View Video: Lashing Ropes and Pioneering Spars
1) Obtain the quantity of pure 1/4-inch manila rope that will provide enough lashing ropes to complete the project(s) you want to build.
2) New rope needs to be stretched before it is fit for use. Tie each end of a long length securely to a fixed object like a post or tree. Grab the mid point with both hands and pull back. Take up the slack and repeat the process one time.
3) Cut lengths of rope in the size(s) needed for the projects you will be building. Many camp gadgets can be completed using 6 and 10-foot lengths of 1/4-inch manila. Generally speaking, depending on the diameter of the spars, 15-foot lashing ropes will be the most commonly used length for most Scout pioneering projects.
4) Whip both ends of each lashing rope. (For pioneering, the West Country or Sailmaker’s Whip will prove to be the most dependable.)
5) Color code each rope by size, by dipping the ends with a dab of paint. A widely-used system is: green = 6 feet / white = 10 feet / red = 15 feet / blue = 20 feet / black = 30 feet / silver = 40 feet / yellow = 50 feet
6) Bundle groups of the same length lashing ropes in coils and tie them together with a 3-foot length of cord.