Natural Crotch Rope...What Do You Prefer

[YUKON 659]

I was wondering what type of rope most of you use for rigging from a natural crotch?

Thanks Jeff

 

[Tim Gardner]

I prefer 1/2 double braid for light work but I am using 16 strand because it is cheaper. I do however like the way 16 strand will soak up some of the shock better.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Mostly, I like to borrow Tim G's ropes for natural crotch rigging, that or Brian's ropes.
I wouldn't even think of using my own!

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Natural crotch rigging? It seems like I remember hearing about that sometime in the distant past

Why? Do you have an outhouse or indoor plumbing? I still can't understand how anyone can afford to use the internet but can't understand the value of buying a false crotch for rigging. Light rigging is the best use for the ring on ring FCs. They're pretty clumsy for climbing.

Tom

 

[Tim Gardner]

Tom and Mike, I find it hard to believe any person that would say they NEVER use a natural crotch for rigging. I do not and will not believe either of you use a block, pulley or ring on ring FS for every single lower on every job. Type until your fingers are numb but I will not believe you. The guy asked what climbers preferred and in my reply I said nothing about using only natural crotches to lower from.

 

[Joe]

16 strand, 12 strand, and 3 strand.

Joe

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Tim, you 're going to tell me every time you want toast you put bread in the toaster? You never rub two sticks together until there is enough heat to start dry leaves on fire, then throw on some small sticks, then hold the bread just the right distance from the fire, to make the toast?
Type 'til you drop, I know you rub sticks.

Joe does too.

 

[Tim Gardner]

Dang Mike I thought this thread was about rope not food. Or was that a ploy to distract the readers from the subject?

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

OK Tim, about twice a year I natural crotch rig, very light stuff, and usually the tail of my climbing rope. Almost every time I regret it.

 

[Joe]

Mike's flaming the boards.

Arbormaster has taken over.

(shaking finger at Mike) "Now Mike, you should know better than to throw away some perfectly good sticks. One must always remember to use what resources are available. What about when the toaster is broken or the electric is out?"

Joe

 

[Tim Gardner]

Mike, I am not trying to undermine you or Tom’s credibility in any way. The two of you have worked hard and earned respect. I have not said natural crotch rigging is ok. It is not. However it is not as bad as you make it out to be. I have personally used 16 strands for two years running them through natural crotches and then only retired them because of age. A new rope can be destroyed in only one lower or it can be used thousands of times depending on how the climber uses it. Most of the time a pulley/friction break works better for control, rope wear, etc. but then there are times when a natural crotch will work. If I sat down and figured it out the ropes I use for natural crotch rigging wind up costing me less than a penny per foot if I add in the number of jobs completed with them. Come on guys, how much do you expect for your $110.00 worth of rope? Ten, 20 or more years? And since you guys want to compare other things to rope I bet you do not wet asphalt or concrete driveways when you are maneuvering your trucks and chippers do you? A truck tire can cost over $150.00 and you guys are not lubricating the driveways with water so as not to wear them down when turning the steering wheel? What about loading a truck with a skid steer? I bet you do not wet the driveways or street then either. That tandem flatbed trailer wears tires out pretty fast too huh? You probably don’t even think about spraying down the street before turning it around with a heavy load on it. But you guys will jump at the chance to reply about how stupid or backwards someone is for using a natural crotch to rig from.

And now if you will forgive my ranting and excuse me I have to rub these two sticks together to light a torch so as to see my way to the outhouse.

 

[YUKON 659]

I understand that using a natural crotch can pre maturely wear out ropes!!!! That is the reason I asked what rope you guys prefer. No, I will not be using natural crotches for any heavy rigging (unless I absolutley have to)...mostly light rigging. If you have noticed in another thread I started, I will be getting a false crotch set up. All I did was ask a simple question and all I was looking for was a simple answer. Tim and Joe thanks for the information. Mike and Tom, maybe everyone on this site isn't quite as knowledgeable as you two, this is the reason we ask the questions we do. Now let me ask you again..... when you DO use a natural crotch, what rope DO you prefer?

Thanks Jeff

 

[tjk]

When light rigging in a natural crotch usually while prunning I perfer 12 or 3 strand for cost and durability. Double braid is expensive and designed for false crotch rigging.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Ok Ok Ok!!! I'll come clean... I do use a rope for natural crotch rigging. Wanna know what kind? The crappiest, nastiest, snagged, tie the brush on the trailer reject rope in the truck.

There, now I feel better.

The only circumstances that I use a natural crotch is when I can toss a line into a low limb and cut it from the ground. Maybe pole saw or power pruner.

If I'm going to set a line when I'm in the tree I use the ring on ring FC that is used ONLY for rigging. Since I have to pull a rope into the tree, I get the FC at the same time. Besides saving the rope and the tree using the FC makes for easy removal of the rope. My rigging systems are all based on adjusting the friction on the ground not trying to judge the amount of friction in the tree.

For light rigging I use a piece of Blue Streak or half inch double braid.

Tom

 

[kf_tree]

then riddle me this false crotch guys.......i tend to double and triple crotch alot and lower off both ends of the rope. will you guys set up 2 and 3 false crotch's?

i prefer double braid ropes....1/2 - 9/16 or 5/8 they got retired within 2 years.....or got knicked by a groundy , wich ever came first.

rope is cheap.

 

[Greg]

I have 200ft of 1/2 superbraid plus for those rare cases where I must natural crotch a large limb. Small tree removals where I know that I won't be lowering anything that even calls for the porta wrap I use 12 strand arboplex. In cases where I'm rigging a small tree down and I know that the heaviest branch I may lower is at most 100lbs I won't even take a block up with me.
Greg

 

[tjk]

I also double and triple crotch the load line and yes with false anchors. I will use a false crotch because the crotch may not be where I want it.

 

[Stumper]

I 've beem thinking back on it and I've used 3 strand, 12 strand and 16 strand for natural crotch rigging and never had any real problem with any of them. I used (and still do ) 3 strand for most of my natural crotch rigs and despite all the talk about wear it really holds up well --if you aren't running heavy stuff fast it lasts and lasts.

 

[TREETX]

Mike, do us all a favor and please lay off the analogies for a while. I am not sure you understand what an analogy is. Make sure the relationships you are trying to paralell are identical. It helps.

Rubbing sticks, toasting?? Natural crotches?? I don't see any paralells here. Just explain what you mean.

http://www.factmonster.com/spot/analogy.html

I got this off www.google.com maybe it will help you learn to appropriately use analogies.

Maybe you should check out metaphors as well. Then we can move on to similies (like or as).

You are in luck, there is a link on the analogy page to the scooby doo mystery club.

 

[TREETX]

Heaven forbid if you were to lower something with the tail of your life line through a natural crotch.

I only natural crotch rig with some old blue streak I have. My good lowering lines never see a natural crotch.

Same can be said for life lines. I have life lines that I will use in natural crotches anytime and others that I will only use in my RG.

I almost always have at least 2 lines in any tree even for pruning. Entry line and life/working line.

For light rigging I usually prefer a loop runner and a krab just so I can choose where the lowering is happening instead of relying on a NC.

LMAO