Finally went whoopie and lessons learned

[crashvandicoot]

Made my own with amsteel blue from redden marine. Mucked up a good bit of rope because my taped ends were catching strands when I tried to bury them. One heads up, those individual tiny hairs that make up each strand of an amsteel braid are no joke...you can't really push through them if they snag.

I'll probably look to get a legit needle for any future splicing projects. That said, I'm loving my new setup. So much bulk removed and no more sagging. Whoopieeee buddy!!!

[timabababaluka]

They're awesome, aren't they? Especially when you make them yourself. I was geeking out about them so much that I would walk around with a pair and stop complete strangers (you know it's bad when you ride the bus for hours with no destination in mind just so you can accost strangers about your whoopies (by the way, if you do this don't start your conversation with "Hey, wanna see my whoopies?" (especially if you've got them dangling from the inside of your trenchcoat (this life lesson brought to you by timabababaluka)))).

[grok]

[QUOTE=crashvandicoot;743565]
I'll probably look to get a legit needle for any future splicing projects.QUOTE]

Try some thin wire from hobby lobby. The beading stuff. Use about 14'' and fold in half. Run this through the amsteel and pull your bury through.

[Pipsissewa]

I had a heck of a time making my first buries til some kind soul here told me to forget about the tape. With no tape, it was easy-peasy, lemon squeezy! Just fold the tapered end over the eye of your fid or home-made wire, whatever you're using and pull it back through. The tapered end won't slip off--there's not enough room!!

I have made many buries since then, with no trouble at all.

P.S. animatedknots.com shows the process of a short splice very clearly in about 10 seconds. Perfect for me--I have the attention span of a goldfish!

[timabababaluka]

I had a heck of a time making my first buries til some kind soul here told me to forget about the tape.

Amen, and AMEN! I remember being crazy frustrated at the tape; it blocked up everything and then would just slip off. One hour later, I completely lost my cool and screamed "I HATE FREAKING TAPE!!!"

The Missus (who can be annoyingly calm sometimes), rather than rallying around her husband, started mediating on behalf of tape.

"You hate tape?"

"Yes, I HATE FREAKING TAPE!!!" I figured maybe she hadn't heard me the first time.

"All tape?"

I had used just about every kind known to the human race (including medical adhesive tape), so I calmly shouted, "Yes, ALL FREAKING TAPE!!!"

"You even hate duck tape?"

She had me there. "...well... no... not duck tape... however, duck tape and I are not on speaking terms at the moment."

I eventually used wire with fantastic results. Consequently, I learned one of life's great lessons: every tool in its proper place for its proper use. I don't drive screws with a hammer, and I don't splice rope with tape.

[mrmike65]

Any straight needle with an eye large enough to accept 4 strands of the Amsteel braid shoudl work just fine. No tape needed. The one I use is 3" long.

[Mudman]

Guitar string, picture wire string, or so far the easiest for me to find- Floral wire at Walmart.