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Tugging a Rope Tension Drum
Tensioning a rope tension drum is done by a process called Tugging.
Start where the loop comes through (where the pigtail knot is located) and work
around the drum toward the pigtail.
Beginning to pull the drum rope. You start at one end.
Pull
or "tug" the slack you create around the drum.
Moving
the slack from one line to another.
Trying
to keep the rope as tight as possible as you go.
Around the halfway point, stretch the damper (muffler) tightly across the drum
head.
You
really make the ropes as tight as possible. Get your weight into it.
By
rotating the hand you can create more tension.
Moving
towards the last two points. Note the loop where the rope starts.
Moving
the tension to the last portion of the rope.
When you reach the end, place the free end under another rope and
wedge it between the rope and the rim to keep the tension in the line. Check the
tension by trying to squeeze the up and down ropes together. Chances are you
will need to start somewhere in the middle of the run and start tugging again
from that point.
Go
back around the drum again. Tugging tightly.
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The Pigtail knot
On to creating the end knot called a Pig Tail.
The pigtail knot is an ingenious knot used to take up slack in a rope. It
is constructed by twisting the rope fibers tightly until the cord loops back
around itself. You force the rope between the drum and the end of the knot, all
the while keep turning the knot to keep the windings as tight as possible.
Start by twisting the rope in the direction of the rope twist, until the rope
"knuckles" about an inch from the drum Place the next turn so it falls between
the drum and the end of the knot.
Keep
the rope twisted tightly. The rope needs to be as solid as possible.
Notice how the rope is being forced between the end drum loop and the end of the
knot. As more layers are laid in, the slack in the last two sections (the up and
down portions) are taken up.
The
almost completed pigtail knot. The is so much tension, the knot can't unravel of
its own accord. In this picture the free end (the portion heading to the
left) will be tightly wrapped in a clockwise direction for one more wrap. The
last wrap is where the final tension is place into the rope.
One view of the completed pigtail knot. There should be 5 or more windings
around the rope. You will need to really pull on the rope to force it between
the loop and the end of the knot. When complete, the tension of the knot
itself will hold the knot in place, so loop the free end behind the upright line
next to it and wedge it between the drum and the line.
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Dutching
Dutching is a method of being able to tighten the drum
ropes when they become too loose. When the you pull the leather tabs (ears) down
to the bottom of the drum, and aren't getting enough tensioning, you can pull on
the dutching to re-tension the rope without having to Tug the drum.
It is a real time saver, but only delays the time when you have to tug the drum.
The steps are as follows:
Lay
the line under the first rope.
Run the rope over the 2nd line, then behind and through between the two lines.
Lay
in behind the first line, then between go to the next pair of ropes and repeat.
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Forming the Drag rope.
When you reach the end, the remaining portion of the rope is turned into a
drag rope. You pull a loop through, keeping the free end of the line in the same
portion of the loop. Basically you are chain crocheting the free end of
the line. When completed, tie off on the opposite side of the drum.
