Rope Making

Friends:

In a nearby neighborhood, Via Del Mar, there are a few people who make rope.  They get pieces of thick waste rope, which they unravel into thins strands. Then, using the machine in picture 4 the thin strands are twisted together into  longer thicker strands. After they have 3 of the thicker strands they are connected to hooks that are on small gears. While Eugene turns the crank, all three strands are twisted. The people in picture 5 hold a device made of welded steel to separate the 3 strands. Starting at the machine they walk backwards as the three strands start to twist tightly together into rope. At the end of the line the three strands are attached to the machine with a drum. The finished rope is wound on the drum. It is a long slow process, but the finished product looks very good.  It looks to be what the local farmers use to tether their cattle and use for other purposes.  The machines are all handmade from salvaged parts and frames made from reinforcing steel, or what is called re-bar for reinforcing concrete. It is relatively inexpensive and readily available. 

Picture one is another rope operation on an adjacent street. They are just getting started separating the strands.  

Here people work 12 hour days for 6 days a week, with a lot of manual labor.  They burn out early. People who can no longer find employment in middle age look for ways to provide a bit of income on their own, like making rope, or becoming vendors of all sorts of things.  Eugene was well past middle age.