newb
ArboristSite Operative
Hey All, Im thinking og getting a fiddle block. Is it worth the investment?
fiddle blocks
- Thread starter newb
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Stumper
One Man Band
Maybe. I get the purchases I want with single blocks rigged to fit the situation but a set of Fiddles could be good.
Those on site who have gone through numerous employees may or may not know about using fiddle blocks but they have stories about fiddling with blockheads.
Those on site who have gone through numerous employees may or may not know about using fiddle blocks but they have stories about fiddling with blockheads.
P_woozel
ArboristSite Guru
order the blocks separtely from a marine supply store, and splice your own peice of l,ine. You will save about 80.00 that way. Also you can put a longer line in there, I have mine set up with 100' gives me a little more range. 
treeman82
Addicted to ArboristSite
I just bought mine through Sherrill and put a 150' piece of tree pro? on there. Put all that stuff into a bag, and I am good to go.
Ax-man
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yes, it is worth the money, when you are just working with just one other person it allows the guy on the ground to do a job that would require an extra man for raising a tip tied limb, small lead, or just pretensioning a line to coax a big limb the right way. It is also handy for pulling trees over if your working by yourself out in the middle of nowhere.
I never had the luxury of having two groundmen since we got ours it would be interesting to see what two people could do with this tool.
Tom Dunlop mentioned that a device like this should be backed up, not to rely on the cam brake by itself, I agree with this, I bought one of those small porta wraps to go along with ours. The brake is OK but does slip a little when you reach the limits of what you can pull with it, it also would not take much to knock the rope out of the cam.
Since the suject has come up, I have a question, I didn't get mine from Sherril, I bought a different brand. The manufactures instructions show the use of this tool just the opposite of the normal way that we use winches. The block with the cam brake is used as the traveling block. I use ours with the block that has the cam as an anchor block.
So is one way better than the other, the idea of having the block with the brake out of reach of the hands does not appeal to me.
The manufacturer also shows the use of a camming device like a Rope Grab to pull another rope, I have gone both ways with this, knots are easier on a rope when it comes to heavy pulling, the Rope Grab works good for the lighter pulls because it is easier to set up than than tying knots.
Larry
I never had the luxury of having two groundmen since we got ours it would be interesting to see what two people could do with this tool.
Tom Dunlop mentioned that a device like this should be backed up, not to rely on the cam brake by itself, I agree with this, I bought one of those small porta wraps to go along with ours. The brake is OK but does slip a little when you reach the limits of what you can pull with it, it also would not take much to knock the rope out of the cam.
Since the suject has come up, I have a question, I didn't get mine from Sherril, I bought a different brand. The manufactures instructions show the use of this tool just the opposite of the normal way that we use winches. The block with the cam brake is used as the traveling block. I use ours with the block that has the cam as an anchor block.
So is one way better than the other, the idea of having the block with the brake out of reach of the hands does not appeal to me.
The manufacturer also shows the use of a camming device like a Rope Grab to pull another rope, I have gone both ways with this, knots are easier on a rope when it comes to heavy pulling, the Rope Grab works good for the lighter pulls because it is easier to set up than than tying knots.
Larry
Lumberjack
Banned
I use 2 of the big double sheeve pulleys (90 bucks at sherril) and a smaller pulley on the bottom becket of on with the rope tied off to the other becket. This offers me 6:1 ma (25,000mbs), with 150' of KM111 (10k mbs) reveved through it.
Here is a pic.
Here is a pic.
dayman
ArboristSite Operative
Before buying a system that is too strong,and expensive, calculate the pull that a person can generate. A rough idea is 80% of body weight. If you use this and run it through a 5:1 you could theoretically generate a 4,000 pound pull. Do you really need a safety factor of 5:1 in a static system? Spend some time looking at the Harken website to see how these systems are designed for sailboats.
Skip the Gibbs as an anchor. They can damage ropes at the loads that can be generated. Better to use friction hitches.
I think half inch line is way overkill.
Skip the Gibbs as an anchor. They can damage ropes at the loads that can be generated. Better to use friction hitches.
I think half inch line is way overkill.
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2002
- Messages
- 6,084
- Reaction score
- 634
Fiddle blocks are something that I have but very rarely use..............but..............when I do need them I am real glad I have them!!!
I made a fiddle block up last year from a ships chandlers, with a 5:1 pull I find it quicker and easier to use than a hand winch in certain applications, handy for tensioning speed-lines, raising limbs, giving an extra pull on a pull line and I haven't thought of what else to use it for, but its very handy piece of kit.
Ax-man said:
I like to use the block with cam as the travelling part. Especially when I'm pulling a tree over, I'd like to see the tree as I pull it. I hate to pull something over and that thing can fall on my back. I have the Shrill 5:1 and loved it though I rarely used it ( I have the Echo winch in the truck).
MasterBlaster
TreeHouse Elder
I've never used one. :Eye:
tnttreeman
ArboristSite Operative
Use a lighter version of one to hold my deer up from the rafters when butchering. Works great for that.
