My tackle is old...but in lovely condition

[British Red]

Thought you might like this one. Found in a "junk" store today - a "Luff Tackle" made by David Reid & Co - Manchester - a firm that operated from 7 Hilton street in Manchester in the late 1800s. Still in great working order - all metal construction.

It seemed only proper to look through my rope stores, struggle to remember my eye splicing and reeve it properly


Luff Tackle (David Reid & Co. - Manchester) by British Red, on Flickr

A useful old piece - three times mechanical advantage - and much cheaper than buying even a basic wooden set. For those intrigued by the name of Luff Tackle - it refers to a rope secured to a single block, run through a double block and back through the single and double. I confess I had to look it up as I could never keep all the names straight.

Had to pick this old beauty up for £4 whilst I was there



Auger by British Red, on Flickr

Red

 

[Mesquite]

Some nice old tools there Hugh

 

[bilmo-p5]

A small luff like that is often known as a 'handy billy'. Handy for any number of odd lifting and pulling jobs.

 

[British Red]

Very pleased with the luff tackle - been after one for a while - then stumbled on this one at a bargain basement price (even though the pillock was trying to sell the two parts separately - sigh)

 

[Macaroon]

Excellent finds, both of them.............such an augur for not much more than the price of a pint? Some things just make one scratch one's swede!........atb mac

 

[Niels]

Some nice finds. Had to look up ''pillock''. Mehehehehehe.

 

[British Red]

A small luff like that is often known as a 'handy billy'. Handy for any number of odd lifting and pulling jobs.

So it is - this one is a fair size (it runs half inch rope), but that is exactly what I intend it for

 

[Macaroon]

I know one old horsemaster who uses a few "handy billys" to store oiled leather harness suspended from the rafters in his barn to keep the rats from getting at the oily leather - they love it and destroy it in very short order.

 

[British Red]

Suppose I should show the last item - to be brought out at the summer barbecue for friends and neighbours. Fun will be had I think!


Yard of Ale by British Red, on Flickr

 

[Niels]

I feel compelled to ask, what that is. What is it?
Wait. I looked it up. never mind

 

[treadlightly]

Suppose I should show the last item - to be brought out at the summer barbecue for friends and neighbours. Fun will be had I think!


Yard of Ale by British Red, on Flickr

That takes me back!

 

[Rod Paradise]

Some nice finds. Had to look up ''pillock''. Mehehehehehe.

So did I once you mentioned it - despite knowing it was colloquial for idiot & using it frequently (I work in planning), I hadn't a clue where it came from.....

 

[Stringmaker]

Nice finds.

I used to know how to calculate stuff to do with mechanical advantage from using block and tackle but that was years ago!

 

[Dreadhead]

nice find Red looks interesting

 

[British Red]

Nice finds.

I used to know how to calculate stuff to do with mechanical advantage from using block and tackle but that was years ago!

Crudely the number of bits of rope entering, leaving or attached to the moving block. On the rig shoen the moving block has the rope attached to it, passing into the pulley and out from the pulley - three parts so three times advantage . a 50lb pull will lift 150lbs. Simples

There are subtelties about "rigging to advantage" and friction, but that's the basic rule.

 

[mrcharly]

I have at least 2 left permanently rigged and to hand on the boat mooring - mostly used to pulling wayward pontoons back into position after floods have damaged the bank. Once you are used to having them, you'll not want to leave home without one!

What's the breaking strain of that rope?

 

[British Red]

Not too sure to be honest - fairly sure its half inch manilla so a couple of thousand pounds I suppose?

 

[bilmo-p5]

A fair guide for natural fibre ropes is ...

BS (in tonnes) = 2D²/200, where D = diameter of rope in mm

so for half-inch, say 12mm,

288/200 = 1.44t

As you said; couple of thousand pounds (-ish)

 

[British Red]

Or in my crude terms

"thick enough not to cut my hands to bits and strong enough that I could not lift its capacity even with 3:1 advantage"

 

[mrcharly]

The weak point will be the 'turn' in the eye. I think (and I bet there are people on here who could calculate it) that you shouldn't count on more than a third of the full breaking strain. So bring that 2000lb down to no more than 700lb. With a 3-1 ratio and a surge load, it would be surprisingly easy to reach that.

Putting a metal eye in the rope eye would help a lot.