Rope Splicing Fid

This is to make rope splicing fids. Quick simple and easy. Yes, you can buy them for about $10 ea. except here on Maui where I am, and shipping to Hawaii costs more than the item.

You will need:

5 inches for each fid so I made three so 15" of tubing per size.

Marker/Sharpie

Dremel Cutoff wheel

Dremel cone stone grinder

Dremel sandpaper grinder

Steps:

First, buy brake tubing by-the-foot at local auto parts store. I bought 3/16, 1/4 and 5/16. It was steel and will rust so don't store on the boat. Aluminum is better if one can get AL tubing but Lowes/HD was too thin walled from what I saw.

Second, mark 5 inches on each set of tubing.

Third, cut at sharp angle (maybe 30deg.) with cutoff wheel. Use a vice to hold tubing

Fourth, cut base of fid square so you have one pointy end and one square end

Fifth, grind all cuts and dull tip.

Sixth, sand smooth all edges Tips: I left a bit of angle on square end on some fids as it may help push rope in butt end when doing a splice and needing to pull rope through. These can be primed and painted to avoid rusting.

Comments

[Old cooper]

Seems to me that old ball point pen tubes could be used for some of the lighter work. Pull the point out cut on a diagonal and to length. Look around for old pens with different size barrels.

[marhar]

Nice! I'd also like to see something on splicing with this device.

[mauigolightly]

Awesome instructable!

[BST1]

Thanks mauigolightly. Quite simpler and easier (and less brilliant) than yours :) but glad we got them done.

[Jobar007]

A couple of suggestions: break apart your instructable into steps. It appears that you have enough material that you could make another one and take pictures of each step. The second suggestion would be to make another instructable on how to splice braid with your new fid. Yes, there are a lot of tutorials out there on the web but instructables is seriously lacking.

Thanks for the instructable and I look forward to more!

[BST1]

Thanks Jobar007. It was my first one so your feedback is appreciated for the next ones, which may be the splicing you mentioned.