# restringing the rotary... or just buy a new one?



## MontyVeda (11 Aug 2021)

Last year i talked my mother out of buying a new rotary washing line to replace the serviceable yet saggy old one.

As luck would have it, I found a spare washing line in the garage and restrung the rotary... cementing my position as son number one! 

But... after a couple of months, the line was as saggy as a saggy thing, so I pulled it all tight and retied it, only for it go saggy again after a month or two. 

I used this stringing method:






A couple of weeks ago i picked up a new replacement washing line in Wilkos and yesterday, restrung the rotary again (NOT using the above method) cementing my position as son number one  ...but it turns out that 20 meters is way too short for a rotary 

Is it just easier to buy a new rotary?


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## Rusty Nails (11 Aug 2021)

It's so much easier to buy a new rotary drier, but think of the warm feeling inside by helping the environment that re-stringing will give.


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## Blue Hills (11 Aug 2021)

as per the other thread i would restring.
I didn't realise there was an art/science/academic subject of restringing rotaries though - where did you get that diagram @MontyVeda ?


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## MontyVeda (11 Aug 2021)

Blue Hills said:


> as per the other thread i would restring.
> I didn't realise there was an art/science/academic subject of restringing rotaries though - where did you get that diagram @MontyVeda ?


google image search... i figured the slightly more complex idea would be better than a simple spiral, but having tried it, i'm not convinced.

There's another thread?


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## numbnuts (11 Aug 2021)

My housing association will not re-string a rotary, we had top of the range and the string broke so they replace the whole thing with a new one, talk about waste


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## the snail (11 Aug 2021)

numbnuts said:


> My housing association will not re-string a rotary, we had top of the range and the string broke so they replace the whole thing with a new one, talk about waste


The trouble with those sort of jobs, is that by the time you,very paid for materials and somebody's time, it costs more to fix stuff. I suppose your housing association could fix more stuff if you don't mind paying more for your rent.


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## Sharky (11 Aug 2021)

Well done in fixing it. Should entitle you to Honary Life membership of the Rotary Club..


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## ClichéGuevara (11 Aug 2021)

Rather than using a continuous line, would splitting the line into sections, perhaps one loop long, and tying them firmly at the end of each bit limit the stretching?


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## Blue Hills (11 Aug 2021)

MontyVeda said:


> google image search... i figured the slightly more complex idea would be better than a simple spiral, but having tried it, i'm not convinced.
> 
> There's another thread?


The thread on climate change in the dreaded NACAs has stuff on make do and mend.


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## FishFright (11 Aug 2021)

Would something like this suit ?


View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ZIXXONE-HOME-Washing-Clothes-Replacement-Plastic/dp/B07YR2F9VL


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## MontyVeda (11 Aug 2021)

Sharky said:


> Well done in fixing it. Should entitle you to Honary Life membership of the Rotary Club..


good joke but.... it's not been fixed


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## DaveReading (11 Aug 2021)

ClichéGuevara said:


> Rather than using a continuous line, would splitting the line into sections, perhaps one loop long, and tying them firmly at the end of each bit limit the stretching?



The line may not be stretching.


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## annedonnelly (11 Aug 2021)

I think some replacement lines are more prone to stretch than others. I've never had a rotary though, just a couple of lines strung across the garden.

Oh and well done to your mum for drying outdoors. So many people just use dryers these days.


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## ClichéGuevara (11 Aug 2021)

DaveReading said:


> The line may not be stretching.



That's me done then. I don't do complicated.


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## MontyVeda (11 Aug 2021)

DaveReading said:


> The line may not be stretching.


hard to tell if it's the line stretching or the stringing method going slack where the weight was. The old line was quite thin (2-3mm), but steel inside. The new one is 5-6mm, but way too short.

I had a look at the 1* reviews for the one on amazon the fishfright posted... lots of folk saying it soon stretched or snapped.


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## PeteXXX (11 Aug 2021)

I tightened up a saggy rotary drier line last year. Just undo the final knot and pull it taut starting at the centre.

Make sure it's not so tight that you can't open and close the drier, though or you've wasted a bit of time! DAMHIKT


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## MontyVeda (11 Aug 2021)

PeteXXX said:


> I tightened up a saggy rotary drier line last year*. Just undo the final knot and pull it taut starting at the centre.*
> 
> Make sure it's not so tight that you can't open and close the drier, though or you've wasted a bit of time! DAMHIKT


done that... went saggy again in no time. I also did manage to do so it wouldn't close


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## siadwell (11 Aug 2021)

We (or rather my eldest with the promise of a few quid) did ours using heavy duty steel-cored line, starting in the middle, I believe. No problems with stretching.


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## welsh dragon (11 Aug 2021)

Mine was so old that all the old line perished due to the weather. I 're strung it about 3 years ago and it's fine. However the clips that the line clip into have perished now, so I will have to buy a whole new line soon.


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