Slackrope: ropes, and rigs.

[Seamus]

Can anyone tell me what kind of rope is the best for slack rope? Cotton? Nylon?
Also I want to set up some sort of portable rig that I can haul around in a van. I was thinking two large tripods similar to those used to hold up large PA speakers, or lighting trees. I don't want to reinvent the wheel here, does anyone know of any easy set up for a portable slack rope rig?

Thanks

[Steven Ragatz]

If you don't want to get fancy, you can use a hammock frame. They break down and are readily available.

Steve

[Frisbee]

I designed a freestanding collapsable slackrope rigging...based on the design of hammock stand...but it has adjustable height and length...and then you could have different rope attachments for whichever length you set it up to...I dont know where it is right now but I will dig it up and send it to you via email...if you want send me an email to remind me to look for it. It was made out of tube aluminum wiht hinges and locking pins for height adjust.

-Frisbee

[jonnyflash]

The poor man's slack rope rigging{practice}
consists of two trees and any rope.

The poor man's slack rope rigging{performance}consists of 2 6-foot freestanding aluminum ladders with a volunteer's ample butt sitting on the middle
stair of each.The rope is tied between the ladders.The volunteers stablize the ladders.

[Mark Wessels]

I remember this one guy is Harvard Square, Mark Farneth perhaps, would use this really clever set up for the slack rope finale of his show. He had these two big wooden "X"s held together near the middle by a huge bolt thing. He would tye one end of his slack rope to a light post and then string it up over each of the huge 'X's so he would have a space to perform between them. He tied big knots in the rope so it wouldnt slip through the 'X's and had what seemed like a rediculously large number of volunteers holding onto the loose end of the rope.

(drawing useless)
\ / 0 \ / | |
0 0 0 .\/. -|- .\/.__|_|
|_|_|___/ /\ \___M__/ /\ | |
| | | / \ / \ | |
/\ /\ /\
volunteers Mark Light Post .=knot

(/useless drawing)

that took me far too long.

The "X"s actually go side ways and not forwards though it was just easy to draw this way.

anyone know what type of rope to use or where to get it?

mfw

PS. OH NO! my picture doesnt work on the post because it eliminates all the spaces that i used but they are neccesary. Any one know how to fix it? I can email the thing I drew to you if you want.sorry about that.

[ 04-28-2002: Message edited by: Mark Wess ]</p>

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

One inch Manilla hemp rope, smaller as you improve.

[Mark Wessels]

Hey

If anyone gets juggle magazine i noticed a diagram of the picture I was trying to draw on the last or second to last page. The second picture down. If you don't sorry. Also, anyone know of a general type of store where I might find 1" manilla hemp rope? Or a source online? I have looked around but I am incompetent on computers so any help apreciated.

mfw

[jeanette]

i use a hammock frame. got one at a reasonable price (i think around $70) at galyans when they were having some kind of sale. it comes in 5 easy-to-assemble poles, the longest of which are (i think) about 5.5 feet (1.7 m?? i'm guessing here), easy to fit in a van. for casual practice, i'd use trees whenever you can--they're easier to work with, and much easier to learn on if you're a beginner because trees, unlike any sort of frame, don't bend or wobble (not to speak of the rope itself).

as for rope, i recommend the twisted (braided?) kind of rope, without too much stretch (although there's a whole class of slackers who prefer stretchy nylon, so even here it's a matter of opinion). whether you use hemp/manilla or synthetic is up to you. i have 2 ropes--one for my stand that's nylon, 5/8" (1.5 cm) diameter and something like 15 feet (~5 m) long, and a manilla one for using with trees that's 3/4" (2 cm) diameter and around 30 feet (~9-10 m) long. i'm happy with both. advantages to synthetic are that it's lighter and stands up better to sun and moisture. i'd say anything between 1/2" and 1" will do. most hardware stores sell rope--have an employee cut the length you want off a roll. i got one at home depot and the other at menards. it's not expensive, and probably better to buy it in person than to try to order online.