How do you make rope, like tom hanks in that one movie?

Answer 1

Although I didn't see "Castaway", rope making is fairly easy. It all has to do with the mechanics of twisted fibers.

First you make a "twine" by twisting together a fibrous material. There is an ancient device known as a "drop spindle" that can help with this process. Basically each individual fiber has a "spring" to it. When you make the twine you basically apply twist to the already spun end of the twine. This stores some mechanical energy in the fibers and they will automatically want to spring back the other way. As they do you feed in some additional fiber at the top and it gets wrapped up in the twine. The friction between the intertwined fibers gives them their strength. and the mechanical energy stored during the spinning process keeps them bound together.

After you have enough twine you "ply" them together by taking several pieces and spinning them together in the opposite direction that the twine was originally spun. Remember that the twine still has a good bit of mechanical energy stored in it. it will automatically try to unravel in the opposite direction from which it was spun. Simply use this mechanical energy to bind together the plys of your rope.

Answer 2

You have to be Tom Hanks.
No one else can make rope.

Answer 3

Basically all you do is braid fibers together. Depending upon the thickness of the fibers you start with you may want to twist the fibers into strands and then braid the strands.

Answer 4

what you are talking about is called cordage. here is a link: