just wondering if anyone has got any links to a website where they go into this in detail,any help would be much appreciated
sorry, i don’t have a link, but it is quite easy when you get the hang of it 
with the sheets, start from the back end of the trailer, then the middle, then the front, this way, the wind don’t get under them and make a right mess.
the hard part is mastering the Dolly knot, unfortunately, it is not something i could describein an internet forum, but i’m sure that there would be many (older) drivers that could show you if you asked them nicely enough
the main thing to remember is, keep things tight and fold the corners in.
cheers,just tryin to get heads before next week,hopefully doin a few days with a bloke to learn the ropes(no pun intended)
Manxman:
Is this the knot you mean
Nope thats not a dolly knot
bubsy06:
heres the knot
that’s not a Dolly Knot either
bubsy06:
heres the knot
http://uk.geocities.com/zzar_bean/dk2.html
thats what i was going to post but you beat me to it.
i learnt how to do them from this about 1 month ago and so far have bent numerous things at work using them just to tie things up to practice them!
shuttlespanker:
with the sheets, start from the back end of the trailer, then the middle, then the front, this way, the wind don’t get under them and make a right mess.
.
Sorry Shuttle , must disagree with you here. You start at the headboard at the front of the trailer. Once you have rolled out the sheet over the load, you start by the two corners at the front of the trailer, because you end up folding the sheet at the back.
Depends. We use three sheets so start at the back, overlapping as we go toward the front. I suspect this is what was meant.
pierrot 14:
shuttlespanker:
with the sheets, start from the back end of the trailer, then the middle, then the front, this way, the wind don’t get under them and make a right mess.
.Sorry Shuttle , must disagree with you here. You start at the headboard at the front of the trailer. Once you have rolled out the sheet over the load, you start by the two corners at the front of the trailer, because you end up folding the sheet at the back.
Na your wrong mate
Start as SHUTTLESPANKER says.
If your sheeting a 40ft trl you start at the back.
Allow enough of the sheet to drop just on to the bed of the trailer.
take the left courner and tie it off on the right side of the trl
take the right courner and tie off on the left sidr of the trl lift out the sheet that has tucked in to make a square back tie off the ends.
Now move to the front of the trl where the sheet starts and pull them so the sheet is now tight on the side, do the same for the other side.
Now tie off all ties making sure the sheet is against the side rail as if on a curtainsider.( this stops water and dirt entering the load.
Now roll the 2nd sheet out so that you have an over lap to the first sheet this will as the vehicle moves forward will prevent air from getting under the sheet stopping water etc getting to the load) tie the front off the same as you did for the rear sheet worknig to the rear of the trailer this will stop water and air etc entering the load …
roping and sheeting 
whats wrong with a euro liner and straps 
shuttlespanker:
the hard part is mastering the Dolly knot, unfortunately, it is not something i could describein an internet forum, but i’m sure that there would be many (older) drivers that could show you if you asked them nicely enoughthe main thing to remember is, keep things tight and fold the corners in.
I definitely disagree with this bit, the dolly knot, once mastered, is the easiest part of roping and sheeting. The hard bit is physically man handling the sheets over the load, especially if your on your own and its windy.
Picked up a load of wire from kent wire last week, they will not allow you to leave unless its sheeted, took me two hours to do it. Heres the daft bit, the wire is stored outside,it was loaded outside, I was sheeting it in the rain, the destination stored it outside as well, SO WHY THE ■■■■ DO THEY MAKE THE DRIVERS SHEET IT?
cARL
Speck:
Picked up a load of wire from kent wire last week, they will not allow you to leave unless its sheeted, took me two hours to do it. Heres the daft bit, the wire is stored outside,it was loaded outside, I was sheeting it in the rain, the destination stored it outside as well, SO WHY THE [zb] DO THEY MAKE THE DRIVERS SHEET IT?
Probably for the same reason we were made to sheet Pickled & Oiled steel - It can slip - the sheet can prevent it falling off 
Speck:
shuttlespanker:
the hard part is mastering the Dolly knot, unfortunately, it is not something i could describein an internet forum, but i’m sure that there would be many (older) drivers that could show you if you asked them nicely enoughthe main thing to remember is, keep things tight and fold the corners in.
I definitely disagree with this bit, the dolly knot, once mastered, is the easiest part of roping and sheeting. The hard bit is physically man handling the sheets over the load, especially if your on your own and its windy.
Picked up a load of wire from kent wire last week, they will not allow you to leave unless its sheeted, took me two hours to do it. Heres the daft bit, the wire is stored outside,it was loaded outside, I was sheeting it in the rain, the destination stored it outside as well, SO WHY THE [zb] DO THEY MAKE THE DRIVERS SHEET IT?
cARL
For the same reason they make you sheet soaking wet timber or waste paper, they dont want the road muck/grit/stones etc to contaminate the load and I was always told (in much younger days) it’s the sheets that keep the load on your lorry, the ropes just keep them tight and stop them flapping about!
Many time this has been proved to be true, with loads bulging out of sheets when they would have ended on the road otherwise!
Speck:
I definitely disagree with this bit, the dolly knot, once mastered, is the easiest part of roping and sheeting. The hard bit is physically man handling the sheets over the load, especially if your on your own and its windy.
Think shuttlespanker meant “hard” in the context of learning rather than physical difficulty, and I’d agree with him.
Personally I’d say rolling your sheet up and putting it back on the bed, on a cold and windy day, when the FLT driver’s buggered off home, is the hardest (and definitely most soul-destroying) part!
There is a lot more to roping and sheeting than learning a couple of knots. Different loads get sheeted different ways but you will be shown how to do it — hopefully the right way.
While you doing it, think about what will happen when you are doing 90kph on the motorway with the wind and rain trying to get in every open crevice. Also think what will happen when you brake sharply and the load wants to keep going. These days most roping and sheeting is done over a load that is already secure (chains straps etc) so the sheet(s) is to keep the weather off and possibly contain any small parts that might come adrift.
The sheet itself should have light ropes attached to eyelets along the edges and sometimes a couple of feet up the side as well. These are NOT for securing the load; they are to help you stretch the sheet over it before you start roping.
Finally: When you tension the ropes by pulling down on the knot (you will need some decent gloves) you pull it down as hard as you can without damaging the load. If you can then the key ropes (the ones at the front and back) should be double tensioned — that is use a second knot to add tension to the first. When you have finished the job should look tidy. All loose ends tucked away and NO loose canvas to flap in the wind. If any does escape then stop and sort it out asap.
Finally finally: DON’T forget to secure the ropes and sheets on the empty trailer when you have finished. You will be pretty knackered by then and it’s so easy to drive off and loose them on the side of the road.
Good Luck
fellas im overwhelmed (sp) by the response and really appreciate it.where im going for the work experience seems to be a very good outfit and i really do appreciate him letting me go there,and the help that people on here gave me to get intouch with them.im looking for a break of good fortune to get into this business and being a newbie i see this work experience that may give me the edge to getting a job.im constantly filling out application forms but while im out of work with time on my hands i might aswell go and get some experience rather than sitting on my ■■■.thanks again everyone this site should be a must for every newbie,wannabe because the knowledge and experience on here you cant buy.
gnasty gnome:
Speck:
I definitely disagree with this bit, the dolly knot, once mastered, is the easiest part of roping and sheeting. The hard bit is physically man handling the sheets over the load, especially if your on your own and its windy.Think shuttlespanker meant “hard” in the context of learning rather than physical difficulty, and I’d agree with him.
Personally I’d say rolling your sheet up and putting it back on the bed, on a cold and windy day, when the FLT driver’s buggered off home, is the hardest (and definitely most soul-destroying) part!
Try rolling them when it’s -40 with a Prairie windchill, when they won’t roll smaller than 4 feet in diameter and you have to try kicking the into submission, or when you roll them on snow and collect what feels like 3/4 tonne of ice inside and can’t lift them at all, then have the snow melt to water and then refreeze so they are solid blocks of ice.
That’s always good for a laugh.
Thing about flatwork is you will either love it or hate it. If you like it then you will never understand why others hate it and vice versa. It’s an artform. Your loads will always prove a challenge and will, hopefully, always arrive in perfect shape. As you get used to it, the faster you will get.