factor 55 fid to the rescue!

[Mesquite]

as i was shopping for fids i came across the Yale wire fid and i thought that would be a good one to get. but not liking the price point i began to search to deepest are darkest parts of the web. the Factor 55 fast fid is what i found and at 47 minus shipping i jumped on it. i am leaving this a a light review and just wanted to let the house know its out there. one feature i like about it, is that it comes with a velcro closing lid on the pouch for it, and the fid come apart by un screwing the wire part from the ruler part aka the metal piece with the point at the end. i have used it to splice 5/16 and 5/8 tenex the wire part is very versatile. i have even put a screw driver perpendicular through the wire part once it is free from the rope and used it to pull the fid out on tighter jacketed ropes.

Fast Fid

MSRP: $58.75

factor55.com

the companys products are more towards trucks and wintching, they do have some cool unique thimbles or i think they call them splice on shackle mounts

Products | Factor 55 - Part 3

factor55.com

 

[flushcut]

Looks like a nice unit. I have the Yale and I made something similar with a knitting needle and a wire grip that they sell at an electric supply house.

 

[ruel]

Ballpoint pen and 3 feet of electrical tape is an even better price point, but that looks like a nice tool

 

[flushcut]

Sounds almost barbaric. Lol

 

[Jonny]

I been eyeballing that Factor55 fid. Looks like it should be fine for a wide range of rope diameters.
You’d have to use a yardstick or measuring tape to measure fid lengths and make the marks, but Google is quick to show how long different fids are.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I might pick one of those up. I'm on my 2nd Yale basket fid. It's better suited for up to 1/2" and that looks like it opens more.

 

[Tree09]

If you were so inclined to build your own they have different sizes of those finger trap things in your local hardware store in the electrical isle. They should have wire pulling ones for pulling thru conduit and the box pullout type for a few bucks. I think one like this could easily be used, but i have a yale one that i have babied so far so i haven't the need to try it One has worked very very well on my remote for my welder, with the locking extension cord you have to do something really really dumb to unplug the box while it's running and possibly frying the 100 dollar rheostat inside.

 

[Mesquite]

Jonny this pdf has a table with all the different fid lenghts(short fid) to rope size. But quick math is 21 times the diameter of the rope is the fid size.

The solid metal part of the fid has a ruler that goes up to 7 inches, so in a pinch in the field you could use it. I spliced both ropes you sent me. The pic is with the 5/8 in the fid.

 

[Mesquite]

Flush cut I have a small and big knitting needle to help with splicing. Could you please post a picture of your invention.

Ruel that could get expensive if you need three feet of tape each splice

 

[flushcut]

Sure I’ll get a pic later today. It looks a lot like the Yale fid.

 

[flushcut]

A Myurchin marlin spike,Yale fid, and two Knitting needle fids.

 

[Mesquite]

i miss spoke, i actual I use crochet devices

 

[frans]

Gosh, knitting needles with the end cut off work great!
But then again I’m all about not buying some tricky thing when I can make some thing myself. I do use the Brian toss splicing wand quite a bit. But even that I modified lol

 

[Mesquite]

The splicing wand looks awesome, but I think the marrlow rigger needles is going to be my next splicing buy. I looks like it does the same thing as the wand minus the noose. I know Im going to have to get something for when I start to splice cord with tight jackets. Unfortunately I can't use 12 strand for everything.

SPLICING EQUIPMENT - Marlow Ropes Ltd

SPLICING EQUIPMENT - Marlow Ropes Ltd

www.marlowropes.com