Fig. 174.—Poles Lashed and Wedged, with Footing.
It is usual to wedge scaffold lashings tight, and, provided the wedges are well shaped, it is a convenient way of tightening the work after change of weather. Badly-shaped wedges are apt to cut the rope and sometimes work out.
Fig. 175.—Slinging Plank for use as Stage.
Stages for painting, or small repairs on a building, may be quickly rigged up by slinging each end of a plank on the bight of a rope. For this make a marlinespike hitch (see Fig. 40, p. 40), and let the end of the plank take the position there occupied by the marlinespike; the double part will be below and the single part above the plank (see Fig. 175). For single-handed work a boatswain’s chair, of which an illustration is given by Fig. 176, is convenient.
Fig. 176.—Boatswain’s Chair.
CHAPTER XI.
SPLICING AND SOCKETING WIRE ROPES.
Wire ropes are now used to such an extent, and in such a variety of ways, that a knowledge of the best methods of handling them cannot fail to be useful to the many thousands who are brought in daily contact with them. An endeavour will here be made to give such clear and simple instructions as will enable readers, with practice, to execute any job in connection with the splicing of wire ropes. The uses that wire ropes are now put to, and the ways and occupations they are employed in, are so various, that it is almost a necessity for a man to be engaged in their manufacture to have a thorough knowledge of the different methods of handling them. For instance, it would be just as consistent to expect a sailor, used only to eye-splicing, to go to a colliery and put a long splice into a rope, to withstand the enormous stress there applied, as it would be to expect a colliery man to go aboard ship to splice the mainbrace, or any other brace.