The Dreaded Rope Bridge


goscrewyourselves

goscrewyourselves

I'm the one
Some thought I was joking, but als - I was not! Here is the beginnings of the "Rope Bridge" that will span miles of open who knows what ... we can only wait and see. Here are the cross members for the Bridge Walkway. You'll note the grooves at either end of the members that will hold the rope cables that will connect them:

QXajKF4.jpg


There are numerous styles of Rope/Swinging Bridges all made differently. I will be making two (possibly) with this one having a series of cross members connecting two lengths of rope cabling that will span the gorge/river/valley. There will then be planks laid out on top of these cross members the length of the bridge. The walkway will be then supported by other ropes and cables.

And the ropes that will connect the above:

jgqyx2D.jpg


A black and brown length of cotton rolled together then coated in white glue.
 
Who says that - not us Aussies, well maybe we say mad dogs and Englishman, BUT we mean Englishman NOT Brits!!! Oh, hang on - they are the same - crap .... I'll be right back ..............

This'll be interesting to build as it is literally a what5 do I do next and how do I do it - thing. Basically, I have no idea what I am doing or where I am going till I get there :D
 
wombat457 said:
Who says that - not us Aussies, well maybe we say mad dogs and Englishman, BUT we mean Englishman NOT Brits!!! Oh, hang on - they are the same - crap .... I'll be right back ..............

This'll be interesting to build as it is literally a what5 do I do next and how do I do it - thing. Basically, I have no idea what I am doing or where I am going till I get there :D
Click to expand...
Makes it all the more fun and interesting project to do.
 
Yeah it does and the good thing (for me) is I can't rush it as I don't what I am doing or what to do next. Makes me sit back and think about things for a bit which is a change. :)

Getting the first side done was good. All I need to do now is run a strip of wood down the centre of the cross members and that will hold them in place for me to put in the other side rope/cable. Then I finish the decking for the walkway that will hold it all together, length wise anyway. After that the fun starts - how to do the rope supports from the Walkway to the Upper Rope Cables and how to support that Upper Rope/Cable?

This is the engineering issue I have - I am sure building the real thing is easier :) Well, all I have to do is apply logic and rationale - grief, where is Spock when you need him ??? 😁 😁 😁
 
Last edited:
Jeeze, I get dizzy just looking at that bridge - have to be honest, I suffer badly with Acrophobia so 99% of those bridges are a no go for me. That being said I never had a problem abseiling or doing run downs or rappelling - it is just the man made stuff that terrifies me and I fail to trust I think.
 
Have seen that and no thanks - hell I remember staying in a Hotel in Cardiff and we were on the 4th floor from memory. The place had elevators on the outside of the building with floor to ceiling glass walls - I seriously coward as far into the doors as I could, despite it being only 4 floors. On the other hand, I would have happily abseiled off of the roof of the place - idiotic isn't it.
 
wombat457 said:
What were you going to say
Click to expand...
Well, the way you've orientated the planking, you'd have to build a suspension type bridge with two towers either end, because the bridge would need to be flat because of the length of the timber your using wouldn't allow it to bow in the middle from it's own weight.

Wouldn't it be easier to have slats across (90degrees) to the rope. ?
 
Smudge617 said:
Well, the way you've orientated the planking, you'd have to build a suspension type bridge with two towers either end, because the bridge would need to be flat because of the length of the timber your using wouldn't allow it to bow in the middle from it's own weight.

Wouldn't it be easier to have slats across (90degrees) to the rope. ?
Click to expand...
That is the other method of building them. The way I have built this is only one method of a few different ones. The method you have described is probably the more "traditional and recognizable one" :)

I already have the "slats" for the "standard method" cut and ready for a more traditional bridge once I have finished this one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.



Back
Top