THE HANDY MAN ON THE FARM. 



889 



throughout^ the long Bplice is essential. There is little difference in the 

 relative strength of ropes spliced by these two methods; the quality of 

 the work is a far more influential factor in determining which should be 

 used. A well-made splice will reduce the strength of a rope l>y about 

 one-eighth. 



The Short Splice. 



[n a short splice the strands are laid back a distance which will depend 

 uimn tlir thickness of 

 the rope. A little prac 

 t iee will soon enable one 

 to gauge how far, but 

 as a guide to start with, 

 it may be mentioned that 

 9 inches will amply suf- 

 fice to splice ordinary 

 ploughreins of 1] inches 

 circumf erence. Such 

 rope is the best to prac- 

 tise on, and it should 

 preferably be moderately 

 new, as old worn rope 

 anravels too easily and 



makes the work doubly 

 i | Fig. 2.— Short Splice. The two ropes laid back and brought 



end to end, ready tor splicing. 

 The ropes are then 

 brought end to end, as 



hard up as possible, with each strand of No. 1 rope between two strands o« 



the opposite rope, No. 2 

 ^^^^ ( Fi^-. 2). No. 1 rope and 



I 



the strands of No. '1 rope 

 are held very firmly in 

 the left hand, and to 

 commence with may be 

 temporarily lashed in 

 position. The strands 

 of rope 1 are then inter- 

 woven with those of rope 

 2, by taking each one 

 separately, jumping over 

 the strand immediately 

 the other side of it, and 

 under the next one fur- 

 ther on. (Fig. 3.) 



To do this without 

 loosening the strands 

 held tightly in the left 

 hand, it is necessary to 

 twist rope 2 with the 

 right hand, and place 

 the first finger of the left hand underneath the strand to keep it open. 



Fig. 3._short Splice. The position of the hands, placing the 

 first strand of Rope 1 under Rope 2. 



