Storing Paracord - the Tamale

Bruce Grant in his "leather Braiding" book presents an interesting method of storing cord that he calls a "Tamale".
I used a 4" wide board here and 10 1/2' of 325 paracord.
Attach Standing End to fixed point.
There are 6 steps in the process.
1. Wrap cord around board.
http://i.imgur.com/IwZV5Kn.jpg?1

2. Bring side Up and Over to new position.
http://i.imgur.com/OvOgnx1.jpg?1

3. Bring edge A clockwise 180 degrees.
http://i.imgur.com/nQYn4fa.jpg?1

4. Wrap cord around board.
http://i.imgur.com/NZAGbJ8.jpg?1

5. Turn side A counter-clockwise 180 drgrees.
http://i.imgur.com/m6DDiac.jpg?2

6. Bring side A Up and Over to original position.
http://i.imgur.com/qxJIhQr.jpg?1

Repeat steps 1 - 6

http://i.imgur.com/2EAf8d7.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/4d8sb9x.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/GYFRjk0.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/jv4Ldoi.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/FmFKkkd.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/WnPOcU3.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/R9zTjZR.jpg

Continue until a few inches remain. Wrap working end around the loops and tuck tag end through the wrap making a half hitch.

http://i.imgur.com/ZHX2pSn.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/hGDAFT6.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/vuVTJ3C.jpg

The bundle can be stored as is or hung by a carabiner placed through right hand loops. To deploy pull on standing end.

Bruce Grant actually shows the "tamale"made by wrapping around left hand. This is fine for thinner material but because width of palm is limited it is not suitable for thicker material.
Wrap
http://i.imgur.com/ZICmHMf.jpg

Twist palm up
http://i.imgur.com/I7DtB5O.jpg

Wrap
http://i.imgur.com/58wWHfw.jpg

Twist palm down
http://i.imgur.com/KWwHpaD.jpg

Repeat
http://i.imgur.com/WpLeRBw.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/AujEbpG.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/j50kPTS.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ZX5rh00.jpg

that's interesting. my method is the left hand method. The cord id pinched between the little finger and then brought up over and around the thumb.This is continued in a figure 8 fashion. then when a short chunk is left it is pinched by the ring finger, this leaves a loop. This loop is twisted three times, the loop end is slipped over the loops around the thumb and pulled tight. The end that was pinched by the little finger can be pulled as needed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by randyt

that's interesting. my method is the left hand method. The cord id pinched between the little finger and then brought up over and around the thumb.This is continued in a figure 8 fashion. then when a short chunk is left it is pinched by the ring finger, this leaves a loop. This loop is twisted three times, the loop end is slipped over the loops around the thumb and pulled tight. The end that was pinched by the little finger can be pulled as needed.

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Bruce Grant also mentions the "figure eight" pattern. I first learned it from macrame book in the early 70's. It is great for shortening unwieldy lengths of cord. A little tug will release more cord as needed

Crash did a vid on the figure 8 some time back. Both great methods for storing excess cordage. Thanks, Asemery, for the how to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4646XFW8NI#t=42

Daisy Chain Circle]

Pull tag end from loop 1 and deploy as much cord as required.
http://i.imgur.com/0ueDq7J.jpg?2

Cut cord at point A (bight of loop) releasing the needed cord and tighten by pulling on new end.
http://i.imgur.com/ES9HybD.jpg?1

In the past few weeks I have tried many ways of storing paracord from the "Tamale" the first post in this thread.
This works best when tied around palm of hand with thinner cord. Holds a lot. With heavier cord tying around a board is do-able but a bit awkward.

The Daisy Chain Circle . This holds a lot of paracord in a compact bundle but takes a LONG time to set up.
Also called the "Paracord Doughnut" see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUwb1iYTElc for how to - much neater than my circle.

In my (very) humble opinion the "Figure-Eight" set-up is the best method. It is easy make and easy to deploy the cord as desired.
I made a loom by drilling peg size holes in a piece of scrap lumber and placing a tie off (eye screw) a few inches away from the first hole. Board extends another few inches to right with another hole.
http://i.imgur.com/JoYPRmk.jpg

One peg goes in the first hole. By changing the position of the other peg I can adjust the size of the Figure -Eight. I will not show here how to make the figure-eight. Google to find many links
http://i.imgur.com/BqyQ1KC.jpg

You can keep the loops on the loom when tying off the Working End. To deploy just pull on the end that was tied onto the eye screw.

Don't Laugh But I found Crochet to be the best method of storing cord off the spindle. Get the largest Hook you can find, crochet some nets and you can use em for plenty of things and when needed they are easy enough to unravel. Watching my wife actually put me on to the idea.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Davidlastink

Don't Laugh But I found Crochet to be the best method of storing cord off the spindle. Get the largest Hook you can find, crochet some nets and you can use em for plenty of things and when needed they are easy enough to unravel. Watching my wife actually put me on to the idea.

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No laughs from me. The very nature of crochet with its continuous loops make it ideal for that purpose. I suppose that knitting would also work. Thaks for mentioning it.

Here another paracord storage technique I tried
Double Daisy Chain
http://i.imgur.com/9w06PWB.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/mUm4Kgn.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/tmcHlsp.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/nhWkuI2.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/OSdBaCy.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/5PIur5Z.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/roiEhe1.jpg?1

Sooo.....Is there an official technique for the world famous "Snot Ball"?...or is that a free form?

I'm good at them..... for string to paracord to extension cords to rope to large tents......
But
I will say, I am good at figuring out and untangling most any thing......up to and including 8000 ft. of 1-1/8 wire rope....LOL

I don't Knit, but it might. I am unsure if knit unravels like crochet does. I could see knitting an entire paracord tac-vest though lol.