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Theme 2
The Story
of Rope Making
Investigating the process of rope making and the
materials used
KS2 Science and Technology
Rope Making - Teaching Notes
This theme looks at the process of rope making
Activity 4: How are ropes made?
and how it has changed. It covers mainly science
and technology through materials, forces and
motion.
The two information sheets explain the four
stages of rope making. These could be used as
a useful recap following a visit to the gallery.
Objectives
Types of rope and equipment
•
•
•
Compare the properties of materials used
for rope making and their uses.
Find out about how rope was made
Investigate methods of transferring
power.
Outcomes
These activities could be used with Theme 5 to
create an exhibition about rope making in
Barton.
Activity 1: What are ropes?
Introduction to rope making with a true/false
quiz. Use the teachers’ notes sheet as part of
class discussion when feeding back answers.
Activity 2: The History of rope making
This sheet could be cut up and the cards placed
on a class timeline. Identify links to periods
pupils have already studied in history.
How has rope making changed over time?
Activity 3: What is rope made from?
Use the first worksheet to introduce pupils to
fibres and the ways they can be processed to
form different materials. Use real examples of
objects and materials to demonstrate each one.
They could go further to investigate the
properties of the different materials and their
uses.
Use the structure of rope resource sheet to help
focus pupils’ examination of collected samples of
rope and string.
The second worksheet can be used to create a
table to compare the relative properties of the
natural and synthetic fibres. The natural fibres
were grown all over the world. Pupils could use
an atlas to help them mark the countries where
the fibres came from onto a world map. Which
came the furthest? How might they have been
These two resource sheets could be used during
or following a visit to the heritage display,
enabling pupils to examine the ropes and
objects first hand.
Making your own rope
Making a simple rope in the classroom should
make the stages much clearer and enable
pupils to write their own instructions explaining
what they did. A blank sheet with illustrations
for the different stages in the rope making
process could be used as the framework for
pupil’s explanations.
Activity 5: How were machines powered?
This activity investigates how theories of forces
and motion can be applied to the transfer of
power in the rope factory. Pupils set up their
own belt driven model and investigate the
effects of using different sized wheels to help
solve a problem. Cotton reels, rubber bands or
simple mechanics sets can be used for this
experiment. This could be extended by
comparing and designing simple rope making
devices like the ones here:
http://www.ropeworks.biz/text04/r.html
Activity 6: What were the ropes used for?
The first ropes made at the factory in Barton
were used mostly by the shipping industry.
Sailing ships required miles of rope for rigging
as well as rope for anchors. The worksheet
includes information about the length of rope
required and a picture to complete to
demonstrate the uses of rope on sailing ships.
Ropes for rigging need to be strong and those
for anchors need to be waterproof. Most ships
are no longer powered by wind so rigging for
sails is not needed.
transported? Why were they grown so far away?
32
What are ropes?
Read the following statements and decide whether you think they are
true or false. Have a guess if you are not sure.
Statement
1.
Nylon can be used to make ropes.
2.
Nylon comes from the stems of plants.
3.
Ropes are made by twisting fibres (threads) together.
4.
Ropes are made by plaiting or braiding fibres together.
5.
Ropes are held together by glue.
6.
The Tudors were the first people to make rope.
7.
Animal skin can be used to make ropes.
8.
Silk is the most common material for making rope.
9.
Ropes can be made from metal.
10. Putting knots in a rope strengthens it.
11. Two ropes can be joined by weaving the ends
together.
12. Ropes are rigid (they don’t change shape).
13. Ropes can be used for pushing.
14. Ropes can be used for pulling.
True
False
Teacher’s Notes
Statement
1.
T
F
9
Nylon can be used to make ropes.
Nylon is a one of the most common materials for making rope today.
2.
9
Nylon comes from the stems of plants.
Nylon is a synthetic fibre – it comes from refined oil. Natural and synthetic fibres are
both used for making rope.
3. Ropes are made by twisting fibres (threads) together.
9
This is the traditional way to make ropes. Twists in opposite directions hold the rope
together. It is possible to see this by pulling a rope apart.
4. Ropes are made by plaiting or braiding fibres together.
9
Plaited or braided ropes are made by machine and are often used for climbing ropes.
9
5. Ropes are held together by glue.
Ropes are held together by two opposing twisting forces. The yarns and strands are
twisted in opposite directions so they will not unravel – try untwisting a rope from the
middle to test this.
9
6. The Tudors were the first people to make rope.
Ropes have been made since prehistoric times. The Egyptians developed tools for rope
making and used ropes to move stones when building pyramids.
7. Animal skin can be used to make ropes.
9
Animal skin has been used to make ropes by explorers.
9
8. Silk is the most common material for making rope.
Too expensive! Hemp was the most common material until synthetic fibres were
developed. Now synthetic materials like Nylon are the most common.
9
9. Ropes can be made from metal.
Wire ropes are made by twisting metal fibres. They are used in lifts and on cranes.
9
10. Putting knots in a rope strengthens it.
A knot in a rope weakens it, making it more likely to break. This is because some
fibres are stretched more than others.
11. Two ropes can be joined by weaving the ends together.
9
This is called splicing. It is stronger than tying them together.
9
12. Ropes are rigid (they don’t change shape).
Ropes are bendy and flexible so they can be coiled up and used for tying things.
9
13. Ropes can be used for pushing.
They are flexible so can’t be used for pushing. (They have no compression strength.)
9
14. Ropes can be used for pulling.
Ropes are hard to break when pulled. (They have tensile strength.)
34
The History of Rope Making
Prehistoric (Before writing)
Ancient Egyptian (2000BC)
There is evidence that ropes were made
in prehistoric times from grasses and
vines twisted together. No tools were
used, the fibres were twisted by hand.
Ropes were
used for
moving
heavy objects
like stones
and logs.
Rope was made from reeds and fibres
from papyrus plants. They spun the
yarns together on a hand held spindle.
Medieval (1100AD)
Tudor (1500AD)
Rope making was common in Britain
during Medieval times. Rope was made
on a long ropewalk so they could
stretch out the yarns and make longer
ropes.
Rope making was made in people’s own
homes by skilled workers and sold
locally. The yarns were attached to
hooks turned by hand to twist them
together.
Victorian (1850AD)
Twentieth Century onwards
(1950AD)
In the 1700s and 1800s, new inventions
meant yarns could be spun by machine.
Rope factories
and spinning
mills were
built.
Fibres can be made from new synthetic
materials like nylon and polyester. These
fibres make rope that is cheaper and
stronger than natural materials. It can
also be easily dyed a variety of colours.
Rope is mainly
made by
machine.
Comment [J1]: Wikipedia
public domain image
What is rope made from?
Rope is made from long solid threads called fibres.
Natural fibres are found in the stems of plants.
Synthetic fibres are made from oil.
This is the stem
of a hemp plant.
The fibres have
been stripped
from the stem
and separated
out.
Fibres can be processed in a number of ways to make
different materials. Can you match them up?
Knitting
Felt fabric
Weaving
Rope
Matting
Woven fabric
Twisting
Knitted fabric
Fibres
What objects can you find that are made from fibres?
How have the fibres been processed?
What is rope made from?
Natural Fibres come from plants or animals
Hemp
Manila
Hemp plants grow up to fifteen feet tall and
rope is made from fibres in the tall, upright
stems of the plants. It is very strong but it has
to be dipped in tar to make the ropes
waterproof. Hemp plants do not need a hot
climate. Barton rope makers used hemp from
Manila comes from the leaves of the
abaca plant, a type of wild banana,
grown in countries with a tropical
climate, particularly the Philippines. It is
waterproof so the yarns did not need
tarring but not as strong as hemp.
Lincolnshire, Russia and Italy.
Sisal
Coir
Coir fibre comes from the shells of
coconuts. Palm trees grow in
countries with tropical climates like
India. The rope is good for making
fishing nets as it doesn’t rot in salt
water but is the weakest of the
Sisal comes from the fibrous
leaves of a plant. The plant is
grown in areas with a tropical
climate. It is imported from
Kenya. It is not as strong as
hemp or manila but it
stretches slightly making it
natural fibres.
good for mooring ropes.
Synthetic fibres are made from
Nylon
Nylon comes from refined oil.
Nylon is quite expensive but it is
more than twice as strong as
hemp and much lighter. It
stretches slightly so it is good
for boat mooring ropes and for
climbing ropes as it cushions the
oil
Polypropylene
Polypropylene comes from
refined oil. It is very cheap,
floats on water, and does
not stretch. For these
reasons it makes a good
water ski tow rope.
shock if the climber falls.
Use an atlas to find the places where the natural fibres were imported from.
How many different continents did Barton Ropery import raw materials
from?
The Structure of Rope
Rope is made up of fibres, yarns and strands.
Look carefully at the samples of rope and string you have collected.
Can you identify the fibres, yarns and strands?
Can you explain how these parts are held together?
Rope
Yarns
Strand
Fibres
Hatchelling and Spinning
Hatchelling
The fibres were separated from the plant. They had to be cleaned and
straightened before spinning.
They were pulled through boards covered
in metal spikes called hatchels. Whale oil
was added to lubricate the fibres so they
were easier to comb.
The hatchelling boards were later replaced by goods machines.
Spinning the Fibres into Yarn
The long straight fibres were spun together
into yarn.
Traditionally this was done by hand-spinning.
The spinner held the fibres around his waist.
As the hooks on the spinning
wheel rotated, he walked
backwards pulling out the
fibres so they spun together.
From 1850, yarns were spun on machines in the spinning mill.
The machines wound the spun yarns onto bobbins. It was the job of the
machine operator to change the bobbins over when they became full.
bobbins
rotated
fibres
yarn
Forming Strands and Twisting Rope
Forming strands
Six or more yarns were twisted together to form a strand.
The yarns were attached to hooks on the forming machine. The forming
machine moved down the walk pulling the yarns off the bobbins. As the hooks
rotated, the yarns were twisted together into strands.
Yarns
Forming
machine
Strands
Twisting the strands into rope
Three or four strands were twisted together to make a rope.
The strands were attached to the same hook.
The hook was rotated, twisting the strands into
a rope. The rope stayed together because the
twists went in opposite
directions.
A cone with grooves in it, called a top, was placed between
the strands as they were twisting to keep the twist tight and
even. The final rope was approximately two thirds of the
length of the yarns used.
forming
strands
top
Rope Making
yarns
fibres
forming machine
hatchel
top
strands
twist
rotate
Rope Making Equipment
T________ or S______
It was used to twist the strands
together into rope by turning the
handle.
F____
Used to splice ropes together
without breaking the strands.
H______
It was used to straighten out the
fibres.
B_______
The yarns were wound on to these
in the spinning mill.
T_____
It was used by the rope makers to
hold the strands apart when
twisting.
Make Your Own Rope
You will need:
•
12 equal lengths of yarn, each approximately 2 metres long
(knitting yarn, string or twine)
•
a piece of wood in a cross shape to use in place of the top.
(2 rulers bound together)
1. Twist four lengths of yarn together in a clockwise direction, twisting from both ends, to
make a strand.
2. Make two more strands, holding them tight so they don’t unravel.
3. Place the strands alongside each other and hold them together at each end. Keep the
strands stretched out tight and running parallel.
4. Hold the ‘top’ between the strands at A to separate them. This keeps the twist tight.
5. Twist the ends at A in an anti clockwise direction. Move the ‘top’ slowly from A to B as
the strands twist together.
Strands
A
Rope
B
‘Top’ held
between strands
6. Finish the ends by tying another piece of yarn tightly round them.
This rope is called a hawser rope because it is made of three strands.
The yarns are twisted in the opposite direction from the strands. These two opposing
twisting forces act against each other. If the forces are equal, the rope will hold together
and not unravel. When the rope is dropped on the ground it should lie in a straight line.
Friction between the fibres stops them from sliding apart when the rope is pulled.
Try using different coloured yarns or experiment by using different materials, for example
strips of material.
Different Types of Rope
Look carefully at the ropes on the left. Extend the ropes to join them to
their descriptions on the right.
Hawser laid rope
Three strands twisted into
rope.
Shroud laid rope
Four strands twisted
round a thinner rope
running through the
centre.
Cable laid rope
Nine strand rope made
from three hawser ropes
twisted together.
Spliced rope
The strand ends are
woven back in to the rope
using a fid to make a
loop at the end.
Braided rope
Rope is made on a cross
laying machine. The
strands are woven
together like plaiting.
How were the machines powered?
Can you find the following things in the picture of the rope mill:
•
•
•
•
things that turn
belts
wheels
machinery
Power to machines in the mills
By 1850 the rope factory was powered by steam. Spinning machines were built to
replace hand spinning. The steam engine turned a rod, called a drive shaft, in the
roof of the mill. The drive shaft had wheels attached to it called drive wheels. The
wheels were linked to wheels on the machinery by belts. As the drive shaft turned,
the power was transferred to the machinery by the moving belts. Later, when electric
power was generated on the site, this was used to turn the drive shaft to replace the
steam power.
Belt driven machinery
The wheels on the drive shaft are called drive wheels and those on the machinery are
called followers. The drive shaft turned at a constant speed and was used to power all
the machines in the mill. But the wheels on individual machines had to turn at
different speeds, some much faster than the drive shaft. Sometimes the wheels on
the machines had to turn in the opposite direction from the drive shaft.
Problem:
Find a way of changing the speed of the follower wheel keeping the drive
wheel speed the same.
As an extra challenge, see if you can find a way of changing the direction in
which the follower wheel turns.
How were machines powered?
Set up a pulley system using two wheels the same size and a belt as in the
diagram below. What happens when the drive wheel is turned?
The drive wheel is driving the follower wheel. The energy is transferred from
one wheel to the other by the belt.
The drive wheel is turned by the drive shaft.
The follower wheel is turned by the drive wheel.
Label the drive wheel, the follower wheel and the belt. Draw an arrow to
show the direction the follower wheel turns in.
Drive shaft
Swap the follower wheel with different sized wheels, what happens?
Use lines to join the sentences together to show what you found out.
When the follower wheel is
larger than the drive wheel…
…the two wheels turn at the
same speed.
When the follower wheel is the
same size as the drive wheel…
…the follower wheel turns
faster than the drive wheel.
When the follower wheel is
smaller than the drive wheel…
…the follower wheel turns
slower than the drive wheel.
Ropes for Sailing Ships
Sailing ships were used before boats were powered by steam or oil. Sailing ships
needed huge amounts of rope for rigging and anchors. The rigging was used to
support the masts and lift the sails on the ship. The Encyclopaedia of useful Arts
(1866) lists the length and weight of rope needed for a first rate ship of war:
Total weight of rope = 78.5 tons
Total length of rope = 43 miles
(71 000 kilograms)
(69 kilometres)
Many of the ropes made at Barton were used on sailing ships built in Hull. Complete
the picture of a sailing ship and label it using the key words. Circle all the uses of
rope. What properties will the ropes need?
rigging
cabin
anchor
flags
sails
mast
Mountaineering Ropes
It is 1953 and Edmund Hillary and his team of climbers are about to attempt to climb
Everest, the highest mountain in the world. Do some research into the equipment
needed for climbing Everest. Draw pictures with labels to show how they could use
ropes to help them. What properties will these ropes need?
Edmund Hillary and his team were the first climbers to reach the summit of Everest in June 1953. They
used Nylon ropes for climbing, hemp ropes for the fixed ropes they left on the mountain and cordage
for various uses such as tent guy ropes. The ropes had to withstand the extreme cold temperatures on
Mount Everest. They had to be strong but light enough to carry with them. Nylon ropes have some
stretch in them, making them good for climbing and abseiling. Nylon ropes were very expensive so
cheaper hemp was used for the fixed ropes they left on the mountain.
There is some evidence to suggest these hemp ropes were made at Barton Ropery.
Machines in the rope mill