Wire rope is an incredibly useful and versatile piece of equipment, but on its own it has a somewhat limited usage. For that reason, it’s a great idea to combine it with one of any number of
fittings. One of our personal favourites are
wire rope thimbles.
What are wire rope thimbles?
You may be familiar with traditional
thimbles, the small metal caps that are worn over one’s fingers for sewing purposes. A wire rope thimble, on the other hand, is very different to this, and instead looks like a metal eye.
We stock two primary types of thimble here at Rope Services Direct. There are standard, ordinary thimbles, perfect for lighter tasks, and more solid, heavy duty versions. We can supply either in variety of sizes to suit the measurements of your equipment.
Our range of thimbles
As we have our own on-site state-of-the-art facilities and tools, we can manufacture bespoke rope fittings and end terminations to the exact specifications required. This means that you can rest easy in the knowledge that your operation will run smoothly.
Why are they useful in the workplace?
The purpose for the shape of the wire rope thimble is to allow your rope to be looped around this thimble, creating an eye or loop shape; on the most popular end terminations for rope. This is because it can be easily attached to the majority of anchoring points.
You don’t need a thimble in order to create this eye, but creating one using the rope alone can create an un-reinforced eye that could be easily damaged. The thimble will act as a backbone for this loop, protecting the natural loop of the eye.
There are a few reasons why thimbles are so invaluable in the workplace. Firstly, as mentioned, using this kind of end termination will allow your equipment to be easily fixed onto a wide range of anchoring points; commonplace in many industries round the world.
Secondly, this installation creates an effective system which will prevent the load that is being lifted from contacting your equipment in any way. This minimises abrasion damage, helping to extend the service life of your equipment.
And, finally, by protecting the eye loop, it will add even more years onto its working life. It also helps to add a little extra rigidity to your soft eye loop, which not only makes it easier to attach, but also makes it stronger too.
What other fittings do you stock?
As we said, wire rope thimbles aren’t necessarily always a requirement, but they can certainly bring a huge range of benefits for such a low cost. Other types of fittings that we stock include
shackles,
rope grips, hooks and
sockets, each with their own unique benefits and purpose.
If you are interested in finding out more about the options available and how this could aid your operation, then please feel free to get in contact with us
here.