Need advice on making flipline

[Scars2prove-it]

It was recommended to me to replace my buckstrap with a Gibbs ascender and rope. What exactly to I need to order from Sherrill? What size and type of Gibbs ascender? How do I attach the ascender to my saddle?

 

[rumination]

My advice is to get a copy of the 2003 Sherrill catalog and look closely at the pictures and read the descriptions of the Gibbs asceneder and flipline, as well as many other lanyard options. That oughta give you all the information you need, as well as give you ideas about what would work best for you.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Heres how my Gibbs is attached.

 

[kurtztree]

Most Vermeer dealers have some climbing gear in stock of sherrill's if you want to look at it. Some of them have the gibbs or micro scender that you could actually look at before you buy.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

You will be better served NOT getting a mechanical adjuster like the Gibbs, Grillion or Microjuster. Setting up an adjuster using a friction hitch will work better, and be much cheaper.

Decide how long you want your lanyard. Find a section of climbing rope that has good life left in it. You can either splice an eye in the end or tie a double fisherman's hitch to secure an autolocking biner or rope snap. If you're going to buy a snap, don't get sucked into saving a few cents, get the aluminum snap.

You can use accessory cord to tie a friction hitch directly to the side d on your saddle. For a slack tender, get a brass swivel snap. The ones that have the gate that pushes in instead of sliding down will work better. Thread your rope through the eye and clip the snap onto your d. If you adjust the legs of the friction hitch to match up with the length of the snap, you'll be able to take in slack smoothly.

Using a friction hitch you can adjust the length of the lanyard even if you have your weight on the lanyard. With the mechanicals, excepting the Grillion, you have to unweight the lanyard in order to take in slack. A nuisance!

If you want to go with a really nice mechanical adjuster, get the ART Adjuster from Fresco: Fresco Arborist Supplies

Lanyards, in their many forms, have been discussed on the forums. Take some time to search and read what has gone on before.

Tom

 

[Scars2prove-it]

Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel
If you do not understand why you are changing or what you want, then don't buy it. Sounds like you're going at this bass- ackwards. Figure out what you want to do more efficiently, then figure out what tools you need, then buy the appropriate tools. Once you know what you want, then you won't have to ask what to buy.

I do know what I want : to be able to adjust my lanyard without having to reach around the tree and fight my knot.

That's why I asked. I've been climbing for fifteen years and have taken down many Monster trees. My body is starting to creak now so I want to do things easier.

 

[NickfromWI]

They sell them at most hardware stores, or Lowes/Home Depot if you must. They sometimes call them dog-leash snaps. You may even have some just lying around the house. Sherrill also sells them, see page 17, item 25. That's it! At some stores, you can find a whole range of them that open or close in different ways.

love
nick

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Here's a picture of a simple lanyard.
It's very light, cheap and versitile. Pull slack in or let it out with one hand.
Use the ropes of your choice.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I like it to be attached in the front. It's just my preference because it is comforable and easier to pull my self up or hang from the lanyard.
It's the same lanyard just attached to a sliding bride rope on my komet butterfly saddle, which has the strap replaced with rope.
Here's what that looks like:

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Here's an .avi movie of me pulling in and letting out slack. Not too exciting unless you are used to using a buck strap or gibbs.
You can't tell from the video but pulling both ways takes very little effort.
If you have trouble with the video, you may need to download a free player.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Both replacement ropes are the same length. It got a bit crowded with both climbing line and lanyard on the same rope, but the lack of redundency it what inspired me to add a second line.
No this is not 25 feet. I have off today so I'm just screwing around.

 

[Scars2prove-it]

Nice lanyard. What kind of line should I use for the friction hitch?

 

[TREETX]

Popular choice is 8mm sta-set. www.sailnet.com is where I bought a 100ft a while back.

.02

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

The best tresse cord should be soft and about 1/8" smaller than the lanyard.
Sta-set is good, but really any cord that is at least half the 5400 lb minimum breaking strength of the lanyard.
I say soft becuse if it's too stiff it can be hard to tie the fisherman's knot and might not grab as well.
Sherrill, our sponsor, sell some great cords, or go to a marine suppler and buy in bulk.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Thats a cool way to replicate the actions of a Gibbs. If your on a budget thats the way to go.

I'll stick with the Gibbs and save myself the problem of having to replicate its actions.

I like to slide it out occasionally and use it for 'mini' ropings. That method looks like R & R it would be troublesome.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

It's way better than a gibbs, budget has nothing to do with it. Gibbs only goes one way, that's half as much. If you insist on a mechanical device here, at least use a grillon.
I have a couple gibbs laying in the truck if I ever want to go back to that method, so trust me, I've done both, and the grillon too, the prussic is best.

MB, you've been doing tree work all these years and all the young upstarts are aready at an advantage because they don't have to un-learn all that old school $hit you have engrained into your work habits.

Climb however you want, but I promise you will perfer this lanyard if you took the time to master it. Somehow I doubt you will though.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i like this for less in large eye of D, even less hardware.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Spydey,

Isn't that a Knut?

Clever setup

ONe suggestion would be to tie the cord onto the d instead of the lower part of the rectangle. The d is supposed to be loaded in line, not on that part of the unit. In actual fact, I would be very surprised if the d is much weaker, but...it would be a shame to hear about one breaking.

Tom

 

[MasterBlaster]

My Gibbs only goes one way? News to me. I pull the tail with my right hand to tighten, I fondle the Gibbs with the same hand to release. Maybe my definition of 'both ways' is different from yours.

You're wrong. I probably WILL check out a grillon.

My suggestion about using a Gibbs is going to hobble these new climbers? I don't see it. These 'new climbers' deserve to see all the possibilities and variations on a theme so they can arrive at their own conclusions. Just because something is 'new' doesn't automatically mean you throw out the 'old'. Your way is good, my way is good, also.

Whats so ????able about using a Gibbs? Did one cause you bodily harm in some way?

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Nice tip on angle of pull/position on D per design, thanx!

Lots lighte like Brian said, cam devices are one way safety, one way will drop you! You could have a prussik adjustable lanyard, with safety snap on both ends. Do that with Gibbs/ cams, and one snap would hold you, one would drop you to the end of your lanyard, or farther if no stop to jam in cam! i use to think tiny microscender with twisted clevis was the lightest, most discrete, best aligning; this 'scrap' of rope replaces cam in all categories, is lighter, cheaper, 'feeds' out loaded like Mike said.

Hitch is work in progress (as all else i guess)..... A Knut as i understand, makes the half hitch tender ring at base from the bottom coil of Frenchy, and wraps around other tail and host line/lanyard. This hitch, the final tending ring comes from the top coil instead, braids under coils, then does half hitch around other tail (running from bottom of coil, through braids) , host line and D to form the tending ring. The coils pull out from Frenchy to VT with braids under even if you don't set like that(So you can make long Frenchy, half hitch tending ring, then pull out braids). The D inside the tending ring, pulls the ring , which squeezes on host lanyard with ring, but doesn't choke (where it might sieze and not slide easily), D keeps it pulled open, then is ready to tend on demand. So, with bends in line from braids and friction from this ring squeeze, we have some friction, but tending/sliding easily, as friction isn't from choking rings; then choking rings secure you supplying rest of friction, but hopefully under less load, where they won't 'sieae' to line under tension adn be harder to slide/tend??

The half hitch tending ring, is a lil better than a simple half, getting an extra twist (kinda like Marl?) that gives the rope ring/tender even more stiffness as it goes around the other tail, lanyard and D, for more solid/ device like push from tender.