Assemble your ropewalk and then watch the video

lessons provided on the Syren Website.

Step One – Assemble the laser cut wood parts for the
Assembling your Syren Rope Rocket head stock and tail stock of the ropewalk. It is pretty
straight forward. Just examine the photos below and
US Patent # 5232168-28 make sure the laser etched side of each upright is facing
Materials List… the correct way. This is very important. Use yellow
carpenters glue. Depending on your preferences you
Eye Screws – 11 can also remove the laser char from the edges of the
laser cut parts before you assemble them.
Large gear – 1

Small Gears – 4

1/8” diameter brass tubes – 4

1/4” bore Shaft Hubs – 2

6-32 set screws – 8

1/8” bore tube collars – 4

¼-20 Machine Screws 1” long – 2

#2 Phillips Insert Bit – 1

Large ¼” Bore washer – 1

Finish nail - 1

Small ¼” Bore washers – 2

Small 1/8” Bore washers – 8

Laser cut parts – Cherry

Introduction…

All of the scale model rope available from Syren is made

by hand on the ropewalk you see pictured above. Now
you can make your own scale model rope using the
Syren Rope Rocket. There is an art to making rope but it
truly isn’t rocket science. With a little practice, you will Sand the surfaces well and apply several coats of wipe
soon be making scale model rope just like we do. on poly or other protective finish.
To complete step one, take the two laser cut discs and
insert the screw eyes into the laser cut pilot holes.

One will get 3 eyes and the other will get 4. Do not
place one in the hole surrounded by a star. That is
reserved for the finish nail which will be used as the
“stop” for your ropewalk.

Note in that same photo above how each eye should be

opened up after you insert them into the holes. Open
the eyes just a little bit. Maybe just 1/32”. This will
make it easier to tie off your string when you start
making rope. Step Three…

For extra security, use some CA on each screw eye Your Syren Rope Rocket can make both 3 and 4 strand
before you insert them into each hole. There will be rope. With just a quick change of the disc and smaller
quite a bit of tension on these ropes when you make gears you can change from 3 strand to 4 strand. But for
them, especially with the larger ropes. You don’t want now, set up your machine with the disc for three strand
them pulling free at the worst possible times!!! rope.

Step two - the tail stock… You will need to slip the 3-strand disc onto the machine
screw followed by one of the ¼” bore shaft hubs.
On the tail stock, the one with fewer holes, place one of
the machine screws through the center hole with
washers as show in the following photos. Note that the
large ¼” bore washer goes on the inside.
Tighten the set screw on the side of the shaft hub to properly. I also used some Loctite on these four small
fully secure the shaft hub against the wood disc. set screws because they will have a tendency to loosen
up at high speed with the forces created when you
Then as shown in the photo on the previous page, drill
make rope.
small holes through the 4 holes in the face of the shaft
hub so they go through the wood disc. (You no longer
have to drill them as these holes are now laser cut for
you) Use a 3/32” drill bit. A 3/32” drill bit is actually
smaller than you will need but this will prevent you
from scuffing up the threads in the four holes of the
shaft hub.

Then afterwards tighten the set screw on the side of the

Then loosen and remove the shaft hub so you can
shaft hub to secure it to the machine screw. BUT make
enlarge the holes in the wood disc slightly. You can use
sure the disc turns freely after you tighten this set
a needle file or even a larger 7/64” drill bit. The four
screw. It shouldn’t be too tight with any friction
holes don’t even need to go all the way through the
afterwards. It should also not be too loose that it
disc. These holes are just to register the disc against the
wobbles. Just tight enough so that it turns freely.
shaft hub with set screws in the next step. You can
repeat this process with the 4-strand disc also but in Step five … the head stock…
step four, set up the tail stock with the 3-strand disc in
preparations for your rope making tutorials.

Step four…

To finish up the tail stock, place the three strand disc

back on the machine screw and add the shaft hub.
Tighten the set screw on the side of the shaft hub.
Tighten it very well as this is what will keep the disc and
hub from flying off the machine when it is turning at
high speed. The set screw should actually crush the
threads of the machine screw creating a flat which will
help secure it. I also applied a drop of CA Cyano or
Take the four small gears and the four short lengths of
Loctite to this set screw because it will be rotating at a
brass tubing. Insert the brass tubes into the bore of the
very high speed.
gears. You can use a small hammer to gently drive the
Almost forgot…it is best to add four of the small set tubes into the bore. It will be a very tight fit as it should
screws through the face of the shaft hub first and be and it will be impossible to remove them. So study
slightly into the four holes you made in the wood disc. the photo above carefully so you orient the gears
Make sure the set screws enter those four holes in the properly on the tube ends. Make sure they face the
wood disc because that is what keeps the disc spinning right way!!!
Step Six…

Screw the four remaining eyes into the ends of the

brass tube as shown above. You will probably see that
once you screw all of the way, they will appear to be
very loose. This just won’t do. So you will need to
secure them in the brass tubing with some glue. It is
best to use some two part epoxy that is very strong.
Apply some to the threads of the eye and then screw
them into the brass tubes as shown. You could also just
use some CA glue but an epoxy is best for this. Don’t be
shy with the glue. There will be a lot of stress and
tension placed on these eyes. I used CA and then let it
dry fully.

Once again, open each eye carefully to make it easier to

tie of your thread later. I did this after the eyes were
glued into the brass tubes.

Step Seven…

When you change your ropewalk from a 3 strand to a

four strand it is as simple as loosening the tube clamps
that hold the small gears in position. But since you will
be following the video tutorials, set up the machine
initially for 3 strand rope. You will need the eight small
washers and the four small tube clamps with set screws.
Step Eight…
Set one of the small gears aside for when you want to
make four strand rope. You will be inserting the Use three of the four tube clamps to secure the small
remaining three gears into the holes without stars on gears in position. Tighten the tiny set screws on each
the head stock. See the photos provided. Note how clamp. Make sure these gears can turn freely after you
the small washers are used on both sides of the head are done. This is very important. See the photo on the
stock. next page (top left).
 Step Nine…

Just like with the wooden discs for the tail stock, place
the remaining shaft hub into position temporarily.

In that same photo you will notice the second ¼”

machine screw was pushed through the center hole
along with another ¼” bore small washer.
Tighten the set screw slightly to secure it for drilling.
On the other side of the head stock, you can slip the
Then drill those four 3/32” holes through the gear.
large gear into position as show below.
Enlarge them slightly so the four small set screws will fit
snug into them. Clean up any plastic burrs on the gears
with some sandpaper and place it back onto the
machine screw.

Step Ten…

It should slip onto the machine screw easy enough with

the plastic center shaft of the gear sliding into the
center hole of the upright.
To finish it up, insert the four set screws into the face of
the shaft hub and secure them with loc-tite. You won’t
be removing this large gear again so make sure it is I have made two video lessons to show you how to use
secure. After you tighten the set screw on the side of your Rope Rocket to make some great looking rope.
the shaft hub, make sure the gears will turn freely. The lessons are designed to make rope half the usual
Remember to tighten this set screw well and crush length. I don’t know how much space you have in your
those threads on the machine screw to create a flat. shop to make rope so I designed these two lessons so
you can make ten foot lengths of rope. You can
You are now ready to make some rope!!! basically make rope any length however. I actually the
Rope Rocket to make a 43’ length of four strand rope. It
You will need to have a few things handy to make rope. was tricky and on a nice spring afternoon I took the
You will need some large clamps to secure the head ropewalk out into the backyard where I had enough
space to try this. That was the last time I attempted to
stock and tail stock to the edge of a table…..or two
make such a long length.
tables depending on how long you want your rope to
be. I am perfectly happy to make 20’ lengths of rope and
you can do the same. But for our lessons, ten foot
You will need a sharp #11 blade in your hobby knife. lengths are a great start.
You will need some WD-40 lubricant. I have been making rope this way for years now on my
Rope Rocket. I can comfortable make a 20 foot length
You will need the #2 driver bit supplied with the of rope in about 8 minutes.
ropewalk. With a little practice I am sure you can too.
Finally, you will need a cordless rechargeable hand drill.
I use a driver/drill by Hitachi. They are very small and
light-weight while having a high RPM limit. My Hitachi
driver/Drill can turn at 2400 RPM. It is also reversible
and has a variable speed.

Hitachi 18DS 18-Volt Lithium Ion 1/4-in Cordless

Variable Speed Impact Driver.
Because all of our rope is 20-22 feet long, I actually have
two of these. I keep one at each end of the ropewalk as
I am laying up the rope. It’s just easier this way and
after forgetting to carry it down to the other end after
initially twisting the thread strands, I just keep one at
each end all of the time.
I have created a diagram with the initial set up
presented. I use two six foot tables. The diagram
shows the set up you will need to follow the video
lessons you can watch on the Syren website. This set up
will make 10 – 11’ lengths of rope .
Updated large gear for easier assembly… see the circular shape on the hub (photo left) fits
the bore hole of the gear perfectly and the screw
holes in the hub line up perfectly with those on the
The gear on the new version just has the holes gear.....you can’t get better than that. Then you
predrilled for the screws that hold the stainless tighten the set screw on the hub into the shaft ¼ -
steel hub in place.
20 machine screw) to secure it.

You can flip the hub around to secure it in the bore

hole of the new style gear as it is a perfect fit. You