Page 233 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

Figure 6-41R. Fairing the splice.

Put the splice back in the vise, stretch the stand-
ing part out again, and pull from the bundle the yarn
Figure 6-41Q. Four tucks done, single yarns laid out. closest to the vise. Bend it sharply toward the vise,
parallel with the lay, then swing it in a low, coun-
ing away from the thimble, smoothing out any irreg- terclockwise arc (Figure 6-41S). It should break off
ularities so that when a load comes on all the yarns after less than a full turn. The part that’s left will
will take an even strain. Strike with an L-shaped have a little hook in its end, just at the surface. This
stroke (Figure 6-41R), coming almost straight down, keeps the yarn from coming untucked, but it won’t
then ricocheting away from the thimble. Use enough protrude far enough to be a “meathook.”
force so that the mallet isn’t just bouncing and Work your way down the splice, breaking off
skidding off the wire; on the other hand, if you’re all the yarns. Then, if necessary, you can fair again,
working up a sweat, you’re striking way too hard. very gently, to settle any recalcitrant spots. It’s easy
Be moderate, and go over the work twice. (If that here to dislodge ends, so watch how you strike.
doesn’t yield something that resembles the finished The splice (Figure 6-41T) is now complete and
splice shown here, there’s more wrong with your ready for tarring, parceling, and service. “Tarring”
splice than fairing can cure.) in this case can be done with a coating of anhydrous
lanolin. The lanolin, available at your local phar-
macy, will prevent both rust and oxygen starvation
under the parceling and service.

Figure 6-41S. Breaking yarns.

212