Washing line braided monkey fist meteors

On Monday did 50 minutes spinning in the rain with my climbing rope meteors; they got progressively heavier due to absorbing water.

Not a problem, but if it happened on a regular basis they'd be a pain to pack away and would eventually deteriorate.

So I was inspired to get some plastic clothes line and create some 'weatherproof' meteors, and here I am at 1.30 in the morning having just finished them.

Braiding four lines into a rope approx. 8 metres long (those monkey fist knots use a lot of rope) is a time consuming business and I reckon I must have spent 1/2 a day on it.

The main challenge isn't the actual braiding but keeping the unbraided lines from tangling as they're about 10 metres long at start (actually 5 cos I worked from the middle out)

The finished length is from my feet to my upstretched hands which is a fair bit longer than I'm used to. On a cross and follow they feel nice, but I'll have to wait till I'm outside to do anything more complex.

I think the main plusses are the weather proof-ness and the grip from the material and the textured nature of the braid. Also it feels good to have not only made the monkey knots but to have actually created the rope.

I'll have a few good sessions with them and post a progress report, and hopefully some photos as well.

your crazy.

Astar

your crazy.

-------------------

crazy with joy for my new toys! Just nipped out for a spin and they're wicked.

A bit hard to handle, but that's cos I'm used to shorter ones, and probably not for beginners, but from this preliminary spin I think they could become my favourite spinning implement.

I took a few digi pics and hopefully will be able to post them in next few days.

No you.

yer both bloody insane

as is anyone who activly wants to do metior

staff form metior through-leg-wrap anyone? (a glasto trick...)

L*r

T

erm, is it time for a picture yet

moan moan, grumnp grump, winge winge...grrrrrrhhhhhhmmmmmm

Took a rather hard head hit with meteors last night.......pesky things never do what I ask them too.

Nix did you put a spell on them at Glasto ????

Bammy


Tis Friday ALL day you know

4 Bammy and real ones tomorrow.

tar darling, I needed them more than you'll ever know

WORK = PANTS

Bams

in that case...




hug hug hug hug hug.

k................i............s...............s

It's time for some pictures of the meteors: -

http://www.geocities.com/combatunicycle/wash/washingline.html

Page with thumbs to fullsize images.

your crazy

Guess it would be too easy to skip the meteor practice on rainy days eh?

removing an accidental duplicate post

Ok, I've made a couple sets of meteors now.. and even using REALLY soft poly rope they're hard as a rock. I can't EVEN imagine what THOSE feel like!

Yeah, I think I'll just not practice in the rain..

They feel .... substantial. Cos' of their weight and solidity I think it would be possible to really hurt yourself with them.

Because I've got a really slow style I'm not in any danger, it's been a long time since I hurt myself while spinning.

I was using them today and got a bit annoyed at the length of them as it makes passing them behind the back really difficult (they hit the ground). I'm going to persist, rather tan shorten them, partly because I'm hoping to work out how to get into a full BTB 3 beat, but mainly because the length makes them even slower.

So much of the meteor stuff I was doing before felt similar to poi, but these are totally different, even when just doing a basic cross and follow.

Good luck with your meteoring.

It's now been almost a week since making them and I'm getting to like them more and more; not only have I barely used any of my other meteors, I've hardly spun poi or the other juggling toys.

I seem to spend ages just doing really slow cross and follow, feeling them twist in my fingers and hearing them creak as they arc slowly in big circles. Increasingly I'm aware that full immersin in the basics is at least as important as pushing for the advanced moves.

It's also good to know that they're probably unique; I think it's unlikely that anyone else in the world has a set of meteors hand braided from four 20 metre lengths of washing line. I can also count on them lasting, you could drag them through a field of mud and they'll wipe clean.

I've also been trying to work out how to get into BTB stuff with them. I reckon that, like poi, you could spend a lifetime developing moves and combinations.

So, to sum up, they're the nicest meteors I've ever used!

If anyones thinking of making a set I'd say 'go for it'

I'm still confused over what a meteor is.

yes, i'd also like to know what the difference is between poi and meteor's?? also, what does btb stand for? thank you, thank you very much.

BTB stands for "behind the back."

well thanx. i actually just managed to do the weave btb about half an hour ago for the first time and im over the moon, BTB BTB BTB!! so what is achluophobia anyways?

It's the fear of darkness.
Kind of funny since poi has got all that light involved.

As for the BTB thing. I can do a BTB butterfly.
I'm just now being able to pull off the reverse weave, so I haven't even tried a weave behind my back.

so do you know the difference between poi and meteor's??

No idea about them. Sorry.

Poi are a pair of weighted cords/chains, meteors are one long cord/chain with a weight on each end.

Most poi moves can be done with meteors, in addition they can be manipulated like a staff with one handed moves, passed behind back etc.

Here's a meteor Faq for beginners: -

http://www.poiinthepark.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=28

Hi all, i'm kinda new to all this poi stuff(been doing poi for about 3 months) and i've always wanted a set of meteor but have never found any to buy etc so i finally(yesterday) made myself a set completely in the dark. I used plastic woven 2m multi-coloured skipping rope about 1cm thick and attatched two heavy tennis balls to the ends utilising a split ring to stop them flying off and to atatch glo-sticks to. Today i discovered this thred and wanted some advice. I am fairly proficient with poi and seem to be able to do most of the moves with my new meteor but i was wondering about their construction. Poi mostly come with swivels built in and i didn't know if i should include them with my meteor or not. At the mo i havn't but i did buy some to put in today as they seem to want to tangle in the middle whilst i'm twirling them. So basically i want to know if meteors have swivels near the heads or if they are just straight roap between the two? Also i have no idea how to do one handed moves so are there any tutorials/lessons anywhere on the net for me to learn from? Lastly looking at your faq thred it seems as though my meteors may be too long for me to learn with at 2m as they are about a foot over my head...should i shorten them? I have had no real problems with the length doing poi moves so....
Thanks in advance guys

WoW

I'm New to Poi and Spinning in General

But That Meteor SCARE ME

Knowing How Fast i Spin I Would Knock Myself OUT!!!

meteors can be a bit daunting at first, but keep going with poi for a while and play around with some one-handed moves. Also try out some staff, as there is similarities to the wrist motion.

Meteors are probably my favorite tool, though Im nowhere near as good at them as I am at poi or staff. Its just a sickly fun thing to work with.

Nice meteors you made!
But don´t you find the heads to small?