8 Strand (Anchor-plait) to Chain Splice |  |
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| This splice looks complicated, but once you've got the pattern going it is quite easy. |
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 | Tools Required
8 stranded (Anchor plait) rope
Chain
Swedish fid
Sharp knife & Scissors
3 x Electrical Tape (different colours, one the same colour as the rope)
Waxed Whipping Twine or Polyester Thread
Superglue. |
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Step 1
Put a whipping on the Anchor Plait about 20 x the diameter of the rope from the end (in this case it is approx. 400mm from the end.)
Use a basic overhand knot one side and a reef knot on the other and cut off the ends.
Finish off with a drop of super glue to prevent the reef knot from undoing.
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 | Step 2
Break the heat sealed ends with a Swedish Fid.
It is better to break the heat seal, than cut the rope as the heat seal holds the pairs of strands together, still in their twisted form.
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Step 3
When the pairs of strands have been seperated as shown in the photo, you need to mark the pairs with tape.
Unravel the pairs down to the whipping, keeping them in their pairs.
You will notice that 2 pairs are twisted clockwise and the other 2 pairs are twisted anti-clockwise.
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 | Step 4
Using the different coloured tape, mark the clockwise twisted pairs one colour (we've used Yellow), and the anti-clockwise twisted pairs another colour (we've used Blue).
Bring in the chain and place one Yellow and one Blue pair one side, and one blue and one Yellow pair the other side as shown.
Looking vertically down at the rope where the pairs emerge from the whipping, there will be one Yellow and one Blue pair touching the table, these are the lowers (Inner Yellow and Blue in the Image). The other Yellow and Blue pair are off the table and are the uppers (outer Yellow and Blue). |
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Step 5
All four pairs of strands are put through the first link of the chain.
Note that this is the only link that can take all four pairs and forms a tighter join between rope and chain.
The first through are the lowers. The Yellow Lower from one side then the Blue Lower from the other side. Then the Blue Upper on one side and the Yellow Upper from the other.
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Close up of image in step 5.
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Step 6
Once all four pairs have been tucked through the first link, then from here on only two alternating pairs are tucked through each subsequent link.
Turn the chain 90 degrees towards you and adjust the four pairs of strands so that again two pairs are on the top, and two pairs are on the bottom as in the image right.
Note: It looks as if the inner two pairs are tucked through the second link, but they are not, it is just the way they are lying in the image. - see close up image in step 8 for clarity. |  |
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Close up of image in step 6.
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Step 7
Tuck the bottom Blue pair and then the top blue pair through the second link.
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Close up of step 9
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Step 8
Turn the chain 90 degrees away from you.
Sort out the pairs of strands again so that one Blue and one Yellow on one side, and one Blue and one Yellow on the other side.
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 | Step 9
Put the two blue pairs over towards the rope,and the two pairs of Yellows towards the chain as shown.
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Step 10
You can now tuck the Yellow pairs through the third link.
Lower Yellow pair first, then the upper Yellow pair.
Ensure that as you progress with each tuck you pull gently on the pairs of strands to bed them in tight around previous links.
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 | Step 11
Turn the chain 90 degrees towards you again.
Adjust the four pairs of strands as before.
Move the Yellow pairs towards the rope and move the Blue pairs up towards the chain.
Tuck the Blue pairs through the fourth link, lower pair first.
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Step 12
Continue with this method up to the thirteenth link, remembering to turn the chain alternatively towards and away from you 90 degrees with each tuck.
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 | Step 13
Once you have tucked the two pairs through the thirteenth link, then this is the time to remove the tape from the ends.
So as not confuse matters, just remove the tape from the two pairs closest to the rope end of the splice first.
Break the heat sealed ends by pulling apart, and unravel them back to the link (the twelveth link)
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Step 14
Take one strand of the pair from one side and one strand from the pair on the other side.
Twist together in the direction of their lay.
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 | Step 15
Tape them together, close to the link with the same colour tape as the rope, and in the same direction as the twist.
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Step 16
Cut with a sharp knife halfway down the tape.
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 | Step 17
Dab some super glue onto the exposed end and along the seem of the tape to seal the end and prevent the tape from unravelling.
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Step18
Now repeat the process with the other two strands.
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| | Step 19
Do exactly the same with the two remaining pairs (Yellow in image) and that completes the splice.
Note: If the links look a little out of align, dont worry, If you can not pull them straight by standing on the rope and pulling on the chain (or visa versa), then once you use it for the first time, the boat's weight aganist the anchor will definitely pull the links into alignment.
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