Using a Turnbuckle to Make a Clothesline
A major complaint about clotheslines is that the clothesline rope sags or droops over time. Turnbuckles are great tools to help keep a clothesline from sagging. Use turnbuckles to make a clothesline so you can tighten or loosen the clothesline rope with ease. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Set up the area where you want your clothesline, such as between two trees or poles. The area needs to be free of bushes or limbs that can interfere with the clothes drying. If you already have a clothesline set up, skip to Step 4. If you do not have suitable trees or poles, install poles -- set in cement or concrete -- before continuing.
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2
Determine the height of the clothesline. The clothesline should be set at about 6 to 8 inches higher than the height of the person who will be using it most. You don't want the laundry to touch the ground, but the line has to be accessible.
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3
Measure the poles or trees and mark the height you determined in Step 2. Screw an eye screw into the pole or tree. If you are using a hard wood tree or metal pole, drill a guide hole for the screw. Make the guide hole 1/4 inch wider than the eye screw. Place one screw in each pole.
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4
Unscrew the ends of the turnbuckles so they are as wide as they can get.
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5
Measure and cut two 2-foot pieces of clothesline. Tie one end of each piece of the clothesline to an eye screw and the other to a turnbuckle. Each side of the clothesline should have one piece of clothesline attached to a turnbuckle.
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6
Tie the rest of the clothesline to the open side of one turnbuckle. Hold the other turnbuckle taut and stretch the clothesline to the open end of the turnbuckle. Tie the end of the clothesline to the open end of the open turnbuckle. Pull the clothesline as tight as possible.
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7
Cut the excess clothesline from the turnbuckle. Tighten the screws on each turnbuckle until the clothesline is as tight as possible. Anytime the clothesline loses tension, simply tighten the turnbuckle screws until the clothesline is tight again.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Line Dry in the Breeze image by J3TPhotos from Fotolia.com
