Rope tension cleat

thingiverse

Rope tension cleats like this one have been around for more than a century. In the past, a piece of wood or dowel with two holes drilled in it was sufficient. A picture shows the tensioner in action with a 3/8" nylon rope. It is very helpful when setting up tarps or staking down tent poles (many tents already have pre-installed cleats like this on their ropes). The theory of operation is straightforward: holding the cleat perpendicular to the rope allows it to move freely along the rope, but at an acute angle, it resists movement. As seen in the action shot, you run the rope through the cleat, around the tie-down (I use a carabiner), and back to the cleat where one end is knotted. To shorten the rope, pull it away from the tie-down point and then release it. To shorten it, reverse that action. The cleat's holding ability is intentionally less than 100%. If your tarp or rainfly catches a huge wind gust, it's usually better for the rope to slip slightly and shorten rather than ripping your tarp or rainfly. This one was printed in PLA, which is easy but not as durable as some filaments. I printed one with Taulman 910 that will last longer than I will! Fortunately, it doesn't take much time or filament to print another one.