Thimbles in spectra eyes

[Tom Roberts]

After several days of making a fool of myself attempting to follow Brion's nimble fingers on his video I think I've finally got the feel of the spectra eye splice.( double braid).
I need to make a bunch of eyesplices around solid thimbles.If I don't insert the thimble until the end it won't fit in, but if I put it in earlier it's hard to get the cover all the way round. Is there a magic moment to do it or any trick of the trade?
Thanks Tom

[Tom Roberts]

I've done a few now and I guess there is a magic moment that gets easier to spot the more you do it.
Haven't siezed them yet but I suppose that really locks down the loose side of the cover?
Any tips still welcomed .What a sense of satisfaction when you learn a new skill---especially as you get older.

[Bob Pingel]

Sounds like you got there, you slip in the thimble when you get to about 90% home.

Yes, you need to sew, tape, seize, or heatshrink the cover down -- that's all that holds it there.

I like to pull the cover tight and thrown a couple stiches in to hold it. I then cut and taper it steeply. From there, I tape over the tail with friction tape. I then cover the tape with a short length of traditional service -- with #60 tarred marline.

This hold the cover nicely, really snugs up the thimble tight, and looks nice. It is kinda cool having traditional service on a high-mod rope. The black service has a clean look even on a modern raceboat.

Bob

[Brion Toss]

Hello,
Yeah, it's a developed skill thang. One trick is to put the thimble in at more like 80% home, and position the thimble offset, so its foot is pointing diagonally towards the sliding side. You can then use it to pull any slack out of the eye as you run the splice home. If the thimble slips, reposition and go again.
I also like to make the eye just a tiny bit oversize, so the seizing or whipping snugs the eye up.
Finally, are you sure you need a thimble? What is the application?
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[Tom Roberts]

Thanks for the replies. I've done 16 in the last two days pretty much the way Brion describes.At the end I was even pushing the wand the right way to get the snare in and out.
The eyes are terminations on the shrouds for a Wharram Tiki rig .Lashings will be used on the lower ends and the uppers connected to the tangs with shackles.It's a low stress rig and certainly no race boat.I had considered using soft eyes at the uppers with a ring hitch thru' the shackle.
Once again great tool, great dvd.