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Thread: Mason Line

  1. #1
    Senior Member headchange4u's Avatar
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    Mason Line

    There was some discussion here and on WB about using Mason Line for guy line for tarps and such. The Speer No Tangle guy line I have been using has gone up again in price (.25 per foot, only available in 100' lengths) so I started looking for alternatives. I had checked out my local Ace Hardware but the only line they carry was the twisted nylon Mason Line. This type of line sucks and should be avoided at all costs. After asking on WB, I was told that Home Depot sold woven Mason Line so I stopped by Home Depot and picked up a spool.

    The brand was Marshalltown, with 150lb. breaking strength, #18 braided nylon line. It was about $8, including tax, for a spool of 500'. That's less than .02 cent per foot. They had bright yellow and hot pink colors in stock. It holds knots well and doesn't unravel to bad when cut. I tried weighing 10' of the line but it did not even register on my scale. Here's a pic with some orange Speer No Tangle guy line. The Mason Line looks like it's thicker in the pic but that's because it's a flat cord, where the Speer is round.

    “Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it." -Terry Pratchett



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  2. #2
    Senior Member Just Jeff's Avatar
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    How is that line for tangles?
    “Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall when the wise are banished from the public councils because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded because they flatter the people, in order to betray them.” ~Judge Joseph Story

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    Senior Member headchange4u's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Just Jeff View Post
    How is that line for tangles?
    I doesn't seem that bad at all. It's not as good as the Speer guy line, but I don't think tangling would be a problem.
    “Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it." -Terry Pratchett



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  4. #4
    Senior Member FanaticFringer's Avatar
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    Glad you found it. I think mine is gonna work well. I like the neon yellow better than the Speer orange. I used a lighter on the ends to help prevent fraying.
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    Senior Member nickelanddime's Avatar
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    I jumped the gun, ran out to HD and picked up a spool, then while at walley world searching for ripstop I decided to swing through sporting goods and saw camo mason line as duck decoy line 200' for $3 or $4, oh well day glow should keep me from tripping on stuff
    "nickels and dimes, yours and mine, did you cash in on your dreams? You don't dream for me no" Third Eye Blind

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    it's also called construction line, and i have been using it for a while. marshaltown and stringliner are the best brands. it has to be braided like you said, there are some other types that are not nylon, don't know how they perform or if you can find them braided. you can get stringliner in dark green. i like the neon yellow so i don't trip on it. it's thin enough, that you can't really see it at all from a ways away.

    it is a soft line and tangles worse than a stiff line like spectra, but i always wrap it around my stakes when done using it, which solves the problem of tangles.

    it is stretchier than spectra, but that has not been a problem. if anything, stretchy line would not need tarp tensioners as bad as static line would.

    i like it alot, and the price is unbeatable.
    Last edited by warbonnetguy; 11-10-2007 at 17:53.

  7. #7
    Senior Member headchange4u's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by warbonnetguy View Post
    you can get stringliner in dark green. i like the neon yellow so i don't trip on it. it's thin enough, that you can't really see it at all from a ways away.
    Yeah I'm kinda glad I got yellow. I have some UL guy line that is a forest green and it becomes almost invisible in day light and impossible to see at night. One of the main reasons I like Speer guy line was because it's bright orange color.
    “Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it." -Terry Pratchett



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  8. #8
    Senior Member GREEN THERAPY's Avatar
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    I am a journeyman mason and have been using that line for a multitude of uses for the last few decades. Seems our secret about how good it is has ended.
    What I lack in knowledge I MORE than make up for with opinions.
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by GREEN THERAPY View Post
    I am a journeyman mason and have been using that line for a multitude of uses for the last few decades. Seems our secret about how good it is has ended.
    i just finished my apprenticeship out here in co.

    you know how you can tie a line pin by just wraping it one and a half times and then flipping the tenstioned end on top of the rest of the wrap, so you can tighten just by pulling on the slack with one hand and on the tensioned line with the other, and then it holds tight when you let go? you can do the same thing with y stakes or v stakes. it's the most convenient way to attach and adjust your guylines. it does wear them out eventually, but line is so cheap, it's well worth it when it comes to convenience. tons better than a tautline IMO.

  10. #10
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    I use this knot for my MSR Groundhogs http://www.animatedknots.com/roundtu...matedknots.com
    "Every day above ground is a good day"

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