What style bull rope for rigging?

[HumBurner]

I've recently made the plunge and purchased gear for climbing. While I am only at the beginning of this journey, I prefer to get whatever gear I may end up needing. I'm a long, long ways from doing removals and chunking down a tree, but I'm having a hard time selecting a bull rope.

What I have ordered, ropewise, is a 150' strand of 1/2" Tango Ivy as a climb line and 120' 3/8" Stable Braid for lowering limbs/small stuff, etc.

Does the Stable Braid in larger size (thinking 5/8", most likely at this time) provide enough stretch for larger chunks of wood, or will that be at risk of snapping with shock-load? Pretty much all the ropes I've browsed say "low-stretch", but I'm uncertain what the estimated %s of stretch is best for moderate to heavy loads.

I'm not looking for a rope to pull trees over with, as I have wire-rigging and grip-hoist rigging, plus other ropes for that.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

 

[ZinTrees]

I've negative rigged some huge chunks off stablebraid, with a good rope guy it works alright, although some more stretch can be nice, look at something like 5/8 dynasorb for neg rigging larger stuff

also, you do NOT want to use cable to pull trees down, that dynasorb will do excellent as it will keep pulling the tree as it falls, cable will just go slack and you lose all the directional assistance since theres little to no stretch, even more important if you aren't using a machine to pull, a comealong ain't pulling fast enough to keep a cable tight


I used to use exclusively half inch trueblue and stablebraid, but now I keep a 3/4 pelican rope with me at all times since my new machine will snap a half inch line like its a piece of fishing string, that pelican is some pretty good rope and not super expensive

 

[HumBurner]

I've negative rigged some huge chunks off stablebraid, with a good rope guy it works alright, although some more stretch can be nice, look at something like 5/8 dynasorb for neg rigging larger stuff

also, you do NOT want to use cable to pull trees down, that dynasorb will do excellent as it will keep pulling the tree as it falls, cable will just go slack and you lose all the directional assistance since theres little to no stretch, even more important if you aren't using a machine to pull, a comealong ain't pulling fast enough to keep a cable tight


I used to use exclusively half inch trueblue and stablebraid, but now I keep a 3/4 pelican rope with me at all times since my new machine will snap a half inch line like its a piece of fishing string, that pelican is some pretty good rope and not super expensive

Thank you for the suggestions. I will look into those. I've perused the dynasorb some, but I haven't looked into the Pelican.

As far as pulling trees with cable, we've been doing it for a long time (myself for 14 years) and what little slacking may occur hasn't been an issue. Then again, we're often using the rigging to 1) pull against lean, or 2) ensure that a tree can be pulled through the canopy (if it is likely or guaranteed to hang-up) and/or one or more surrounding trees. Directional control would be influenced by hinge/wedges/blocks/and less commonly a rope.

 

[ZinTrees]

Directional control would be influenced by hinge/wedges/blocks/and less commonly a rope.

we put a rope in anything basically, as per ANSI requirements, only time we don't would be a head leaner into a field

 

[HumBurner]

we put a rope in anything basically, as per ANSI requirements, only time we don't would be a head leaner into a field

That's insane! I'm sorry you have to do that.

 

[ZinTrees]

That's insane! I'm sorry you have to do that.

We dont have to per se, but we do it anyways, insurance company likes us for it

I believe ansi requires any tree over 6" dbh to have a rope when the telling direction needs controlled



It doesn't take any longer, and pulling is a lot safer and easier than wedging, imo

We follow the cut with wedges when pulling, should the rope break, the tree is fairly well supported

 

[HumBurner]

I have decided to hold off for now on a 3/4" bull rope.

I ordered a 200' cut of 1/2" Dynasorb II figuring I'll need some experience under my belt before tackling pieces big enough to warrant larger lines.

I almost went with the Sirius 14mm, but it's a hair too big for the advantage-pulleys I bought.

 

[AlotL1keVegas]

My first rigging rope I bought was a 1/2" x 200' Samson double braid. I originally bought the 5/8" x 200' Samson double braid, but decided it was to much. The guys at Bartlett Arborist Supply said about 80% of the time, they're using 1/2". So I returned the 5/8" for 1/2". I haven't used it yet. I'm in the same boat as you. After 2 years of studying and learning, I finally got into my first tree a few weeks ago.

 

[Bearcreek]

I believe ansi requires any tree over 6" dbh to have a rope when the telling direction needs controlled

How do they define "needs controlled"?

 

[ZinTrees]

How do they define "needs controlled"?

had to go back and read through again, I was wrong on a few parts

note, should not shall, they suggest a rope but don't require it (I was wrong on that and the diameter in the message you quoted)

 

[lone wolf]

had to go back and read through again, I was wrong on a few parts

note, should not shall, they suggest a rope but don't require it (I was wrong on that and the diameter in the message you quoted)
View attachment 1188917

Especially when there is a house in proximity !

 

[ZinTrees]

Especially when there is a house in proximity !

yup

the second theres even a slight chance of the tree hitting something, rope goes in it, saw followed by wedges, sometimes the rope isn't even to pull it, but rather a guy line 90 degrees to the lay which prohibits the tree from going towards the obstacle, works well, setting a rope only takes a few minutes, not that big of a deal

on land clearing jobs with no obstacles, I either cut stuff towards the lean, or dig the roots up and push the entire tree over, directional felling isnt needed in this case so no rope, rarely even pull wedges out on these jobs, but I use them a lot on residential

 

[lone wolf]

yup

the second theres even a slight chance of the tree hitting something, rope goes in it, saw followed by wedges, sometimes the rope isn't even to pull it, but rather a guy line 90 degrees to the lay which prohibits the tree from going towards the obstacle, works well, setting a rope only takes a few minutes, not that big of a deal

on land clearing jobs with no obstacles, I either cut stuff towards the lean, or dig the roots up and push the entire tree over, directional felling isnt needed in this case so no rope, rarely even pull wedges out on these jobs, but I use them a lot on residential

Not to mention unshielded 7200 power lines! I have gone as far as a back-up line in case something went wrong.

 

[ZinTrees]

Not to mention unshielded 7200 power lines! I have gone as far as a back-up line in case something went wrong.

them too! I try my best to avoid rope going anywhere near wires, but on occasion the safest thing is a rope tied to the tree or limb to guide it away from the wires


just make sure its a clean, dry rope, and even then its still not considered "insulated" itll still have some chance of saving the person pulling if things go south

 

[ZinTrees]

I have a handy little hook for my foam filled jameson pole, super handy for working near wires, plus it provides my ground guy a 6 foot insulated link between him and the rope when pulling stuff like this over