Does anyone have a math formula for calculating the length of line for Solomon Bars? That is, if I want an 18 inch length of SB, how long should the line be at the outset, how much is pinned down for the center and how much is left out for the working ends? I realize that the thickness of a line will make a difference but is there a general rule such as 1/3 down, 2/3 working?
I’m wasting a lot of good line. I don’t mind the recycled line from the beach like lobster pot heads and old fishing lines etc. but the I sure would like to stop wasting the line I have to buy. As I said once before, I can’t count to 21 unless I’m naked so please try to keep it simple. Thanks in advance.
... I don't mind the recycled line from the beach like lobster pot heads and old fishing lines ...Sorry to know not even what a Solomon Bar IS, but I'm struck by your mention of beach-combed lines from lobster pots: do you examine these devices to see what rigging & knotting they choose? --and what materials! Where are you that you find these? (I find some such gear around Cape May Point, New ("South") Jersey, USA.
Cheers,
–dl*
To figure out how long a bit of line you need you take a cheap bit of the same thickness and a lot longer than you think you need and measure it. Now you make the bar you want to make and measure the left over bits of string. Now you take out your good string and take a piece as long as the first one minus the cut of bits. Give it a bit extra, different string does tie a little different, and note down the length. Make the bar and measure the cut off bits of this string, and you know exactly how much you need.
An other way is to take your string way to long, something like 3 times what you think you need. The cut-offs of the first bar should be long enough to make a new bar each.
There is a rule of thumb for macramé, take your string 3 times as long as the piece you want to make, but salomons bars are likely to be difficult to work out that way.
If you tie a bar and notice your run short of string you can pull the knots farther apart, or untie it and re-tie pulling the knots tighter.
Good luck.
Willeke
I am fortunate enough to be a resident of Newfoundland & Labrador [by choice], living on the island portion of the province. I do my beachcombing on the west coast (of the island) and find all kinds of rope, line, nets, pots, etc. etc. I haven’t bought any rope in 20 years! I find new or old lobster pots, cut out the heads (cone shaped netting that forms the one-way passage for the critters) and then sit down and untie them. Then I wash the line and re-use it. If you’re into knots, you should be good at untying them too. A lot of it is sun bleached and the part where the knots are tied does not get bleached out. This will give you line with a variety of colours and it will produce quite an effect when used walking sticks or hiking staffs. The lines I find range from string to hawsers. I have abt 20 pcs of whale bone, all kinds and sizes of fishing floats, pretty and unusual rocks and interesting items [junk??] cluttering up the yard, shelves, desk, house, etc. etc.
Come on over, the wx is fine and we always have room for one or two more. Dee
Willeke, thanks for the info. It looks like I’m going to have to keep track of the lengths I use and the trimmings and then subtract. I just thought that there might be a formula that someone had worked out. Back to the old knotting board I guess! CU. Dee
for some great old books on square knotting go to:
http://www.abebooks.com/
…enter: Graumont…Herwig…square knot…macrame…solomon bar…knots…etc…
Dan-Alaska
There is a formula worked out, but I have found it is always wrong. When I make solomon bar zip pulls with children I usually hand out 1 meter lengths of string and see a very wide range of sizes return for finishing. Even when the loop size is the same, the amount of knots can be nearly double from one to the next, both looking good.
In open macramé work, your length from the top should be about 3 times that of the finished work. so you normaly cut your string at 6 times the length and use it folded with a loop for the tie on. If you just make solomon bars in your work, using one set of strings all the time, those strings should be at least 6 times the length of the work. But, if you work with loose knots thightly together that might be as much as 10 times the length.
So it depends on you, even more than on the string itself. So the best way is to keep track of what you have done or run the risk of running out of string ocasionally. (That is my way of working, I do not mind to redesign mid work it I run out of string. I am never short of string :-[ ;D)
Willeke
Hi Dee, This may not help much now but is more advice for the future. I’ve been keeping “knote books” (note books about my knots) for about 30 years. I measure how much I used this time (by measureing the leftover) and jot it down with other stuff about a project. I make little sketches and memory joggers too. Then I can look it up the next time. I sort of index my knotebooks in a “table of contents” and I keep books on several general classifications. It may sound organized but it really isn’t very organized at all… but it is way more organized than my memory. I find it handy to use my body as the measureing device since I don’t carry a tape measure in my ditty bag. Might not be a real cubit but it is my personal cubit, hand span and so on. I only wish I had started the knotebooks when I started tieing stuff.
Hi Dee,
I use length times four,saves the tears when one strand is about to go.
Also depends how many strands you use,you will always have longer /shorter ,just go by 4 and toss the waste.
Cheers
Remember practice makes perfect.
Do an inch and see how much you used once you undo .