What size of lowering rope do you use?

[Lumberjack]

I get it from cyberstud1 on ebay. He always has short lengths available (which for me work great, but for you they might be a little short). I get the rope to tie down the trailers, as a handline/tagline, and for rigging in natural crotches, or off the limbs stubs. $29 cant be beat for a 75' rope that wears like these. He had a 100'er for 30 somthing I think not too long ago.

It is about time for me to get some more short ropes as one I have is just about shot, as it gets used for everything and gets treated like hell (but regularly washed).

I like lowering the wood to the groundies letting them pull the limb closer to the truck before I set it down (which is a little faster, but it keeps the LZ cleaner, which is the main reason).

Tuesday I took a limb that was a lil too big for not takin any wraps (around the limb and cut so it would be like .5 a wrap). I let it run past the sensitive stuff and let it go. Got a lil rope burn, but nothing major because the cauluses took it fine. Made it hard to climb because my hand was sensitive to the feel of rope, but it is fine now.

It is very fast to take a 75' rope, and use both ends to work from. (Using a wrap on the limb, cutting it, and lowing it) You lower the first one to the groundies and while they are untieing that end, I am using the other and setting up for the next cut. It makes a steady stream of limbs comin down. With out any wraps, using the stub as a pulley, I can handle limbs of up to 175-200#s without hurtin myself.

Sometimes the wraps will lock up (which always sucks) so I am startin to use a munter or a varient of it when needed.

That is one app where one handing the saw comes in handy.

 

[xtremetrees]

Man I cannot wait to get home and smoke the rope.
Anyone got pics of glazing on ropes.
I love it when the groundies see the smoke poof in the air.
Smells good to.
I have tried to find a suitable fritction device to rope out my own tops, big limbs, etc.
I dont like ropeing out heavier stuff 200+ on a munter hitch.
Too much friction on the hand unless your wearing rapelling gloves.

 

[TreeJunkie]

Tom used to have a device, I believe he called it ALF, not sure what happened to that device. Tom still using it?

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

The rope retirement section of the Samson Tree Climbing Catalog starts on page 24, pix of True Blue in various stages of wear on page 26. Has also rules of thumb for rope work, bending radius's for static or moving line points etc.

If you go to Samson Catalog Downloads you can view the catalog by L.Clicking it. If you R.Click the download file, you can choose "Save Target As" to download a copy for viewing off line etc. without constantly waiting for downloading pages. Lots of good stuff free from Samson in it.

On the same page is the huge industrial catalog with all kinds of more info on ropes in general and some familiar names like doublebraid, Tenex, AmSteel in depth etc.

Cheap Education

 

[Lumberjack]

I was talkin about the munter over the stub, not a biner. With it around a stub (over 6") that is alot of room for pleny of friction.


I also have one 12 strand that has some glazing on it, I might take a pic tomorrow. Why a pic tho? Dont know what it looks like?


I have a device called an ATC, it uses a biner and acts like a stitch plate, and is used mostly by people other than arborist. Is that what you are talkin about?

 

[rbtree]

I use a steel biner on each end when using that technique... That this is incorrect use of a biner has been thoroughly hashed over... sorry but it won't stop me...We're talking a 50 kn biner being loaded with at most 50-100 lb of side load...big deal IMHO...I never lower bigger than 500 lb on a biner, (and seldom that much)and then it is with a half hitch or two ahead of it, then clipped around the line and back, so at no time is the load ever a problem.

Alternative tricks...use several stubs and do any combination of rope routing to achieve desired friction...use a figure 8, muenter, or mini porta wrap---never got one, don't see the need, but it's a slick tool. And of course carry slings,and lower 2 or more at once.

Correct spelling is sticht, I think...and yes an ATC acts similarly, but is best used for belaying, not lowering.

 

[Lumberjack]

Originally posted by rbtree
Alternative tricks...use several stubs and do any combination of rope routing to achieve desired friction...use a figure 8, munter, or mini porta wrap---never got one, don't see the need, but it's a slick tool.

I use a runnin bowline, which slows me down enought to let the groundies get the last one undone.


When I say rig it off the stub, I mean make the wraps next to the trunk on the limb, tie off the limb about a foot from the wraps (depends) and then cut in between. That allows for all the friction I need normally.


If I was using super braid, then I would use an 8 to rig off of to let the cover and core share the load.

I have thought about using a porty like device for topping cuts up top, that way the loads on the spar would be in half, however then you gotta mess with the rope not feedin right, but it could still work.

 

[OutOnaLimb]

For the most part I work in small confined spaces and dont like to take down big chunks when ever possible. Small pieces are easier to handle although they can be more time consuming. A 1/2 inch arborplus devoted striclty to use as a lowering line for general lowering, or with bigger stuff I use a 5/8 stable braid. I really dont want to risk property damage or safty using an old climb line for lowering.

Kenn

:Monkey: