# Mare's Tail



## sweetsparkette (Jan 8, 2011)

Does anyone have a how-to on braiding a Mare's Tail? I made one about 8 years ago and can't quite remember how.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

sweetsparkette said:


> Does anyone have a how-to on braiding a Mare's Tail? I made one about 8 years ago and can't quite remember how.


Generally you hook one 240 volts across the rear hoofs and ......


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

sweetsparkette said:


> Does anyone have a how-to on braiding a Mare's Tail? I made one about 8 years ago and can't quite remember how.


 


Brush the tangles out first.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

Just like braiding a human's hair. Like this:










No but for real, if I'm interpreting "mare's tail" to be what I'm thinking it is, then you're trying to figure out how to braid a giant chinese finger trap to pull some big cable or something. Am I correct?

If so, I've made them in the past by getting mule tape and cutting it into maybe like, 6 - 10 lengths of 20 - 30 feet each. I identify each length at both ends with a unique color phase tape... so in the end you'll have a bunch of mule tape lengths identified separately. Then bundle all the lengths together and line both ends up, then fold the bundle in half and find the middle of all the lengths. The middle portion (a foot or two) of the bundle will become the loop head thing. Tie the loop off with some string and tape, so then you'll have a loop head with a bunch of long strands hanging off of it.

So then it's a matter of taping the head in place and braiding each color pair around your cable. For instance, I wrap each end of the red pair around and around the cable, then tape the ends in place when I'm out of slack. Then again with the blue pair, etc. etc. Identifying the pairs with colors ensures that the same length of mule tape is braided opposite the other end of itself, so all the pulling strain is put onto the mule tape braid instead of, for instance, the few wraps of tape and stuff that are holding the loop end together.

We pulled 7 parallel 1000' cable tray runs of high-voltage 750 copper cables (about 4 - 5 inches in overall diameter and maybe 13 pounds per foot) with a few of these things. They worked great.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

You should put this in the union section. Thats where I was taught to work with rope. Just like they teach sailors how to tie knots and make loops and dead ends, electricians can benefit from knowing how to do it too. It was required of us back then. 
I made a loop last summer to do some pulling. It took me a few times to remember, but once I got it, it looked like it was factory made.
My neighbor even asked me how I learned to do that. Its an art thats been lost along with unions.


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## Charlie K (Aug 14, 2008)

John Valdes said:


> You should put this in the union section. Thats where I was taught to work with rope. Just like they teach sailors how to tie knots and make loops and dead ends, electricians can benefit from knowing how to do it too. It was required of us back then.
> I made a loop last summer to do some pulling. It took me a few times to remember, but once I got it, it looked like it was factory made.
> My neighbor even asked me how I learned to do that. Its an art thats been lost along with unions.


John, if memory serves me correctly the IBEW had a book in the 60's or 70's that was all about knots and splicing ropes. I know I have a copy of it somewhere.

Charlie


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

I can tie an eye on a rope that looks factory made and just expected that every electrician could do the same, like bending pipe. I didn't think it was a big deal until recently.


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## John (Jan 22, 2007)

John Valdes said:


> You should put this in the union section. Thats where I was taught to work with rope. Just like they teach sailors how to tie knots and make loops and dead ends, electricians can benefit from knowing how to do it too. It was required of us back then.
> I made a loop last summer to do some pulling. It took me a few times to remember, but once I got it, it looked like it was factory made.
> My neighbor even asked me how I learned to do that. Its an art thats been lost along with unions.


I learned how to do it in the Boy Scouts. :thumbsup:



Charlie K said:


> John, if memory serves me correctly the IBEW had a book in the 60's or 70's that was all about knots and splicing ropes. I know I have a copy of it somewhere.
> 
> Charlie


Here's the basic eye splice....

View attachment 5215


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## tkb (Jan 21, 2009)

John Valdes said:


> You should put this in the union section. Thats where I was taught to work with rope. Just like they teach sailors how to tie knots and make loops and dead ends, electricians can benefit from knowing how to do it too. It was required of us back then.
> I made a loop last summer to do some pulling. It took me a few times to remember, but once I got it, it looked like it was factory made.
> My neighbor even asked me how I learned to do that. Its an art thats been lost along with unions.


I learned and I am not in the union.
Is rope splicing special to the union?

I know many no-union electricians that can splice rope. :no:


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

tkb said:


> I learned and I am not in the union.
> Is rope splicing special to the union?
> 
> I know many no-union electricians that can splice rope. :no:


It could be the times too. It used to be something that was part of our training. Maybe we are not trusted to tie knots anymore. Like working on hot stuff or something like that.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

jrannis said:


> Maybe we are not trusted to tie knots anymore. Like working on hot stuff or something like that.


LOL :laughing:


Workboots will be required to close with Velcro.


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## sweetsparkette (Jan 8, 2011)

When I made my tail before we used rope, maybe 8 pcs each 20' long. I found the center and made the "eye", then unravleled the rope sections and taped each end piece. The two sides, or sections were weaved seperately so that when it was completed you had the eye with two woven sections. You wrap it around the cable jacket with a ring of tape holding the ends on and it pulls without damaging the jacket. It's easy off and on too...quick. I'm pulling 1400' in tray, parallel 500's. I don't remember how to start the weave! My original tail came up missing about a year ago :{


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## oldtimer (Jun 10, 2010)

sweetsparkette said:


> When I made my tail before we used rope, maybe 8 pcs each 20' long. I found the center and made the "eye", then unravleled the rope sections and taped each end piece. The two sides, or sections were weaved seperately so that when it was completed you had the eye with two woven sections. You wrap it around the cable jacket with a ring of tape holding the ends on and it pulls without damaging the jacket. It's easy off and on too...quick. I'm pulling 1400' in tray, parallel 500's. I don't remember how to start the weave! My original tail came up missing about a year ago :{


 Much simpler to buy a Kellems Grip (horse c**k)

They last for years, and very rarely slip, if used right.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

John Valdes said:


> You should put this in the union section. Thats where I was taught to work with rope. Just like they teach sailors how to tie knots and make loops and dead ends, electricians can benefit from knowing how to do it too. It was required of us back then.
> I made a loop last summer to do some pulling. It took me a few times to remember, but once I got it, it looked like it was factory made.
> My neighbor even asked me how I learned to do that. Its an art thats been lost along with unions.


We had a guy come in when I was an apprentice and teach us knots for an entire class. One of the most useful classes I think I had, actually.



Charlie K said:


> John, if memory serves me correctly the IBEW had a book in the 60's or 70's that was all about knots and splicing ropes. I know I have a copy of it somewhere.
> 
> Charlie


I think my classroom might have a copy of something like that. I'll take a look on Tuesday.



sweetsparkette said:


> When I made my tail before we used rope, maybe 8 pcs each 20' long. I found the center and made the "eye", then unravleled the rope sections and taped each end piece. The two sides, or sections were weaved seperately so that when it was completed you had the eye with two woven sections. You wrap it around the cable jacket with a ring of tape holding the ends on and it pulls without damaging the jacket. It's easy off and on too...quick. I'm pulling 1400' in tray, parallel 500's. I don't remember how to start the weave! My original tail came up missing about a year ago :{


Well once you get the "eye" made you'll just have a bunch of long tails hanging there. So to attach it to the cable I just jam the base of the eye on the end of the cable and have someone hold it until I get a few wraps around the cable. As far as wrapping, I take the two tails I'm working with, hold one in each hand, and wrap them around the cable in opposing directions, so they crisscross each other. Then the same for the rest of the pairs of tails.



oldtimer said:


> Much simpler to buy a Kellems Grip (horse c**k)
> 
> They last for years, and very rarely slip, if used right.


Those work great but you can only easily stick them on the end of a cable. If you have a long pull around several bends with really heavy cable and you need a 2nd tugger somewhere, then a mare's tail can be wrapped around the conductor at any point on its entire length.


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## sparky970 (Mar 19, 2008)

If you can't tie a knot, then tie alot.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

oldtimer said:


> Much simpler to buy a Kellems Grip (horse c**k)
> ............



Right. Now attach said kellems to a rope. :whistling2:


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## wirenut71 (Dec 5, 2010)

Learning Knots can be useful on the job. I know a few and use them from time to time.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Charlie K said:


> John, if memory serves me correctly the IBEW had a book in the 60's or 70's that was all about knots and splicing ropes. I know I have a copy of it somewhere.
> 
> Charlie


I wish I had a copy too. Do you know of a link. 



jrannis said:


> I can tie an eye on a rope that looks factory made and just expected that every electrician could do the same, like bending pipe. I didn't think it was a big deal until recently.


We come from the same background for sure. But I have been out of construction for so long I really have to think hard to TRY and remember. Its not like riding a bike.



John said:


> I learned how to do it in the Boy Scouts. :thumbsup:
> Here's the basic eye splice....


Yes, me too. But we only learned knots, not loops and tails.


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## Navyguy (Mar 15, 2010)

All of our apprentices learn knots, bends, hitches and splices in school. The problem, like most stuff, you need to use or you will lose it.

There are tons of references online for the "three strand eye splice". Do a search and you will find it easily. Once you get one or two done, it will come back pretty easy and quickly. If you can't find what you need, PM me and I will send you some stuff on PDF that may be helpful.

Getting into double braided rope is a totally different kettle of fish...so be sure to look for "three stranded".

Cheers


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