The braided rope doesn't come apart like twisted rope and is soft which enables the epoxy to bond and penetrate well. We use a variety of sizes. The main sizes that are utilized are 3/4”, 1-3/8” and 1-3/4”, however any sizes will do with a good contrast in diameters desirable. We cut the rope about 1/3 longer than the straight measured distance. We use two methods of attachment; a seven or eight inch open hose clamp (punch lock) is used to clamp the "vines" to a branch or around a branch and back to itself or we branch off from one vine with another using the hose clamp method. The other method is to attach the eye screw into the end of the rope and clamp tightly using the small closed hose clamps. This can then be padlocked to bars or fastened to the turnbuckle clovis (see illustrations). One thing to note: we have not had any problems with the hose clamp attachments but the orangs have snapped several of the turnbuckle pieces. Also, for the orangs, it is necessary to weld the eye screw closed and to weld the cotter pin to the clovis. This has not been a necessary precaution with any of the monkeys or gorillas.

STEP ONE

Put in the eye screw and clamp. Cut rope to length. Taping the rope before cutting through the tape will make a good clean cut.

STEP TWO

Mix two (2) gallons of epoxy in a large container. We use a cut off plastic garbage pail. (1 gallon A to 1 gallon B). Any type of masonry pigment added to the epoxy will give some color to the vines.

STEP THREE

Submerge the rope in the epoxy, squeezing and working the epoxy into the rope. Remove gently the excess epoxy from the rope.

STEP FOUR

After removing, drape, twist, curl or whatever you want to with the rope over some form of frame work. NOTE: lightly grease with vaseline to keep the epoxy from sticking to the frame. When dry, all of the curls, kinks, etc. will be permanently set.

We've been using epoxy for the : POLYGEM CORPORATION 1105 Carolina Dr. West Chicago, ILLINOIS 60185 (epoxy #225)

One more thing to note, we use a regular hard epoxy (another POLYGEM product #307 or a modified version with less slump #307-M) to cover the clamps around the branches and actually anywhere they are exposed.