DIY travel clothesline

[Miking]

Hey everyone,

I thought I would share how I made my own travel clothesline out of 1/8" shock cord that is readily available at any outdoor store for under 20¢/foot. For this project, figure out how long you will want your clothesline and multiply that length by three. 4-6 feet is a pretty good length.

You could also make this out of surgical tubing but I don't like it as much, it breaks quite unpredictably and is susceptible to uv damage which dries it up and makes it brittle.

After procuring your supplies the first thing you will do is fold your shock cord in thirds.


If you were so inclined you could make it like the commercial braided lines by adding a suction cup to your clothesline like this, I left mine off because I feel it is more dangerous than useful.


Tie an overhand knot 4-6 inches from the end. If you don't know knots just tie any knot, it will probably be an overhand knot.


Here is where a partner helps, have them hold the end and apply tension while you braid the line. If you don't have a partner a banister works just fine.


Occasionally you will have to untangle the line as you are braiding in a closed loop, just grab the single free end and pull it through.


Continued next post...

[Miking]

When you get within 4-6 inches of the other end, tie another overhand knot.



Voila! Like magic you now have a lovely new travel clothesline! You can throw the loop over anything it will fit over, you can use it to girth hitch the clothesline to a towel bar. You can extend it by using this or you can tie it like this:

[maverick]

This is very cool! Thank you - I will try this the next time I travel!

[SKIMT]

This is very cool! Thank you - I will try this the next time I travel!

Ditto!!!! Thanks for taking time to share this great idea!

[backpack]

Miking would you mind making a version with Tom Bihn hooks instead of knots?

I am. unfortunately, related to Mr Bean and Inspector Clouseau when it comes to "complicated" (to me) D.I.Y

I am bound to bound myself on my way to freshen up or tie myself into a pretzel while unravelling the mystery of the room service menu.

[flaneuse]

On my list of things to make before our next trip. Thanks!!

[SKIMT]

I made my own clothesline just like this one over the weekend - cost me a grand total of $3.

Thanks for the awesome tip!

[maverick]

Dear Miking,

Your post inspired me, and though I didn't braid my clothesline (yet!), my clothes are drying in my hotel bathroom!

I am hoping they will dry before I head out, otherwise I can leave the do not disturb sign up.

Thanks for a great idea!

I think with some discipline (doing laundry everyday, early enough in the day), it should be easy to travel with just two changes of clothes (including what you're wearing)!

[SKIMT]

The one I made using Miking's instructions has worked fantastic! My S25 now seems so big for even a week trip since I could care less about rotating between 3 shirts, 2 golf pants, socks, etc...

[scribe]

Miking would you mind making a version with Tom Bihn hooks instead of knots?

This sounds like a job for double carabiners - I keep adding them to my orders as I find them so useful!

If the towel bar is too thick for a carabiner, the girth hitch is dead easy (thanks, Miking, for introducing me to this term!):



So you just need to work out how to fasten the other end, since the girth hitch requires a free end.

[maverick]

Tonight's laundry - done early enough that it should dry by the morning.

I re-did the line so that it all gets used - ends up running 6 times across. I will braid it as you described when I get home.

[Nli]

Cool! Bihnions: I am not a forum expert and a total search dropout. Is there a way to create a personal bookmark to this thread for future reference? Thank you!

[thorn]

I like to simplify things. Every hotel I stay at has a shower and shower rod. After everyone is done taking a shower, then wash clothes. Hang them to dry over the shower rod, on towel rods, or on hangers. No clothes line needed.

[bchaplin]

This is great, thanks! Your instructions and photos make it easy to understand.

* I got 16 feet of 1/8 inch shock cord at REI. Not sure if that's the right width -- guess I'll find out. It cost $4, so that's cheaper than the last pre-made clothesline I bought, which didn't work very well.

[Miking]

Im glad to see many people are finding this helpful, I have added a TB triangle hook and S-biner to mine using a tripled girth hitch, I tried to post a picture but it isn't letting me, I think I have filled up my allotment of pictures. I think I can go into the "manage attachments" part and delete some old ones but I don't want to delete photos in use elsewhere on the forum... Maybe one of our lovely moderators can chime in?

Bchaplin, 1/8" is the perfect width, you can go a bit skinnier or fatter but you are making sacrifices to strength or bulkiness

Scribe, I'm glad you are getting use out of the girth hitch, it is quite handy, sometimes I'll use it to hang TB pouches,cubes and side effects from a doubled up 16" key strap. I find it funny that most of my posts feature some sort of knot, I'll make good boy scouts out of everyone yet!