Homemade bits and pieces ?

[sgreanbeans]

These were on sale for $8.00 at harbor freight store. Best rope bag Iv'e ever had.
Round Canvas Bag easily holds 200 ft of 1/2 in line

I like that, going to get a couple. Looks like that would be a good thing to hang off the bucket. See them bouncing around on the back of the power company trucks all the time.

The buckets, I have used them for some time, didn't like the bucket buddy, always getting caught on stuff. I do like the 7-gal buckets tho, have 2 in my rope box for all the rigging garb

 

[Bowhunter01]

Amen to that. I love homemade stuff but the moment you put a critical load on it you better be certain it will equal or better the store bought version or someone is going to pay a heavy price. Me I would be taking a splicing course, get trained to do it exactly right and then "experiment".

Ok off my soapbox now.

Had my loaders grapple modified with 2 100mm diameter pipes and cross bars so instead of the portawrap being on the tree it's on the loader. Where the PW used to be on the base of the tree we now use a pulley and the rest of the rigging as per normal. You can drive in, have the climber tip tie the limb, tie up then reverse out and lift up smooth as silk. Once the limb is cut free, lower as per a PW. The best part is that you already have the loader in the right place to drag the limb out to the chipper and by the time you get back the climber is set to go again. My boys LOVE not having to drag if they don't have to!

Can you post a picture? Sounds like a good idea.

 

[Grace Tree]

Amen to that. I love homemade stuff but the moment you put a critical load on it you better be certain it will equal or better the store bought version or someone is going to pay a heavy price. Me I would be taking a splicing course, get trained to do it exactly right and then "experiment".

Ok off my soapbox now.

Had my loaders grapple modified with 2 100mm diameter pipes and cross bars so instead of the portawrap being on the tree it's on the loader. Where the PW used to be on the base of the tree we now use a pulley and the rest of the rigging as per normal. You can drive in, have the climber tip tie the limb, tie up then reverse out and lift up smooth as silk. Once the limb is cut free, lower as per a PW. The best part is that you already have the loader in the right place to drag the limb out to the chipper and by the time you get back the climber is set to go again. My boys LOVE not having to drag if they don't have to!

We use the bollard on the Branch Manager grapple on almost every job. 'Haven't dragged the GRCS out of the truck in months.
Phil

 

[wahlturfcare]

equipment carrier

i decided to make this as it was getting old to have a extra truck tow a trailer for the small stumpgrinder around.
i decided to attach it to the plow mount as it would be alot stronger. So far i've been able to load up small walkbehinds and a couple big logs on to it with no problem.

I've also added a saw basket to chipper for storage, etc.. I make a law mower attachments more than anything and metal furniture in my free time.

 

[DDM]

Just a few things I've put together over the years. Portawrap is close to 9 yrs old no cracks in it as of yet. The hitch on the bobcat I built to move chippers and stump grinders around the yard. The Buncher I built to remove smaller trees between fences.

 

[the Aerialist]

I use bras [sic] swivels instead or pullies on my climbline and lanyard.Not only because they're cheaper they are less bulky and I just prefer them over the pullies...

Assuming you mean brass swivels and not bra swivels the idea scares me more than those skanky hand sewn eyes.

Brass is brittle and can fail:

The images are of the brass quick clips on my saddle. One of them broke when using it as a saw lanyard so I sure wouldn't trust my life to any cast brass swivel.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Can you post a picture? Sounds like a good idea.

He has gone dark, maybe a lurker,
He is a OK guy but he has not been around for quite a while.
Jeff

 

[beastmaster]

With all the high tech stuff out there, lets not forget people use to make lots of their equipment back in the days, and it was every bit as safe as the expensive stuff they have now.
So when I needed a 18 ft long lanyard to climb a big pine with, I made my own like we use to do back in the days. View attachment 214137
I used new 5/8 in. three strand rope. I put an 1/4 in. aircraft cable through the middle of it. I braided the rope and ran the cable through the clip. Running a cable through three strand rope is easy but hard to explane. If any one really cared I could do a photo shot. My braiding of three strand rope is a little rusty these days but even missing a strand or two it's pretty strong.
I used the suicide knot(becket bend)on the lanyard through the D ring on my belt. The method I learned on.
The whole thing cost me less then 20 dollars and worked like charm. I couldn't see buying an 18 footer that I may never use again.

 

[beastmaster]

A fireman friend of mine gave me several feet of two different sizes of old fire hose. It has been great for protecting my pole saw blades and axes. I've used and old chainsaw glove to protect pruner blades. Rubbermaid containers, the 68 liter size are nice for carrying equipment as they are waterproof and durable and cheap.

fire hose makes excellent bar covers on chainsaws too. Allowing you to safely carry your saw on your shoulder.

 

[ozzy42]

Assuming you mean brass swivels and not bra swivels

Yes,I did mean BRASS lol. My typeing skills leave a lot of room for improvement.

the idea scares me more than those skanky hand sewn eyes.

Brass is brittle and can fail:

The images are of the brass quick clips on my saddle. One of them broke when using it as a saw lanyard so I sure wouldn't trust my life to any cast brass swivel.

There is no life support part of the system on the swivels. They are only used to advance the friction hitch. I'm crazy but not stupid,,or vise versa depending on the day of the week,but never both at the same time.

I also use them on my hip for hanging the saw,but it is on a lanyard as well.
I've never had one break like the one shown.They usually get retired after the spring on the gate fails.

 

[bootboy]

I have access to a metal lathe and I'm currently drawing up my own template for a 3/4 block. The side plates will be 3/16 4130 CrMo plate and I will turn my own sheave out of a 7/8" x 5" puck of 6061. I plan to use an HD bronze bushing and a grade 8 (stronger than stainless) 1/2" shank bolt. I'm modeling it closely after the SS 3/4 from CMI but using burlier material. It will cost me less than 40$ to make and will be every bit as strong if not more than the CMI. Then a custom powder coat. Badass

 

[beastmaster]

My ultimate pole saw.

I use a pole saw a lot, even on removals I have been known to shorten or clear something by using my pole saw. The down side is they don't make a decent polesaw unit that climbing friendly.
I bought a home depot pole pruner one time. Junk doesn't even come close to describing it. Worthless as a pole pruner But dismantle it and put a nice corona 13in. blade and with a few modifications, you have the perfect telescoping polesaw with that nice hook to hang it from, Home depot pole saw 35.00 bucks, dismantle, add blade, the ultimate polesaw. Mine is several years old and I still use it almost ever work day. You have to do a little grinding on the blade so you can use the hook. I do it on a bench grinder in a few min.
It's light, and the telescoping works perfect.View attachment 221276View attachment 221277

 

[Customcuts]

Custom Lowering Device

When I started looking into getting a heavy duty lowering device I wanted one that I could run 2 lines thru for those big limbs that would be best rigged with dual lines. The only one I could find was the Stein RC3002. At the time it wasn't available for purchase in the states and me having been a metal fabricator for the past 8 years I couldn't see spending that much for something that I was totally capable of making...so I put the pen to paper and started brainstorming.... I wanted to come up with my own design rather than just copy someone else's design which would have been the easy way out in my opinion. I have helped build ultra4 offroad desert racecars from the ground up so I am very familiar with thinking outside the box...anyways here it is.

Big Wood chucked installed! - YouTube

I have used it a lot and it works great. The only thing I would change is the powder coat on the barrel where the rope wraps around. I also have a smaller device I made for light duty single line duties..

Redirect setup on pecan tree - YouTube

Let me know what u guys think .....

 

[Customcuts]

Rigging plate

I have access to a metal lathe and I'm currently drawing up my own template for a 3/4 block. The side plates will be 3/16 4130 CrMo plate and I will turn my own sheave out of a 7/8" x 5" puck of 6061. I plan to use an HD bronze bushing and a grade 8 (stronger than stainless) 1/2" shank bolt. I'm modeling it closely after the SS 3/4 from CMI but using burlier material. It will cost me less than 40$ to make and will be every bit as strong if not more than the CMI. Then a custom powder coat. Badass

That sounds bad ass, post some pics when done. I been thinking about making a rigging block too, as well as a couple of rigging plates. We have a torchmate @ the shop I work at sometimes and its what I used to make my lowering devices. I could cut a bunch of different ones out for cheep. I'll probablymake them out of 1/4 inch plate then have them Zink or nickel plated to keep them from rusting and it would probablyhold up better than powder coat... I'll post pics when done.

 

[tree MDS]

When I started looking into getting a heavy duty lowering device I wanted one that I could run 2 lines thru for those big limbs that would be best rigged with dual lines. The only one I could find was the Stein RC3002. At the time it wasn't available for purchase in the states and me having been a metal fabricator for the past 8 years I couldn't see spending that much for something that I was totally capable of making...so I put the pen to paper and started brainstorming.... I wanted to come up with my own design rather than just copy someone else's design which would have been the easy way out in my opinion. I have helped build ultra4 offroad desert racecars from the ground up so I am very familiar with thinking outside the box...anyways here it is.

Big Wood chucked installed! - YouTube

I have used it a lot and it works great. The only thing I would change is the powder coat on the barrel where the rope wraps around. I also have a smaller device I made for light duty single line duties..

Redirect setup on pecan tree - YouTube

Let me know what u guys think .....

The big one looks awesome! The only potential inconvienience I can see, is it looks like you might need two guys (one on each side of device) in order to run two lines. Seems like one of the lines would cross itself if only one guy tried to run two lines from the side, no?

 

[Customcuts]

The big one looks awesome! The only potential inconvienience I can see, is it looks like you might need two guys (one on each side of device) in order to run two lines. Seems like one of the lines would cross itself if only one guy tried to run two lines from the side, no?

Not as long as u run the lines around the uprights on either end of the barrels... These are there so you can tie off the lines as needed too... We have been able to pull it off so far, but it works best if kept between 45degrees on either side.

 

[Customcuts]

My latest creation

View attachment 257848View attachment 257849View attachment 257850View attachment 257851

 

[Customcuts]

Finished product

 

[jefflovstrom]

Not to be a buzz kill, but that is like having a butler in a mobile home.

 

[RDAA]

Made this one weekend in my garage with some cylinders from tractor supplyView attachment 257970