Tool for ropes.
This is a variant lucet?
Hi Struktor,
There’s no sense of scale, but I have the impression of a farm tool at least 18 inches (45cm) across.
I wouldn’t have thought it was a ropeworking tool, but I will ask my Dad if he knows what it is. He used to own a farm, and may have seen one and know it’s purpose.
If it is a ropework tool, I wouldn’t expect it to be called a lucet as those are for use in the palm, and most seem to be only about 3 inches (7.5cm) or less across from the images/videos I’ve seen.
I’m still saving up for my lucet from The Lucet Company :). And I’ve just discovered that the post I tried to do a fortnight ago still isn’t there on fancyworks, so I’ve been determined and got it there now.
Regards
Glenys
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zh5fXaGgOWI/SvwFVHweN1I/AAAAAAAADXg/hGnfw1Euf3o/s1600/P1050123Bl.jpg
There is a large lucet 
Regards
Struktor
Hi Struktor,
Thanks for that. I hadn’t thought you could use one that big so easily. I guess it floorstands?
Do you know much about them? I only came across them recently. In fact, I’ve had so much trouble getting hold of one I’ve made some out of plastic pegs (a bit awkward to use) and a large afro-type hair comb 
I’m saving for the one from The Lucet Company, but as I want the dvd as well, it comes to about ?40.
Surely the bigger lucet carries a limit on its cordage size, though? I’d have thought cord over half an inch diameter (1.5cm) would be difficult to manipulate into tight enough a braid.
Regards
Glenys
Couldn’t you make one out of a piece of wood? Looks easy enough to make. Post a template and I will cut one out for you.
Pattern lucet:
http://www.alonatwotrees.com/library/howto/alonalucettutorial.pdf
http://www.ehow.com/how_12109547_make-lucet.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20070509032121/http:/kws.atlantia.sca.org/photos/doublelucet/
Regards
Struktor
Hi Firebright,
Are you sure that wouldn’t be too much trouble? I’d love a proper one. We’ve no family or friends who do woodworking, and the local woodworking club are a rather closed group. I’ve tried to ask them twice before for help with things.
Please may I impose on your kindness very greatly, then, as a thought occurs to me, and ask if it would be possible to have 4 lucets? I would of course pay for them and their postage. The reason I ask is that my 8 year old, Rachel, has been chosen to befriend a new girl to her school in September, a little Greek girl who speaks no English, and who is very frightened by the thought of being at school in the UK. We’re hoping that a combination of things will help her to settle down. My Rachel is learning some basic Greek, and we’re making her a special plaited bracelet to wear to remind her that she has a friend waiting, and other ideas.
I am hoping that something simple to get them started, such as lucetting a plain braid and sewing it on a Tshirt as a decoration, will help break the tension. Simple knotting, plaiting and cordmaking can be the silent language of knots which may speak volumes to the young lady. There would be myself, and 3 girls working on it together.
Please feel free to say I’ve presumed too much: I won’t be offended
A quick search before schoolrun doesn’t show a template I can download on my phone and bounce off again.
http://wychwood.wikidot.com/kit-lucetting
Gives an idea, but Struktor’s picture makes a fair template.
… Whilst composing that between driving + activities, Struktor beat me to it. Thank you!
Regards
Glenys
Hi Glenys,
I have a lucet, handmade by me and they are easy to make. But, this reminds me of some time ago when the children were small and I was attempting to influence their love of all things knotted. I made a number of “knitting nancies” for them to do spool knitting on. These they liked very much and there are still the aftereffects here and there scattered around the house. Give Google images a whirl searching for knitting nancy. Some of them are as easy as tapping some small nails into the end of a sewing thread spool or taping paperclips around a personal paper tube.
One link from back then is http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/knittingnancys.html
SS
Very simple lucet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azbbBpM_lPs&feature=youtu.be
Weird lucet 
http://www.thelucet.co.uk/lucet_vocabulary.htm
Oh goodness, did not realize you were over in the UK, I would be happy to make some for you but I have never shipped anything across the pond, so not sure what cost are involved. If anyone has experience shipping international please share so info.
I have a nice piece of Purpleheart wood
http://www.collector-canes.com/images/products/FritzClassic/PurpleHeartSm.jpg
that would make a nice lucet. For the kids I have some thinner Poplar stock that should fit their little hands nicely.
Hi SS,
I didn’t think of those, although I know the connection. I think the reason is that when you find knitting dollies in the UK they tend to be very tacky plastic, and a lucet looks graceful and has character and history. My oldest daughter (now 21) did make a knitting rake, about 18-20 inches working edge when she was at High School. We still have that, but it’s a bit unwieldy.
Thank you for those videos, Struktor. I didn’t find anything of that “simple lucet”: I had a strong feeling that I could have been watching one of JD’s ancestors at work The instructions for making a foot operated saw were fascinating. MacGyver couldn’t have done better I shall have to remember what I did with the bed slats from early this year (my 8 year old’s bed), and put off my plans to sugar-soap and teak oil the dining table until afterwards.
Hi Firebright, yes: I’m in soggy England. Although last week we had fine weather every day they predicted rain, and rain when they predicted fine. We live in Bury, in the Irwell valley, which is a river that feeds out into the Mersey River via the Manchester Ship Canal. Wikipedia has articles both on the Irwell, which is about 50 feet behind my back garden, and about Burrs Country Park, which is at the end of our approach road.
Don’t worry about postage costs: I have a penfriend in Peewee Valley, Kentucky, and I know how much it costs me to send her a Christmas bumper envelope I also know it will be worth it; the wood sounds beautiful. I know poplar, though I’ve not seen much of it, but I’ve never heard of Purpleheart. Thank you for the picture. I’ll send you a PM to talk about the details
Regards
Glenys
Okay, I got your PM, lets pick a pattern and give me some approximate dimensions for you tool, ie. Length, width of fork, handle, no handle, etc.
Hi Glenys,
The State Ethnographical Museum in Warsaw.
http://powrozy.pl/g/wgrane/1331656968.jpg
Tools for rope made.
This is not lucet. Maybe this is the reel?
I must visit this museum.
Regards
Struktor
Oh yes - that makes much more sense. I might be near an agricultural museum next week in North Wales. If so I’ll see if they have anything similar.
Glenys
Looks like a wimble.
Primitive methods of drilling
http://lithiccastinglab.com/gallery-pages/microdrills4drillingdeviceslarge.htm
http://www.encyclopedia.com.my/volume4/beads.html
http://anachronisticarts.com/2012/02/three-bit-pump-drill-510/
Hi,
We’ve been away, been back, been distracted and been preparing for 2 summer camps for the children.
We went to Beaumaris Castle on Ynys Mon (the Isle of Anglesey, Wales) and met a Living History lady from the 1300s approx.
She and I talked for about half an hour, she showed me her two weaving methods (card and comb) and corrected my technique on the lucet: I was pulling the tension in the wrong place.
I had great fun, and am currently using my fingers to lucet a gold braid for Rachel to outline a horse on a t-shirt.
Regards
Glenys
Hi Glenys,
Paper model of the Turkish head knot.
But much easier to do
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oCuN-1y_0Y&feature=related
:)? conclusions ?
Similar tool to the lucet.
Horquilla (Hair pin lace tool)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZIcAPBSCsE
Regards
Struktor
This is cordage hand-frame.
http://krisdedecker.typepad.com/.a/6a00e0099229e888330133f1e47797970b-120wi
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/06/lost-knowledge-ropes-and-knots.html
Regards
Struktor