DIY tools

[Giel]

I have so far always rigged on the tree itself. Ocassionally using a false crotch where needed, but nothing ground-side to brake heavy pieces. The groundie would just wrap the rope around 1 or more times if things look heavy. Well, these days should be over. Found a nice device (don't know the name in English) but the steep price of 600+ Euro kept me from it. A friend of mine happens to own a metal shop, so a few sketches and a spot of welding later we ended up with this (see links).

I think it should work. I'll be doing a bigish dead elm tree on Friday. Can't wait to try it out! Who else is using this device (and what is it called?!) and how do you like it?

 

[Hddnis]

Pictures are kind of small but it looks like a sort of port-o-wrap.

You wrap the rope around it to create friction to give you control when lowering heavy loads?

I'd love to see some pictures of it in use.



Mr. HE

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

If you are strapping it to the tree I would call it a portable bollard, or rope brake.

 

[RacerX]

Here's a home made lowering device that I put together with some scrap parts off of a construction site. Had a iron worker weld it for me. Cost = free.

 

[Giel]

a portable bollard it is then. Yes, you stra it around the tree with a ratchet and use it to create friction. I am going to test it tomorrow --> more pics forthcoming!

RacerX: that looks neat!

Anybody else doing some creative tinkering to make their own tools? Would love to see more pics of others' handywork!

Cheers

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Having bought a GRCS i do not need to make anything. It paid for it'self many times over.

I've portawraps too, large an medium sizes.

If metal fab is your hobby, more power to ya.

 

[Giel]

The bollard and the Elm

Ha John, that GRCS looks neat!

tested the homemade stainless bollard last week in a biggish dead Elm tree. It's sad and amazing at the same time to see how many Elms have already and continue to succumb to the Elm disease overhere.

Anyway, the bollard works a treat, should have had that thing 10 years earlier, but in those days it was not se easy to acquire good arborist tools up here. And the idea never crossed my mind to make one.

Cheers

 

[Giel]

and a few more pics...

Cheers,

 

[tree MDS]

Very nice job and pics!

 

[randyg]

What are you doing???

In pic 6481 it looks to me like the piece you are cutting off is both tied to the lowering line AND tied back to the main tree with a piece of webbing? Will that piece take the shock load off the lowering line and then you make another cut a foot or so back to allow freedom to lower or what, I am stumped...

AWESOME pictures by the way, of you gettin it done. Thanks for shareing!

randy

 

[randyg]

Once again my mouth outran my brain. I see it now, it controls the swing, and piece gets lowered through caribeaner. Nice work!!!!!

 

[Giel]

Once again my mouth outran my brain. I see it now, it controls the swing, and piece gets lowered through caribeaner. Nice work!!!!!

And so did your fingers

Your right, the biner allowed me to position the branch in a large clear spot on the driveway (I need more fancy pulleys though). Also because of my position relative to the location of the crotch through which the lowering line was runnning the using the biner meant I didn't have to leave the limb I was on to reposition the lowering line in the tree.

btw, any comments, particularly on safety are more than welcome! I actually work more safety-concious after having read through many posts on this site, but more feedback is better

Cheers,

 

[treemandan]

Man you killed that elm dead. Poor thing, its whole life was spent waiting for you.

 

[tomtrees58]

we have 2 hobbs ther great tom trees

 

[Job Corps Tree]

Great pictures. We here in the US need more of what gos on over there

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Ha John, that GRCS looks neat!

tested the homemade stainless bollard last week in a biggish dead Elm tree. It's sad and amazing at the same time to see how many Elms have already and continue to succumb to the Elm disease overhere.

Same here, I take down several huge U. Americana and rubra every year.

 

[oldirty]

great pics man. thanks for sharing.

 

[outofmytree]

Nice pics Giel. Welcome!

Just a thought regarding your groundie. He appears to have no gloves on whilst holding the weight bearing line. This will be a problem if you want the piece to "run". That is, to slow down the descent of a piece rather than stop it. Taking out the top with a good groundie on the "portie" is great for the climber with much less bounce and sway. My guys use a pair of welding gauntlets with re-inforced leather palms just in case the piece is heavier than we thought.

 

[southsoundtree]

Nice pics Giel. Welcome!

Just a thought regarding your groundie. He appears to have no gloves on whilst holding the weight bearing line. This will be a problem if you want the piece to "run". That is, to slow down the descent of a piece rather than stop it. Taking out the top with a good groundie on the "portie" is great for the climber with much less bounce and sway. My guys use a pair of welding gauntlets with re-inforced leather palms just in case the piece is heavier than we thought.

+1 on the gloves.

since you are experimenting/ groundie is experimenting with getting the right amount of friction through wraps, I like my groundie to be near another tree in "let it run" situations. I'd rather them have too few wraps than too many, and be able to quickly bend their end around a tree for a little added trunk wrap friction.

Really nice work.