Speedline ropes

[Redbull]

What do you use and why?

 

[clearance]

old 1/2 ropes a few feet long with a biner on one end. 1/2 rope from the tree to anchor to zipline branches, a bull rope if you are zipping big tops. Zipping/speeding.

 

[Redbull]

Okay, I know what a speedline is, but what kind of rope are you using. Speedlines can see some pretty big forces, so you're saying you use just any 1/2' line. How about some stuff I just picked up at Home Depot?

 

[kf_tree]

redbull
your forgeting.........clearence wil just free climb up a hundred feet and use his climbing line to zip the limbs downs on. then down climb the tree.......oh yea.......with his saw running the entire time.

 

[Redbull]

Oh, I remember his style. Seriously though, is static kernmantle the rope of choice for speedlines or what?

 

[Tom Dunlap]

I prefer double braids over static kernmantle ropes for SL.

Size them according to the loads that you expect. If you're unsure about the loads being generated, go to Spidey's webpage for a look at a calculator. The loads generated are enormous!

 

[Redbull]

I knew loads could get up there pretty quick, and I have looked at some of the calculations. I do have an interesting diagram from a rigging manual/video that Husqvarna put out several years back, that shows how much loads and forces can increase depending on line angle. I've never set up a speedline system but plan to do so on my property, low and slow, and get used to setting the system up. Just not sure what rope to use for the line itself.

 

[Tree Machine]

Something static for sure. Anything with stretch will stretch, adding an unknown, unwanted variable to your system.

One time (this was not tree-related) we had to do a zipline across the Rio Grande in New Mexico. The first guy took off, the line sagged and he impacted his tailbone on the final ledge before clearing the cliff. The riggers didn't consider that. Not a bad injury, but it could have been.

If it were a tree situation, the limb would have clocked the roof before clearing it. A good speedline rope should be super-firm, no-stretch and a very tight sheath (mantle). Basic, common caving rope works well and is the cheapest of all good choices. Minimum 1/2" diameter, and I'll be honest, i've never tried anything larger.

 

[Redbull]

Any recommended manufacturers, Tree Machine?

 

[Tree Machine]

PMI has a rope they've manufactured since the 70's, they call it their classic pit rope, an 11mm kernmantle as described above. At 68 cents a foot, it is a bargain here at karstsports, http://store.karstsports.com/pmi716claspi.html . Sampson also has a 13mm static kernmantle, carried by Sherrill at just over a buck a foot. Another decent choice would be a 15 mm (9/16") Samson stable braid from Sherrill at about a dollar a foot. In my opinion, anything over 1/2" you're fighting bulk and weight.

The following I've personally never used, but would likely be similar performing choices:

Wall Rope suggests their 12-strand UltraMAX they recommend for slideline work.

New England has a 10,000 avg breaking strength, half inch kernmantle line they call KMIII They have another low-stretch double braid called PCR, 1/2" 11,000 lb avg breaking strength. I have no direct experience with either.

If you want to get more pricey, Samson has a synthetic 12-strand rope they use as winchline on jeeps and commercial marine tugboat lines (it floats). It is the same fiber as our beloved ZingIt, available in all diameters from light Zing-it (1.75 mm) up through 96 mm (4"). The line is called Amsteel, a 12-strand, and Amsteel II which is amsteel with a braided sheath, making it, technically, a double braid. The 1/2" Amsteel line sports an amazing 27,500 avg breaking strength, which is why it's so expensive. I was asking Samson last November why they didn't offer the 11 mm or 1/2" Amsteel as a climbing line. I soon learned it would price itself out of our market, as well as compete with their own 11 mm Velocity. I'll probably get an 11 mm and throw down the excessive cash just to climb on something 'exotic'. This rope holds some kind of mystique over me. I believe, but don't quote me, that Sherrill's black widow 1/4" tag line is Amsteel.

The two ways to go about ziplining is either 1) with the use of a pully or 2) No pully, just clip the caribiner'd sling to the line. Then you are either going to use a control line to control the speed with which it goes down, or you just cut and let er rip. I use a control line only when there is potential of whacking a roof or structure.

Ziplining is quite entertaining, but generally slow (except for the zip part). It's a rigging exercise so there's rig, re-rig, and unrig and tesioning the line. It is a 2-man operation.

 

[SteveBullman]

i have a hank of 10.5 mm static kermantle i use, but saying that i have never needd to speedline anything to heavy, would probably need a re-think should the case arise.
im happy with what i have for now though

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I use 1/2 in stable braid bull rope, but then I'm not moving 5000# chunks either.

RB is the resident speedline expert, being that he's in the PNW and has the room to work with them on a regular basis.

 

[Tree Machine]

I would say what you're hearing is the general rule: Don't speedline anything too heavy. Start light and work your way up. The more shallow the angle, the more you're gonna sag and the slower the zip.

I use ziplining as a last resort, generally speaking, because if what you're ziplining is not so heavy I'd rather sling, cut, unsling, throw (or throw the bugger sling and all).

I'm in here contributing, but I don't consider myself an expert by a long shot. I used to do a lot of it, more because it was cool and I was experimenting with all different methods and I had ground help. I'd do it just for the experience, even if it were the slower choice of methods. Anymore though, I just take the path of least resistance, but it's nice to have a bunch of tricks because in tree care,, ya never know what you're gonna come up against.

Like I say, the zipline has to sort of fit the profile of the job where other methods aren't such a good choice. One nice thing, I almost always anchor to the back of the chipper so the limbs end up right there where I need them.

 

[Redbull]

The reason I am considering this as an option is because I have a Burr Oak in a cust. back yard that is coming out next spring. The landing zone under the tree is about 10sq. feet total. No where to work under the tree. There's a fence, a garage, a house, and lots of landscaping. The only two realistic options are speedline or crane, which I'm simply not comfortable with at this point in my climbing career. I'l try and post pics of the tree and property later. I won't be taking any big pieces out with this system so 1/2"-9/16 would suffice.Thanks for the recomendations. Any more advice would also be helpful. I plan to set up the system with my groundmen at my house, several times before implementing it on the jobsite.

 

[Tree Machine]

Definitely go with the crane. A speedline won't get all the material out. What do you do when you get too low to zip over the house??? Ziplining is just not well-suited for heavy pieces. When you get into diameters the size of your leg, you'll be zipping firewood chunks. Ziplining is a meticulous sort of procedure and and unlike the name would suggest, it's really not very fast due to the constant rigging and re-rigging. Also you need ideal placement to set your zipline, behind and above that to be zipped. Once zipped, you re-set your line for the next, or you sling, cut, clip to the zipline and let er go, but again, you're not working with very big pieces.

Go with the crane. Suggest buying 2-way radios so you can communicate directly with your crane operator. That makes things a LOT easier.

 

[Redbull]

Anyone know of a reputable crane operation in Kansas City area?

 

[Tree Machine]

These guys may know,

Accent Sales & Svc
(800) 880-8190
(816) 753-4800
(816) 753-1575 (Fax)
3621 Troost Ave
Kansas City, MO 64109

 

[Redbull]

????, now that's service!!! Thank you very much TM!!

 

[Tree Machine]

I typed in the Google line 'crane kansas city' and did a little cut and paste.
Where shall I send the bill ?

 

[Redbull]

You can google Brandon Grosko and find out