Hey Tim Gardner???

[rahtreelimbs]

Tim, You have had some pretty cool home brewed climbing accessories in the past. Do you have anything new you could share?

 

[Tim Gardner]

Just this.

 

[Nickrosis]

You can't just say that! You have to elaborate....

 

[Tim Gardner]

It takes the place of a pulley that acts as a hitch tender. Not only is the smaller size and weight nice but the real pay off is how the material that it is made from eliminates friction. Since I changed over to a V.T. and a pulley I have noticed a lot of drag while taking up slack. Open up your pulley and look at the side plates. You will see where it is wearing. Even though the shive of the pulley helps with friction there is still drag from the side plates.

I have been working on this design and testing it for a while. The difference is like day and night! I have also developed a smaller one for a lanyard.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

This is the kind of cool stuff that I was referring to.

Keep 'em comin'.

Thanks Tim.

 

[Bradley]

Tim, is that Delrin or UHMWPE?

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Is you talking about Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene?
'Cus I got some a dat on my 12 volt winch. It floats, and is real strong, but it wears poorly.
Better than steel 'cus it don't cut up the fingers.

 

[Bradley]

Delrin specifically, or even better ptfe filled Delrin is some cool stuff. Slippery and easily machined, and very stable and strong. I use it for enclosed tracks and muzzles on spearguns because of its wearability and slippery factor. I'd think that it would be great for this application. I've only used it and uhmwpe in solid form, can't attest to how a rope of it would handle.

 

[Tim Gardner]

HDPe. I have not noticed any wear on my test hitch tenders even when I burn down pretty fast. Great stuff.

Here is is a pic of another item I made from it.

 

[Tim Gardner]

Another pic.

 

[Stumper]

Okay Tim, I'm impressed. Can you get it to market? The hitch tenders can't cost much to make once someone has tooled up but the molds will cost about 25K I think-ouch. That means having to sell a whole lot of 'em. If you want to make a few for sale to friends-Ol' buddy, ol pal-I'd be interested.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Here is my first attempt at copying Tim's cool slack tender. I have no idea what this material is other than it is extremely slippery. I got this from where I work a few years ago. The stuff is real easy to work with. This took me about 45 min. to do. tell me what you think. I tried this out in my basement. The first try had to much friction. I put a generous radius on the upper and lower openings and that solved the problem.

We all owe Tim a big Thanx for the design and idea!

 

[rahtreelimbs]

2nd. pic.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

3rd. pic.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Last pic.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i like the slipperyness, and the way it is manufactured to push up evenly across the whole base of the hitch to tend up smoother i would think. Especially, pushing up into the base of a self tending hitch as Knut, Big John's FHTwist with similar bottom tending ring/half hitch.

Purrrdy good their Tim(and Rich)!

 

[Tim Gardner]

Rich,

Make sure you counter sink the bolt and nut. I used stainless steel bolt and a locking stainless steel ny-lock nut.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Originally posted by Tim Gardner
Rich,

Make sure you counter sink the bolt and nut. I used stainless steel bolt and a locking stainless steel ny-lock nut.

Thanx Tim!!!

 

[SilverBlue]

I like the idea guys, could you make a sliding joint like a dovetail to eliminate the bolt?

 

[Tim Gardner]

This is a design I came up with I also like.