Re: First "real" whip build
I haven't decided on the overlay colors. I was thinking it would be a 16-plait with 10 black and 6 red, but I may go crazy. 
Re: First "real" whip build
Hi Gary - lookin interesting so far.
If you dont mind me saying, you have some gaping in your strands. For the belly, not the biggest of problems, but it would be a petty on the overlay :-)
- Matt Henderson
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Re: First "real" whip build
Looking good Gary . Make sure to bind it well, and maybe increase the overlay plait count from what you thought (to make sure there's no gapping, like Morten said), and you'll have a really good first whip.
'Sic Parvis Magna'
- Rachel McCollough
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Re: First "real" whip build
Good progress! Black and red, ooooo!!!! That'll look sharp, Gary!
Inch by inch.
Re: First "real" whip build
Just as a rough rule of thumb you can set the number of strands equal to the diameter in mm - so if your handle is 14 - 17 mm thick - go for 14 strands - if thicker maybe 18
Re: First "real" whip build
sorry meant 16 strands not 14
Re: First "real" whip build
Yeah, the second belly is 10 strands, and clearly should have been 12. I was planning a 16-plait overlay, which still seems to be the right balance. Am I off-track, whip experts?
- Ron May
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Re: First "real" whip build
Gary as I understand it increasing the next belly by a rule of 4 is a good way to go. 4>8>12>16 etc. .
It seems to work out well that way for most.
If there's major gaping you can always back up and undo some of it and add a strand too.
Ron
It's ok if you disagree with me.
I can't force you to be right.
I can't force you to be right.
Re: First "real" whip build
The gaps on the second belly are because I didn't have long enough strands for my later drops - the beginning 10-strand was fine! darnit.
For some reason, I was following someone's definition for 8-10-16 instead of 8-12-16. I felt instinctively that it should be 12, but this is fine too - just not pretty for the part that nobody will see. I'll be sure to bind the heck out of it.
- Matt Henderson
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Re: First "real" whip build
Yeah, gapping is more a cosmetic issue if you have a decent number of strands. As long as you bind it well, roll it hard, and maybe add some hockey tape to smooth it out you should be alright
'Sic Parvis Magna'
Re: First "real" whip build
After binding the second belly, and adding polyester tape as well. I'm not sure if I'm done. I'll decide whether to plait the overlay or add some more binding after my hands unclench.
- Robert Gage
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Re: First "real" whip build
Gary, you might not like this suggestion, but I'd bind it some more. The visible angle where the thong leaves the handle makes me nervous....
'Less is often more!'
- Jesse Bessette
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Re: First "real" whip build
Robert, in was gonna say the same thing. Aside from that, it looks good, then other thing is, he's talking about tapping. If he bound tighter, it would thin his whip down and prevent gapping. I don't think it was the fact that it was 10 plait. My 16 had an 8 plait first belly, 10 plait second, and 16 plait overlay. I didn't suffer from any gaps.
Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates.
-Mark Twain
-Mark Twain
Re: First "real" whip build
I was leaning toward more binding close to the transition, so it's good to hear I'm not mistaken in that plan. I just had enough of the pulling yesterday.
The gap issue on the second belly was almost entirely due to not having good strand lengths, not a lack of tightness on the underlying layer (it was rolled and bound pretty darned tight). I trusted a resource to do the strand math for me, and it clearly didn't work quite right. So, I ended up dropping strands earlier than the taper wanted them dropped, just because I ran out of cord. I knew the binding layer would cover up the minor cosmetic problem of the gaps, and the overlay will be using a paranoid amount of cord, just because unplaiting 200 feet of nylon is not on my list of things to do.
Thanks for the input. Maybe I'll get the extra binding done this week, and the overlay is a lot less stressful on my hands, so that should follow soon after.
- Jesse Bessette
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Re: First "real" whip build
Okay. I see what your talking about. How long is this build? I'd be more than happy to share my strand lengths of you wanted?
Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates.
-Mark Twain
-Mark Twain
Re: First "real" whip build
This is meant to be a six foot bull. If it ends up being five, I'll consider it close enough.
- Brandon "Sparky" Lam
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Re: First "real" whip build
I might suggest a tight closed binding at the transition would help immensely
Apart from that, looking good! 
Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life.