drill or Mill
- Metal saw

Cost ~$4,-

I brought a glass container one at the local paint shop normally used to mix paints.

Encasing the plastic cover
Now, unscrew the cover from the glass container and measure the diameter of the cover. Saw some wood and build a rectangle in which the plastic cover can be placed. After the rectangle is completed, measure the width of the rope container, and add spacers to the rectangle (see pictures).

On this picture you can see the glass container, the cover and the wood frame that encases the plastic cover. You can also see that the spacers are added:

Making the metal rods
Next, cut four lengths of the metal rod. These are used to hold the rope containers. The four rods can hold four rope containers, so you can draw four types of rope from this tool.

On this picture you see the metal rods cut:

Making the frame
Now cut two pieces of wood, these pieces will be used to make the frame which holds the four rope containers. You can use a drill to make four holes in the frame. The distance between the holes must be such that the rope containers can be easily inserted on top of each other and there's enough space in-between.

On this picture you see the frame is being drilled:

Next attach the drilled frames to the rectangle using white glue and nails. The rope container should fit nicely between the frames. Inserting the metal rod through the holes should hold the rope container in place.

On this picture you can see the frame being attached:

After attaching the frames add one plank on top, as shown in this picture:

Completing the frame
Now the handles are made, these handles will be attached to the metal rods. These rods hold the rope containers in the frame. To switch from rope the rods must be taken out of the frame in order to release the rope container. By attaching handles to the metal rods the insertion and removal can be done more easily.

On this picture you can see the wood handles:

To insert the metal rod, a hole must be drilled through the wood handle. Use a drill or mill to create the hole.

On this picture you can see one handle been drilled:

To run the rope into the glass container, some holes must be drilled into the plastic cover. Add some wood on the frame, covering the plastic cover. then drill some holes, one hole for entering the wax and another for exiting the wax. Also the plastic cover is glued into the frame using super glue.

On this picture you can see the frame with the rope containers in place:

Building the feeder
Now two planks are added for guiding the rope in and out the feeder. Four holes are drilled and both planks, then glued to create the feeder.

Here is a picture showing the entry and exit sections:

Two guide the rope through the wax some metal hooks are created and placed in the plastic container cover. The rope now runs from the feeder, through the hooks to the bottom of the container and back into the feeder again.

Here is a picture of showing the eight metal hooks:

Here a picture showing the metal hooks installed on the plastic container cover:

Each rope as his own drive way through the feeder and the container. Attach the metal hooks in the pre drilled holes using super glue.

Creating the outer container
For creating the outer container I used a slightly larger plastic container which is available at any supermarket. Measure the diameter of the inner container and draw a circle on the cover of the outer container.

Here is a picture of the outer container cover. The middle circular section is cut out, so that the inner container fits into the hole:

Taking out the inner section:

Now attach the cover to the frame. Make sure the inner container can still be screwed on the frame.

Here is a picture of how is should look:

Finishing the feeder
Now close the feeder by adding a roof and sides. Make sure the roof can be removed. Also add a draw post.

Here is a picture of the finished feeder and the draw post:

Installing the Rope-O-Matic
Now the tool is finished, run the ropes through the feeder. After that put some cloth in the feeder to wipe the rope as is comes out the feeder. Put the beeswax in the inner container and screw it to the frame.

Here is a picture of the tool ready for use:

Now boil some water and put it in the outer container. Caution : The water is hot so don't touch the outer container by hand. Screw the frame with the inner container attached to the outer container and wait for the wax to melt.

Here is a picture of the melting wax:

After the wax is melted the rope can be slowly drawn from the container. The wax is boiled into the rope as it passed trough the feeder into the wax filled container.
The cloth takes of any excess wax.

Here you can see the rope as it comes out the feeder. The rope is saturated with wax and completely stiff as can be seen on the picture. The rope is a little white because not all of the wax is melted yet, but I had no time to wait.

Two pictures showing the Rope-O-Matic in action:

Conclusion
The tool performed better than expected. It will be a useful addition to my tool inventory. I hope you enjoyed the workshop, maybe it gives you some useful idea's.

With regards,

nfranke
PS; I incorporated a closed feeder. So also turpentine can be used to dissolve the wax. But use caution with the turpentine, as with any combustible chemical. Plus, it does smell up things a little!