None stretching washing lines...

W

WAslayer

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So, I live in a flat 6 floors above the ground and we do not have a downstairs washing line facility.. I am forced to hang washing on the balcony.. I installed a fold down wash line I found it builders. No name brand, with two collapsible bars that mount on the wall and 4 holes each to tie your washing lines.. Really nice, since most of the time its not in use and I get to relax with some sundowners on my balcony when they are folded down..

Trouble is I dont like, and never have, stretching washing lines.. I resorted to using wire for this washing line, which in the heat and under tension also stretch...

What is a man supposed to do... ai ai ai...
 
Best bet would be those "self coiling" options where it rolls back into a box unit and you pull it across and hook it on the other side when you need to use it.

That pretty much self-tightens so should solve the problem.
 
Drifter said:
Live with it.
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How I wish I could.. Its almost OCD like, the way it drives me up the wall.. Ever since I was a teenager, I would constantly be tightening the washing lines for my mother..

SauRoNZA said:
Best bet would be those "self coiling" options where it rolls back into a box unit and you pull it across and hook it on the other side when you need to use it.

That pretty much self-tightens so should solve the problem.
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Have one of those in the spare bedroom for the rainy winters.. When they start carrying a lot of weight, they still sag and stretch and can only be tightened so much..
 
WAslayer said:
Have one of those in the spare bedroom for the rainy winters.. When they start carrying a lot of weight, they still sag and stretch and can only be tightened so much..
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Get a better washing machine that dries it better?
 
Use a clothes horse inside your apartment by an open window.
Use a fan in winter to help dry.
 
Buy a tumble dryer. No sagging.
 
bwana said:
Buy a tumble dryer. No sagging.
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You can't tumbledry everything. I also find my clothes last longer drying on a line than going in a tumbledryuer every time.
 
saor said:
You can't tumbledry everything. I also find my clothes last longer drying on a line than going in a tumbledryuer every time.
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Sure you can - as long as it fits though the door it can be tumble dried. What you shouldn't do is tumble dry everything on high. ;)
 
to answer my question:

I got creative and engineered a solution.. the washing line comes in 2 end units which mount to the wall.. they are completely separated.. this means that any tension put on the washing lines, will pull the end units toward each other, cancelling out the tension you apply.. i got a nice long aluminum square tube and attached it to the end units on the opposite side of the wall.. this prevents the end units from being pulled toward each other.. a collapsible hinged mounted on the wall right in the middle of the two end units, extended with another length of aluminum square tubing prevents the brace from bowing when tension is applied to the washing lines.. no more sagging washing lines and its still collapsible so i get to enjoy sundowners on my balcony now with ample space to stretch my feet..
 
had sagging lines under my patio roof. Tightened them up quite neatly. next thing I know wthe SO come balliing me ou tbecause she can't reach the lines anymore:crylaugh:
 
You get the non stretching washing line from Pick n Pay and Checkers. Use to be about R50 for I think 30 metres. It's the metal one that is plastic coated. The nylon lines are the ones that stretches.
 
Devinity said:
You get the non stretching washing line from Pick n Pay and Checkers. Use to be about R50 for I think 30 metres. It's the metal one that is plastic coated. The nylon lines are the ones that stretches.
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had this.. and they still stretched.. every week after a load of washing spent 30 minutes tightening the lines again.. no i have actual 2 mm steel wire on attached to thread adjustable eye hooks.. if the lines sag, i just tighten the nut on the eye hook..
 
WAslayer said:
had this.. and they still stretched.. every week after a load of washing spent 30 minutes tightening the lines again.. no i have actual 2 mm steel wire on attached to thread adjustable eye hooks.. if the lines sag, i just tighten the nut on the eye hook..
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mmh... I've had no problem. Don't know how thick the ones I have are but here is a pic of what it looks like:

wash line2.jpg

Next time you are in Pick n Pay or Checkers, check them out.
 
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