16 strand splicing questions

[Will Hinchliffe]

I cant seem to get my crossover perfect, there is always a slight change in diameter either a bulge or a narrowing that makes the hitch jump a little. Any tips on tapering the core and cover before they get sucked back in would be appreciated. Im splicing xtc Fire.

 

 

I also want to splice some short things using just the cover. Any tips ? Can I reduce the length between two splices by making a longer crossover ?

[old snake]

To get the crossover perfect:

 

Make sure before you mark the two cores that the rope has been properly milked to gat rid of all the bagginess.

Then pull the two cores out about 10cm each.

You then need to lose about 50% of each core. It should look like you've taken a little bit too much off.

Take your time with the tapers to make sure there bang on!

Then suck them back in.

If you find that you've got a bit of slack left and the crossover feel perfect. Then undo your knot and take all the slack to the other end of the rope and not into the crossover.

 

You can get rid of bulges also by pulling the core out at the other end of the rope and pushing the slack up to your crossover. Do this at your own perril though!! haha.

[Will Hinchliffe]

Do you just remove 50% of each at about the half way point or do you taper it from the half way point to the end ?

 

Cheers.

[old snake]

From the half way point to the end. You kind of have to imagine how the two are going to lie together inside if that makes sense?

[Will Hinchliffe]

I think Im probably not taking enough care over how im trimming the peices of the cores for the crossover. I might try pulling the core a bit on one of the ropes I have spliced and see if that gets rid of the lump in the crossover.

[Peter]

It is possible to smooth out a bulge, but not to fill in a hollow spot, so I always err on the side of bulge. Ideally get it right first time though, as Hadleigh says, get the marking, measuring, and cutting spot on and it should just fall into place!