Braid Diameter

[Duke114]

Hey folks,

Question from a newbie.

I'm trying to braid a dog leash for a friend. When used a 6 part braid of 3/8" lace over a core of paracord, the diameter of the braid was about 1/4"

Does the width of the lace affect the diameter of the braid? Does anyone have a suggestion for lace to use?

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks!

[AZ Pete]

Hey folks,

Question from a newbie.

I'm trying to braid a dog leash for a friend. When used a 6 part braid of 3/8" lace over a core of paracord, the diameter of the braid was about 1/4"

Does the width of the lace affect the diameter of the braid? Does anyone have a suggestion for lace to use?

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi -

I am not quite sure I understand your question. Are you trying to figure out the width of the lace you need to plait over the paracord core? If so, what is the diameter of the core?

AZ Pete

[Sovran81]

Hey folks,

Question from a newbie.

I'm trying to braid a dog leash for a friend. When used a 6 part braid of 3/8" lace over a core of paracord, the diameter of the braid was about 1/4"

Does the width of the lace affect the diameter of the braid? Does anyone have a suggestion for lace to use?

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks!

No, Well not more then the thickness of the strand. The width of the strand is calculated for the number of strands and the diameter of the core to provide correct core coverage at about 45* angle of crossed strands. Here are a couple formulas that will help.

Diameter of the core X 4.5 / NS (number of strands)= Width per strand.

Strands should be 1.8-2.0 times the length of the core.

Hope this helps.

[Duke114]

Thank Joe & Pete

Is there an app for that?

OK, once I read my post again. I see where I'm having people scratch their heads.

The lace used was 1/8" not 3/8" (duhhhh) I used 1 strand of paracord as the core and did a 6 strand braid. I discovered that the finished braid was only 1/4" in diameter.

When I used 1/8" latigo lace on a previous attempt, I had a braid that was 3/8" in diameter without a core.

Does the width of the braid, not the thickness, affect the diameter of the finished braid?

What would you recommend for a core?

Thanks again.

[Sovran81]

Sorry no app that I know of for the formulas. I picked them up over the years talking to whip plaiters. The width of the braid..... I am not sure I follow you. The thickness of the strand crosses over a number of other strands which is giving you a thicker diameter then you thought you would have. The width of the braid can affect thickness if you are bunching the braid up as you plait. As for the core size, use the first formula. Just as any math equation if you have only one unknown in an equation you can figure the unknown. I tried to run the formula to determine core size but I must have forgotten something since high school. Using the metric system makes all that math alot easier.

[roo4u]

yes, the width of the strands can affect your diameter...to the extent that excess width will make the braid bigger around than needed to cover your core and therefore it will be bigger than the core. this is not good for a dog leash as the braid will be able to slide around on the core and will wear faster. the thickness of the lace definitely affects the diameter of the braid. what size leash are you trying to end up with?