megabit Report post Posted July 21, 2011 Well I bought the hide back in January. I started cutting it up in May I think, then took a hard fall off my caballo and had to set it aside till I healed up. Now I have maybe 500' or more of 1/4" string ready to go. Unfortunately I have 3 100' strings a 85'-90' one and a handfull of shorter ones. I guess I'll end up with a splice, unless it seems I have over 60' braided when I get there. How many feet should I expenct to get done per hour? Any chance I can get the whole thing done in a day if I set the whole day aside to work on it? CurlyJo thanks for reminding me about humidifers. I built a couple out of plastic boxes and they worked great for getting a good temper. I had a bucket one in the past but had trouble with mold, I think mostly because I left my string in it too long. This time a put a good shot of bleach in the water to help with mold. I sure would like to get this done before I hit the road for the Vaquero Fiesta in Alturas. Getting it broke in enough to rope with by then might be a challenge but we will see. I'll try to remember to get some pictures as I build it up and once done. Sure would like a picture of it hooked to a bovine in Alturas. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nod4Eight Report post Posted July 21, 2011 Nice megabit, keep us posted. I got a hide picked out for one, but it's gonna have to wait till closer to fall, just too busy right now. Got pics of the lace? It would be nice to see progress pics along the way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
curlyjo Report post Posted July 22, 2011 Megabit, I think you'll be ok with 3 at 100' and 1 at 90'. Fromthe measurements I talked to you about you lose about 1/3 when braiding a 4 strand reata. And keep your plastic containers ready because I think it's going to take longer than 1 day to braid up. Also I was teasing about the paracord and lace over rawhide issue. I've lost track of the number of hackamore and bosal bodies I have hanging on the wall that are designated chew toys for the learning curve. To short, twisted, to big or to small core, and than some. But when it works all is well. Brad Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
broncstompinben Report post Posted July 24, 2011 I am no expert but the last Reata I braided I was averaging a 19 inches of braid to 24 inches of string and i averaged between 4-6 feet an hour. Although II was able to braid nine feet in an hour once when i convinced my wife to worry about the backbraid. As for the getting it done in one day, it probably is possible, but i only was able to get at most about 30 feet done in a day. The only other thing i would recommend is once you decide to temper the hide keep of tempered until the whole thing is done i tried to dry my string out over a weekend and it took me three days to get everything back tempered Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted July 25, 2011 Time for a beer break. At the rate I am going I should have this done in time for the Fiesta 2012. :smack: ;D reata string by ss1442, on Flickr tameles ready to start braiding by ss1442, on Flickr ready set go by ss1442, on Flickr finally started by ss1442, on Flickr braiding rig by ss1442, on Flickr Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roo4u Report post Posted July 25, 2011 looks like you got a great start on it!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted July 27, 2011 Ok, all you reata braiders out there, I have a question. How do you managae your tamales? What I am doing is I pull the top string tight, plait it and then move the tamale to the back moving the back one to the front. Does that make sense? Is there a faster way to do this or is this pretty much what you need to do to keep things from getting tangled? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackhammer Report post Posted July 30, 2011 I kept mine in plastic bags. I lifted the whole tamale through after pulling working string tight and putting it in position. I kept about 2 ft between reata and tamales. However, like I said before, I did devlop some gaps from strings that were too wet. Passing the entire tamale with each pull probably added some time to the process, but I never had to untangle any back braid. I hate back braid. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted August 1, 2011 Well I am making progress although it is slow. I think I get about 2' per hour, sometimes a bit more sometimes a bit less. I am up to about 34'. It doesn't look like I'll get it done in time to take with me to Alturas but I certainly have a good start on it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted August 2, 2011 Still a long ways to go and I doubt I'll pick it back up before I get back from Alturas, but I sure like the way this rope is looking so far. reata braiding by ss1442, on Flickr Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Leatherpownder Report post Posted August 3, 2011 Reata looks good Mike. Bet Ziplok loves rawhiders. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackhammer Report post Posted August 3, 2011 Looking good so far. What's the diameter at this point? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted August 3, 2011 Looking good so far. What's the diameter at this point? Slightly bigger than 5/16" (.3125") at about .335". 3/8" would be .375" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackhammer Report post Posted August 11, 2011 Hate to pester you, but how's the reata going? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted August 12, 2011 Hate to pester you, but how's the reata going? I got to about 36' last week then Thursday I hit the road for Alturas CA and the Vaquero Fiesta. That was 2 days of driving hauling my horse. Roped in the intermediate class Saturday (and my team won). Hung out with friends Sunday watching the Cut and Rope and Stock Horse classes. Then back on the road for Monday and Tuesday. Worked and rode yesterday that left no time to braid. So I am just about to go pick it back up again right now. Hope to get 2' or 3' done tonight. Hope to make some good progress over the weekend. Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackhammer Report post Posted August 12, 2011 Good job on the team win. Sounds like you had a ball. Cant wait to see the reata when it's done. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted August 16, 2011 Getting closer but still not done, just under 48' done thus far. Reata at almost 48ft.jpg by ss1442, on Flickr Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackhammer Report post Posted August 16, 2011 lookin good Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted August 19, 2011 Well getting close now, I am at about 53'-55'. About 10' more and I can start pounding and streching. Sure would like to get done with the plaiting before Sunday so I can take it with me roping Sunday. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rawhide1 Report post Posted August 20, 2011 Well stop typing and start braiding!!!!!!!!!LOL Looking good! Mike Well getting close now, I am at about 53'-55'. About 10' more and I can start pounding and streching. Sure would like to get done with the plaiting before Sunday so I can take it with me roping Sunday. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted August 20, 2011 Alan had mentioned a reata braiding jig of Granny Martin's from an old video. Here is a picture of it in use from the video: granny braid by ss1442, on Flickr I talked to Bill Black about it in Alturas and he said he had tried using one and it was too slow. I talked to someone else who told me about someone else using sticks with slots cut strung to their wrist. So I've been using some since I got back from up north. They seem slower than not using them but make it easier to push the braid back up. braiding reata 3 by ss1442, on Flickr braiding reata 2 by ss1442, on Flickr Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted August 23, 2011 (edited) Put about 2' on it last night bringing it to right about 62'. I put a knot in the end and proceeded to pound the entire length of it. Need to put the burner on the honda put it on the rope and stretch it some. I think I'll give it a test drive Sunday on some bovines. :banana: :banana: :banana: Edited August 23, 2011 by megabit Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackhammer Report post Posted August 23, 2011 Nice. Fun aint it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted August 27, 2011 Well I tallowed my new reata and my old one a couple of days ago. Today I just rubbed them both down with raw beef liver to seal them. Old school all the way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roo4u Report post Posted August 27, 2011 uhm....hello....wheres the pictures of the finished product? we been waiting Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
