Tuesday, January 13, 2009

An inverted tripod/hourglass tower...


I recently made this small model of an inverted tripod/hourglass tower, with wood dowels and nylon cord using basic square, diagonal, and tripod lashings.

I helped build a full size version of one, when I was about 12 years old with my Boy Scout troop in the early 1980's. It was one of many projects I learned to make with useful knots and ropework.

Searching around online, I came across a few links with similar projects also found under 'pioneering projects', like this one.

11 comments:

mistakes for marion said...

Yeah, all the lashings to do with bridges, tripods, and towers are under the pioneering merit badge. It's pretty sweet, and I think your blog is awesome

Anonymous said...

Stormdrane, do you have an email address? I have a project I need help with. I recently bought this a Springfield M6 survival rifle and I want to do this to it: http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/v-shrake/m6.html (see first picture), but I don't know how. Can you help? Thanks.

Stormdrane said...

County Comm has a video tutorial on YouTube showing that method of wrapping done on a widgy bar, just do it larger for the rifle wrap.

My email is Stormdrane at hotmail dot com. If you email me, make note to put 'paracord' in the subject so I can find it if it gets caught in the spam filter.

Anonymous said...

THANK YOU STORMDRANE! I think the video is enough for me but I may email you if I run into trouble.

brianb127 said...

Very cool SD. I helped make a watch tower in the boy scouts in the 80's also. We did one a little different but very similar. We did ours in Wadesboro N.C.

Anonymous said...

Very cool! We made one of those towers at the Scout Expo, probably in 77-78 (in Ft. Worth).

BBQ And Smoking Junction said...

All your work is very nice. I am still a novice tyer. I have to use a walking cane and would like to know if there is a way to wrap some cord on it. Smomething simple.

Thanks

Stormdrane said...

For a simple cane wrapping, try something like this spiraling twist wrap, shown on a flashlight but easily applicable to a cane with paracord or other similar sized cordage.

Unknown said...

Hey SD,Wanting to build a similar size tower with my grandson,s they have little interest in knots.I really fill like this is something they would love(totally into lego,s)to build.Did not see any giving dimensions on dowel lenght for a project of your size? If I need to come up with that my self can you tell me size dowel you used?I,am guessing 1/4".And did you use .09 cord to wrap with?Thinking that a solid core instead braided string might be better for us? Allright enough bugging you for one day.Thanks again Scot

Stormdrane said...

@Scot, I used 3/8" diameter dowels, with the long section poles for the tripods of 12" lengths, and cross members of the tripod base at 6" lengths.

The platform at top were gradually shorter lengths from the wide to narrow ends.

I used 1.4mm diameter cord, and used constrictor knots to start off and finish the lashings instead of clove hitches, because they held on to the dowels better. ;)

Unknown said...

Good Day Stormdrane,Thank you so for all the information.You are a wealth of knowledge.Giving me the knots and lashing was extra bonus.You have a Great Day Scot