"Steve B" wrote in
:


"Existential Angst" wrote in message
...
Awl --

I made a setup of double compounds pulleys (National brand), with one
block having 2 sheaves side-by-side (one axle), and the other block
similar. Thus, 4 ropes are traveling between the two. There is a
considerable length of rope between the two blocks, on the order of 4
feet.

The Q is: How to keep these ropes from twisting around each other?
When the ropes twist around each other, very high friction results.

Something else you can try is reeving the blocks at a right angle to each
other, that is, if you look at the blocks when you reeve them one block
should have the sides of the sheaves showing and the other should have the
grooves showing. Doing it this way, called "right angle reeving" reduces
the side friction on the rope crossing over to the other side of the block.
There are multiple google diagrams.