Pioneering Figure of eight Lashing Used to make a tripod, lay three spars alongside each other, with the two outside spars running one way and the centre one the opposite direction.
Once you’ve mastered your basic rope work skills, you can move on to Pioneering. Pioneering uses ropes and spars to build tables, dressers, gateways, towers and many other things. Before you start you will need to learn a few more knots called lashings. Once you learn these then your imagination is your only limit. The Square Lashing This is used for securing one spar to another, when they cross each other, at any angle. Start with a clove hitch around the bottom or most secure spar. Do 3 or 4 complete turns under and over each spar. Pull each turn as tight as possible. The lashing is passed around between spars frapping over the first turns several times and pulled tightly to draw the whole thing firmly together. Finish off with two half hitches
Start with a clove hitch around one of the outside spars, and give six or eight turns around the spars working under and over alternately like a figure of eight. “Frap” between each spar, and finish with two half hitches. As the legs of the Tripod are opened out, the lashing automatically tightens so you have to leave a certain amount of slack in the lashing from the beginning in order to be able to open out the legs. TIP To ensure stability of any pioneering gadget, build triangles into the design. 30
