Questions about friction saver, porta-wrapIII

[Manco]

I read in Sherrill catalog on how to get a friction-saver placed in a tree with a throw-weight. How do you get it out when you're back on the ground? Don't have one yet, just curious.
I do have the porta-wrapIII but havn't used it yet. I helped a friend of mine a while back and he had the 2.4 ton alum. block and a similar device to the porta-wrap and we were lowering large pecan chunks.(TOO SMOOTH!!!) My question about the porta-wrap, Are there any draw-backs to this device?
:jester:

 

[MasterBlaster]

Are there any draw-backs to this device? :jester:

Nope.

 

[okietreedude1]

Ive got both and both are pretty neat.

To uninstall the friction saver, 1) tie an overhand knot in the end of your rope and pull it up. It will pass thru the large ring and not the small. Give a quick yank and down the whole mess comes in 1 large head-ache. 2) Put your throwline back on the end of your rope..........to complicated to write.

Once you decide to buy one, the do come with instructions.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

The Porta-Wrap is a great device. The only drawback on the Porta-Wrap III is that it is a little slower to thread than the previous models.

 

[Manco]

Why did they change from the older models of the portawrap? Even still, it beats the old system

 

[NickfromWI]

With the friction saver, if your climbing line has a splice in it, clip an appropriately sized shackle to they eye for retrieval...no knot needed.

I learned a trick from my first foreman. Size the eye so a thimble can be put in and taked out, then use a thimble that will fit through the big ring but catch the little ring.

welcome to AS. The internet is a great tool to learn about climbing trees!!

love
nick

 

[newb]

I use the friction saver every time. Once you get used to it you wont be without it. Even if I spike a TD I put my rope through the saver for my safty if I need a quick escape. No worries about damage to your rope. I have three portawraps. The same goes for them. I couldnt imagine life before them.

 

[VTMechEng]

I love friction savers and use one whenever I spend more then a couple cuts in a tree. Make sure to get one with different colored ends and always put it up the same direction. This will make it easier to remember which side of your rope to put a knot on.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Any mechanical friction break beats wraps around a tree hands down, (though many of us will use friction on the tree as added advantage)

If you do several removals a month, then looking into the GRCS would be a good idea. Some advantages in that are quick slack upate, being able to easilly put tension on the rigging line, and the abillity to pick up a load.

Oh, I should not forget to mention the ability to assist a tired climber to get his sorry butt back up the tree That was me yesterday with a 50ft acent to finnish off my riging spar when the second tree was done. First big removal in over 2 months.

 

[Ekka]

Yep, just like JPS said, the draw back of the portie is that it flops around the trunk and can't take up slack on topping blocks, nor can it winch.

I do a lot of takedowns, 90% of our work, so the grcs is really nice. You can pull in the slack as the block/head falls past the pulley reducing shock load.

But the portie is a decent piece of equipment of have, very handy.

With regard to friction savers all I can say is buy one with steel rings, so if you're in a hurry and rip it out of the tree without a throwline attached to it to slow it's decent you don't have to worry as much as if it were alloy.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

With regard to friction savers all I can say is buy one with steel rings, so if you're in a hurry and rip it out of the tree without a throwline attached to it to slow it's decent you don't have to worry as much as if it were alloy.

Same with the Porty, the aluminum is nice if you don't do a lot of work with them, but mine has a slight groove in it. Sean Geer had one with an X pattern that was of a little concern to me (an inside joke, anyone who knows Sean would not worry about any of his gear)