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Description

How ropes are made using toilet rolls instead of long fibres

Resources

Three patrols or groups
Toilet rolls - about 18 (about £8)
Battery operated drills/screwdrivers - one per patrol if possible.
String or tape

Instructions

Each group to do the following:
-Lay out a long stretch of toilet paper - as long as possible
-Have a scout hold one end
-Have another scout hold the other end in the chuck of a drill and spin the length of toilet roll slowly clockwise until it is tight but not bunched up.
-Have another 2 patrol members hold the twisted 'yarn' and tell them not to let it unravel.
-Repeat this until you have three lengths of twisted yarn.
-Hold all three yarns together at one end. Put the other three ends in the chuck of the drill.
-Slowly rotate the three yarns anti-clockwise and watch the rope form.
-Tie or tape both ends of the rope and don't let it unfurl..

Now get the rope from each patrol/group and spin them together clockwise by hand to form a thick hawser and tape/tie the ends up.
This finished thick rope will support much more weight than you would imagine.
This method has even been used in a prison escape!

Any problems are either down to twisting too tightly or by not twisting in the right direction. To make a rope, three clockwise yarns need to be turned anti-clockwise. Then any further twists need to be the opposite way.

Once everyone gets the idea of how ropes are curled then get them to coil up some real ropes and throw them as if they were lifesaving. They can learn how to tie an overhand loop and throw it to another scout, as if rescuing someone from water.

Tags

• rope game
• rope making

Badge Links

• Craft - Badge Completed
• Pioneer - Coil
• Pioneer - Knots
• Pioneer - Safety