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  1. #1
    Senior Member thegreatjesse's Avatar
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    Mason line - my new friend

    I bought a roll of braided mason line to use as accessory cord and potentially to tie out my tarp, and in light of the frigid temps outside, have been stuck indoors. After making two hammocks, an UQ and a bunch of stuff sacks, and then putting whoopie slings on my DIY hammocks, my HHULBPA, and my ENO DoubleNest, I decided to try toying with the mason line.

    I made a couple of mini-whoopie slings, and am considering using them as tie outs for my tarp. Has anyone done this? If so, does it work well enough? I'm kinda concerned about degradation of the strength of the twine, since its only 6 strands and relatively thin anyway, but there isn't much stress on a tarp tie-out. I also made a few lengths with fixed-eyes at each end, and I'm probably going to use them if the little slings don't work so well.

    Any other cool uses for my $4.99 roll of bad-weather-distraction?

  2. #2
    Senior Member Tendertoe's Avatar
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    Ive been using it for zipper pulls. I wouldn't see any reason why they wouldn't work for tarp tie outs. I do not like the fact that it doesn't hold knots very well, but you are getting around this by splicing.

    I believe that splicing retains nearly the original strength of the line (although this may only apply to dyneema).

  3. #3
    Senior Member KerMegan's Avatar
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    i think the 'strength retention' is based on structure, rather than content. so what ever the mason line is rated to you should still have upwards of 90% of it still available. (esp if you add in a stretchy bit, for when the wind gusts)
    KM (who's inner kitten is pleading for some string time..)

  4. #4
    Senior Member Theo's Avatar
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    I have used mason's line for tarp guy outs with no problems. The only problem is with me. Sometimes it is hard to use with my arthritic hands because of the size. I have since moved to using braided trot line, not for the strength but for easier gripping. I can't remember the number size but was rated at 450lbs. This is the smallest size I can use without a lot of gripping problems.

  5. #5
    Senior Member thegreatjesse's Avatar
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    zipper pulls! brilliant!

    I think the small slings will work, and you're right, tying the stuff sucks, which is why I decided to try splicing it in the first place. I figure it'll be easier to just loop and pull than to try tying with mitts on. I'll get out and test these soon, I hope!

  6. #6
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    I have used braided mason line for tie-outs on a tarp, even had them configured as whoopie slings. No problems at all. Worked well. In fact, the whoopies seemed to work very well with the mason line as the friction seemed better than say amsteel.

    I am still using mason line for the tie-outs, but i don't use them as whoopies anymore. Instead, i just put a marlin-spike hitch with the stake before I put it in the ground. Easier, faster, and more flexible in my opinion.

  7. #7
    Senior Member thegreatjesse's Avatar
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    Good idea there turkeyboy, the MSH means less potential for failure and less length of tie-out to carry also. Simplicity usually wins!

  8. #8
    Senior Member Syb's Avatar
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    Zipper pulls - wow, that's so brilliant I wish I'd thought of it. Here I've been struggling with zippers ESP with gloves on and here Tendertoe comes up with a good one. Thanks for that tip!

    @thegreatjesse what do you use to splice your mason line? I'm having the darndest time with it.

    Syb

  9. #9
    Senior Member thegreatjesse's Avatar
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    Syb - My girlfriend (from whom I stole the thing) calls it a yarn needle, but it just looks like a big needle. Its a little smaller than the one I use to splice Amsteel, and a lot pointier. I had a lot of trouble at first too, and I think it was because I was tapering the end too much, so I've only been pulling two strands out and only about an inch up. A few times now I've done it without even tapering, and it worked pretty well.



    Continuous loop, 2-ended fixed eye, and mini-whoopie

  10. #10
    Senior Member JohnSawyer's Avatar
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    I use braided mason line for my tarp tie-outs. I did make mini-whoopies with them, but stick with knots for flexibility.

    I have a loop of mason's line on each of my stakes, drive them in the ground and use that loop with a trucker's hitch to hold it down. Works very well, and is quick to setup and take down.

    I've had no issues with this line holding knots. With the trucker's hitch, it's all held by one slippery half-hitch. Comes apart quickly and easily - one yank on the end and it's free...


    When I played with splicing it, I took a piece of 24 gauge wire from a category 6 cable and doubled it. worked for me, but that stuff is Tiny.
    "Do or do not, there is no try." -- Yoda


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