Knot advice please

[Essex Barn Workshop]

So I've promised to make a project for my daughter's new home, and one major part of it involves threading an 8mm rope through about 12 pieces of wood (all appropriately drilled).
I'm OK tying a knot at one end, to prevent it being pulled through, but would like advice on how to tie a knot/what knot to tie in the end where i am trying to tighten all the pieces together.
This is my first attempt, the rope is neither strong enough nor sufficiently tight!

The hole will be as close to 8mm as i can get away with, so the knot doesn't have to be huge, but it must be tight to the final piece of wood and non-slip.
Whatever I end up doing I'll probably apply super glue liberally any way!
Thanks. Links or videos particularly welcome.

 

[Dee J]

Tbh, trying to tension that enough and knot it looks virtually impossible. Pulling it tight (lever, windlass etc), then securing with staples, screws and washers or whatever would seem to have more mileage

 

[Fitzroy]

Looking at similar chairs on the web some of the designs have two holes in each piece with the rope going back and forth. But most of them seem to have a simple knot, even a simple bowknot like a shoelace, so it can't need to be that tight. Perhaps there is another factor in your design that need adjusting so a less tensioned cord is required?

 

[ChaiLatte]

Cheat.

Slot one piece of timber in each run and tie it up as tight as you can omitting the slotted piece. Then spread the assembly, insert the slotted piece over the rope that is exposed and glue in a filler piece to close the slot.

 

[ChaiLatte]

Looking at similar chairs on the web some of the designs have two holes in each piece with the rope going back and forth.

Using two holes, for the 'top' (two legs plus back) and 'front' (two legs plus seat) connections, I wonder if you could alternate the pieces when you thread the rope. One would point left, the other right. Then tie up the sub-assembly as tight as possible and rotate 50% of the pieces so everything is aligned. It would be like a Spanish windlass at each interface.

Maybe the squeeze put on by doing this would mean the 'middle' connection would not need to be super tight.

For the middle connection, omit the short outer piece temporarily. Drill a tapered hole in the next piece and make some wedges that will grip the rope. Pull it tight using mechanical means and drive the wedges home. Then add the short outer piece and tie it off. The visible knot will only be holding the outer piece.

 

[Orraloon]

I know my way around rope and knots but the design of that is problematical. Even if you could tie a knot tight enough the cord is going to stretch and the whole thing will be sloppy again as soon as its sat in. As said above you need some way to retension the cord as often as required.
Regards
John

 

[mwinfrance]

re-tension by twisting the cord.