Great invention. Do you recall what was used before the ty-tap? I do as I had to make wiring harnesses old school style even though the ty-rap was already standard 🙂
Here's today's Ty-Rap clone application. Securing the padding on the tie-back for a weeping willow that wants to fall down toes-up. The padding had failed over the winter and the tree trunk was getting rope-burn. New T-shirt would not take a secure knot, so I tie-wrapped it (not gonna use my good Ty-Raps for this job). This is only on the fabric, it won't strangle the tree.
I used what was already standard in military and industrial wiring harnesses: waxed cotton string, usually dyed light brown or beige.
Being in Argentina, I was blessed by the universal availability of almost same specs of "hilo choricero", literally "sausage string" 🙂
Lacing cord was flax (linen), not cotton, or it would rot too easily and simply be too weak. Flax is one of the best natural fibres for many reasons including strength, stability and light- and rot-resistance.
I'm wondering when spira-wrap(TM) or equivalent products appeared - another great invention, reusable too...
I'm wondering when spira-wrap(TM) or equivalent products appeared - another great invention, reusable too...
Google finds Spiratex and their catalog has this simple history.
https://www.spiratex.com/
https://www.spiratex.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Spiratex_Catalog.pdf
Ah, plastics. One day we'll be going back to that linen, flax, cotton stuff. Keep reading about the "micro" form of all the plastics we've been using getting into lungs, blood, guts, brains(?) of every living thing there is that has such. The cut off end, where does it go?
I injured myself one time thinking all ty-wraps are the same, strong nylon. I tried to pull a larger plastic one real tight - it broke, my arm went flying, in my arm-catching reaction I ended up punching the chassis edge with my finger, then to the doctor for stitches...
I read on a pack of black nylon ones I recently picked up they can take 40 lbs tensile w/o breaking.
I injured myself one time thinking all ty-wraps are the same, strong nylon. I tried to pull a larger plastic one real tight - it broke, my arm went flying, in my arm-catching reaction I ended up punching the chassis edge with my finger, then to the doctor for stitches...
I read on a pack of black nylon ones I recently picked up they can take 40 lbs tensile w/o breaking.
For us doing work for AECL it was waxed linen twine.
That was in 1955. I still have part of a roll.
That was in 1955. I still have part of a roll.