Braided Dacron

[Ooby]

Ok here are the pics of the braided dacron leashes.




The jesses are exactly the same as the loop end, but instead of braiding it long for a leash, just braid it short and tie it off with a knot.

I then put about 5 drops of super glue on it, and then dip the knot in this stuff called Plasti Dip. You can find it at home depot. The Dacron i just buy off of fishing equipment webpages. Its 130lb dacron. Don't buy spectra, because its so thin.

Hope ya enjoy, post any questions if you have em.

*EDIT*

Wanted to add, these leashes work for any bird up to a female red tail. Right now, i know of a Female Harris, a Tiercel Finnish Goshawk, a Female Anatum Peregrin, and my Female Red Tail are all teathered with these leashes, and there have been no problems. In fact, they are holding up MUCH better than the paracord leashes i was braiding.

[LeeSlikkers]

Hey Ooby,

Can you recommend any reference book or resource for the braiding technique you used on your leashes? And how about a source for your Dacron material? Thanks!

Lee

[Ooby]

just go to a library and find a leather braiding book. the braid is called a 4 strand round braid.

I got the dacron from a fishing tackle place online. Look around there are plenty that sell large diameter high strength dacron. You gotta get a little creative to make the loop, but you should be able to figure it out by the pictures once you start braiding, if not, lemmie know and ill post a step by step.

[LeeSlikkers]

Thanks, I'll check out the library.

Lee

[Ooby]

Ok added pics. If you make fun of me cause of how i look ill murdalize you. I just woke up and if i didn't do it now i would never do it so be nice.

Here

This is the braid

www.ubraidit.com/lesson.htm
Steps 1-6 should give an ok example of how to braid it.

It looks a hell of a lot more complicated than it is, but just keep repeating this as you braid it

"Top thread, around back, between opposite pair, and back to original side." Only after you do that, it will be the BOTTOM thread then.

The step by step for making the loop goes like this.

To make the leash about 4 feet long, i measure each strand by stretching my arms to each side. One end in my left hand, goes across chest to the right hand that is outstretched. Make it twice that long, then again from one hand to the middle of your chest. I dunno how long it ends up being, but it looks TOO long, usually Make 4 of those.

This should show you what i meant by stretching it from hand to hand across your chest, and give you an idea of the overall length before you start braiding.Thats one of the LARGE maglights.


Hold em all together and find the middle.

Once you got the middle, hold the threads in one hand and make a loop with equal amount from each side, so that the middle that you found, is at the top of the loop.

Make it larger than you want your loop as you will lose some length in the braiding process.

So you got 8 strands held in one hand with a loop at the top. Tie one end of the loop in a knot. So you basically have a simple knot about 2-4 inches off center.

Here is the loop. The exacto blade is pointing at the exact middle of the 4 strands. You can also see the knot i tied "off center" of the middle of the strands.


Once you get that knot, start braiding the single strands in the same 4 strand round braid.

You can keep track of how big the loop will be by taking the end you are braiding and holding it up to the knot, effectively showing you how big the loop will be.


1)In the first pic you can see the beggining of the loop being braided. 2)In the second pic you can see i am checking the length of the braid so far to determine the size of the loop. 3)Same in the third pic, its almost ready to begin the main braid. 4)In the fourth pic you can see i have untied the knot, and am ready to start braiding the main leash because the loop is big enough.


When you got enough length of the single strand braid done, go ahead and untie the knot, match the strands up, and continue braiding, only this time with TWO (2) strands instead of ONE (1).

Make sure to pull the first few passes extra tight, so that the base of the loop won't be loose.


1)In the first pic you can see the begining of the main braid. It looks pretty retarded so far but don't worry. 2)In the second pic you can see how it will end up looking, and you can see the two [2] strands that are being used to make each pass. Where we started with a single strand, we are now using 2 strands.


If you have to stop, take the strands in your RIGHT hand, and make a looped knot to the other strands. Its basically if you were tying a simple knot using the four strands in your left hand and the four strands in your right hand, only don't pull the right hand ones all the way through, just pull em halfway through, effectively making a loop. That way when you re-start, you know the looped strands go in your right hand.


Here you can see i have tied a simple knot but left a loop. So I can pull on the strands to the right of my leg, and know that those strands will pull the loop, untie the knot, and will remain in my right hand. Its a pain in the ass to re-start the braid if you don't know which strands go in which hand.



No pics needed to finish the loop. I put some heat shrink tubing around the end, heat it till its tight, then cut off the excess dacron. Trim it neat at the tubing and then put 3 drops of zap a cap super glue on it. It should soak in. Set the sucker on fire and let it melt the dacron, but don't let it melt the heat shrink. You will have to blow it out a few times and re-light it to keep it from getting too hot, but when the dacron starts to turn brown you know you are set. Blow it out, let it cool down and you are set.


Hope this helps. If you still got any questions post em.

[LeeSlikkers]

yup, I think pics will be needed....my head is already spinning

Thanks!

[bobdale]

I use a three strand braid on my FRT. It's plenty strong. However, I like the way your four strand braid looks, Ooby. i just haven't gotten around to making one yet.

Lee, Ooby's method is sound. Instead of tying knots in the lines, i wrap a peice of masking tape around the loose lengths and start to braid the middle section. Same with stopping. After i get the middle done (and Ooby called his explaination "nutsy") i wrap the braided part around my toe and start to braid up from their. I have braided many of these leashes while watching TV or listening to music. It's a good way to pass time with your RT when you're in the first manning stages, too.

[Ooby]

bob, these leashes do not have a single knot in them. The only knot tied is the temporary one while i start the loop braid. The whole thing is just 4 long strands of dacron braided together.

I have seen the masking tap trick you are talking about, but i found that with the 4 strand, it ends up much tighter if i just braid it to itself, ensuring that the first few pulls on the main leash are nice and tight.

But ya, no knots in my leashes.

[Minca]

Learned a new trick from my sponsor on braiding dacron. Beeswax. Run it through a block of beeswax the same way that is usually done with thread before sewing. It helps to kep the braid tight while braiding and keeps the smoothness of the dacron from loosening the braid so you don't have to pull as tight all the time.

[Ooby]

The dacron i order is from www.meltontackle.com/

It comes pre-waxed

"Marlin Braid Dacron conforms to all IGFA line class requirments and has extra wax to protect it from nicks and chafes that are often harmful to dacron lines. the perfect choice either to fill a reel completely with dacron or when splicing "top shots" with..."

[LeeSlikkers]

Perfect!!! The pics sealed the deal for me and the whole process is crystal clear now. Many many thanks!

Now I need to buy some Dacron...

Lee

[kmcarb]

Can you tell me why Dacron, instead of nylon.

[iowafalconer]

Did anyone ever save the images or the webpage that had the photos and instruction on this braid? They took it down and I need it!

Thanks!

[Minca]

I had it privately emailed to me way back then, I'll see if I can find it for you.

[Minca]

Well, I've looked and I can't find it. But, if your not already a member, someone on Apprentice Falconry just posted the very pics you want, but you'll have to register to see them.
apfalconry.proboards19.com/index.cgi