HELLO ALL
boss has told me about a nice job he wants me to do starting next week
it involves moveing quite a bit of heavy machinery from one of our custumers preasent biulding to his new factory here in sunny stoke 
due to the weight and size of the machines (steel press,s large laithe,s)
they have to be loaded by over head crane wich rules out a curtain sider
and because of all the electric hook ups and what not non just chaining them to the flatbed isnt enough 
so yours truely is haveing a crash course in the old art of ropeing and sheeting and would REALLY 
like some tips on how to get the job done properly PLEASE
A sliding roof curtainsider might help 
If you are using 2 sheets put the back one on first to stop the wind getting under it, cut plenty of ties and I would strap the machines on before sheeting it.
And beware of trucknet members with cameras looking for hospital corners 
thanks wheelnut
its partly because of you lot with the cameras AND haveing the BOBITT name plate in the windsceen that im worryed about getting right
the last thing i wont is a picture of a SAIL POWERED ERF going north bound on the M6
Make sure whoever teaches you the old truckers knot is same handed as you.
I am left handed and was taught the know by a right hander it just doesnt work when they try to show you!!!..
Donât get pushed into rushing you loading and sheeting because you think itâs taking to long. It will take a lot longer than you think, if you are new to it and are used to the ease of curtainsiders.
Try and find an old hand to show you how to do it properly, most experienced driver will help you if you are willing to learn.
Try getting your boss to take a look at this site as you will require a safe method of restraining your load,and the Ratchet Strap system is a good one,you get these straps in various strengths from 2tnâ10tn .
IF you take alook at the useful links sites there are a few tips there as well
as the others have said what ever you do take it slowly and carefull ,all ways checking that what you do is correct,
As has been said, put the back sheet on first.
Get the sheet unrolled on top of the load and pull it so that its about the same length on either side. Then pull it towards the front or back till the back edge of the sheet is just touching the trailer bed. Tie the bottom corners at the front down, pulling the sheet out tight and forwards slightly.(its best to get a handful of sheet at the corner and put a loop round that first (called a Pigs Ear), otherwise you can pull the eyelet straight out of the sheet).
Then go to the back and tie the corners, pulling the sheet tight and forwards again, this should also pull the sheet, which is over the top of you load, towards the back making it all tight. You will now have the essentials done . You will also be left with a lot of loose sheet, (this is where the skilled hands show the difference to the rest of us). Walk from the back of your load to about half way along your sheet and take hold of the bottom edge of it. Pull it tight and keeping it tight, feeding it through your hands, walk as far back as you can. Keeping the side tight, make a pigs ear and take that to the other side of you load tie it down tight and do the same on the other side. This will make a set of âhospital cornersâ at the back of your load.
Then you do much the same with your front sheet, but instead of the âhospital cornersâ being on the outside, leave the front flap of your sheet loose. Once youâve done the hospital corners, pull the front flap down and tighten it over your hospital corners. This will stop the wind getting inside the hospital corners and jerking everything loose. Putting the hospital corners over the back flap lets the wind spill off the sides instead of getting under the flap and again pulling everything loose.
Whichever side youâre on, go to the first string, which you shouldnât have touched yet. Pull the sheet down tight, from the top of the load not the string, but make sure you donât start pulling the sheet over to you. You should have what I call a âshortenerâ above where the string is attached to the edge of the sheet. Gently tug all the loose string out, but not any loose sheet. Find the nearest hook and wrap the string round it twice, feed the loose end through the eyelet in the shortener. Pull the string tight, if its long enough, tie it off on the same hook. If its too long, go to a hook on the opposite side to the shortener, making a triangle between hook - shortener - other hook. If its even longer, tie it back to the other leg of the triangle. If Its even longer, use the next higher shortener, etc. If its only just long enough to go through the shortener, tie it to itself with a single bow. Do one side, front to back, you donât need to do both layers of sheet where they overlap. Then do the other side making sure you pull the sheet as tight as you can.
To tie the strings off, wrap the string round the hook twice, then do 2 or 3 half hitches, keeping all the knots wrapping the same way, and tuck any loose end away. Do this with all of the strings. When you come to undo everything, wet or dry, all you have to do is grip the half hitches and twist that bit round the hook, that will unwrap the two turns, leaving you with loose half hitches to undo. Start off with half hitches and each one will have to be untied from tight.
Its been a bit long winded this has 
and Iâm starting to get bored. To be honest, the best way to learn roping and sheeting is with an old hand to âshow you the ropesâ 
. Once you get the idea, its just practice, practice and more practice.
Your hands will get very sore from pulling ropes tight, until they harden up, then theyâll feel like sand paper. If its raining too, they will also get very dry and your skin will start to crack and split. Take a tube of hand cream with you and use it every time you wash your hands, after sheeting a load. Nothing wrong with not doing that, but your partner wonât appreciate the condition of your hands if you donât. I know that from experience too 
P.S. Brit Pete, I think youâve linked to the wrong site. That one is lifting gear, not much help to someone asking about roping n sheeting a load.
NO if you go on the site and put the language on to ENGLISH you willsee that they do LASHING equipement as well,and when loading this will be required as well in some aspects of loadrestraint.,This is what I was offering as into days H&S nightmare senario, you will have to use these types of loadrestraint ,