- Location
- Winston salem
Is it better to use longer chokes for big limbs? When using 12' chokers on the end and 20' chokers toward the bottom, the limb is balanced but still swings out toward the 12' choker
Crane slings
- Thread starter Crocodile
- Start date
Steve Connally
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Suffolk, Virginia
Chokers are less than optimal because they offer very little adjustment. Dead eye slings are IMHO the better choice for crane slings. Allow for infinite adjustment
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
We use a combination of 20 and 25 foot rope dead eyes, and sometimes 20’ flat webbing slings, never anything shorter than that; the narrower the angle between the slings, the greater your lifting power, and the less force there is between the slings on the piece you’re lifting.
Fivepoints
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- East of Huntsville, AL
I personally like endless slings for a lot of tree work. The dead eyes have their place and on really awkward pieces they can be very nice. They are slower for regular picks in our experience. I much prefer standing up long horizontal limbs if possible. As the climber, I want the piece to be all completely above me and not able to fall down where it could hit me. As the crane op, it's usually much easier to deal with setting down a long limb that you have vertical vs a spread out piece that won't fit in your landing zone.
I use 8 ft endless slings most often because I don't want the additional height once I have stood something up. I do use longer slings when I'm going to put more than one on. There's a bunch of tricks to adjust the length of the endless slings. Most of them require the use of a shackle but some of them can be done without. Sometimes the easiest thing to do if taking a top using two slings is to just adjust one up or down.
In the scenario you have described in your original post, the reason it swings is the center of gravity is not directly under the crane hook. Setting your slings up where the CG and the crane hook are lined up with result in the piece basically staying still. This basically takes experience as it's not marked on the tree and different species are different for wood weight vs foliage. Don't be afraid to use additional rigging to help control a butt that you think will drop but don't want it to. A mini portawrap and a 20 ft piece of old 1/2" climbing line work well for this.
I use 8 ft endless slings most often because I don't want the additional height once I have stood something up. I do use longer slings when I'm going to put more than one on. There's a bunch of tricks to adjust the length of the endless slings. Most of them require the use of a shackle but some of them can be done without. Sometimes the easiest thing to do if taking a top using two slings is to just adjust one up or down.
In the scenario you have described in your original post, the reason it swings is the center of gravity is not directly under the crane hook. Setting your slings up where the CG and the crane hook are lined up with result in the piece basically staying still. This basically takes experience as it's not marked on the tree and different species are different for wood weight vs foliage. Don't be afraid to use additional rigging to help control a butt that you think will drop but don't want it to. A mini portawrap and a 20 ft piece of old 1/2" climbing line work well for this.
With an 8 foot sling on a vertical pick, don't you get the brush up in the stick? Seems like it could jam things up.
Fivepoints
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- East of Huntsville, AL
We are using stick cranes. The only thing brush normally touches is the crane ball.
deevo
Been here a while
- Location
- Horseshoe Valley, Ontario, Canada
Get yourself a set of the teufelberger Chisholm crâne slings or the Wesspur crâne slings 25’s & a 30’ for brush picks and round slings for wood. Can’t go wrong and will be picking nice balanced picks all day long 
chris_girard
Branched out member
- Location
- Gilmanton, N.H.
Agreed. Wesspur Quantum X slings are really nice, though they are bulky and overdesigned for most of the tree applications here in the NorthEast.
I bought a set when they first came out, but realized quickly that 1/2" Amsteel was better for my use, so I spliced my own set and use them all the time now.
I bought a set when they first came out, but realized quickly that 1/2" Amsteel was better for my use, so I spliced my own set and use them all the time now.
Fivepoints
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- East of Huntsville, AL
How does the amsteel tie? I figured as slick as it is it might not hold a knot very well.
Fivepoints
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- East of Huntsville, AL
That was my understanding as well. The whole point of using slings other than continuous loop ones is to be able to adjust the sling length easily via tying them.
deevo
Been here a while
- Location
- Horseshoe Valley, Ontario, Canada
Nope, cow hitch with 2 half hitches are 100% ok
deevo
Been here a while
- Location
- Horseshoe Valley, Ontario, Canada
True they are, I got the 5/8 set for thé new crâne, and they are really nice and light
FJR
New member
- Location
- Northern IL
Deevo, did you purchase a set of the 5/8th Amsteel slings or did you make your own? If you purchased them, where did you get them from?
deevo
Been here a while
- Location
- Horseshoe Valley, Ontario, Canada
I have the Wesspur quantum X 5/8 and 3/4 slings, they are samson slings spliced by iron street / Wesspur
So I guess we are talking about two different things then?
Because the AmSteel Blue ( https://wesspur.com/rope/amsteel-blue.html ) specifically says "Please note that AmSteel-Blue behaves differently than normal rope and maintains the most strength when used with a spliced termination. Tied knots may severely reduce the breaking strength of AmSteel-Blue."
Where as the Amsteel crane slings ( https://wesspur.com/slings/crane-slings.html ) appear to be specifically what you are using them for "Samson Amsteel II Plus is a class II double braid with super-strong high modulus core protected with a tightly-braided, firm cover that is coated for additional abrasion resistance and visibility."
Because the AmSteel Blue ( https://wesspur.com/rope/amsteel-blue.html ) specifically says "Please note that AmSteel-Blue behaves differently than normal rope and maintains the most strength when used with a spliced termination. Tied knots may severely reduce the breaking strength of AmSteel-Blue."
Where as the Amsteel crane slings ( https://wesspur.com/slings/crane-slings.html ) appear to be specifically what you are using them for "Samson Amsteel II Plus is a class II double braid with super-strong high modulus core protected with a tightly-braided, firm cover that is coated for additional abrasion resistance and visibility."
FJR
New member
- Location
- Northern IL
Thanks Deevo. I was curious if you were referring to AmSteel Blue as well. It makes more sense to me now that you are referring to the Wesspur Quantum slings.
chris_girard
Branched out member
- Location
- Gilmanton, N.H.
Nope, holds knots great. Tie them just as you tie any anchor piece. I use cow hitches (with, or without a half hitch, or a timber hitch).
chris_girard
Branched out member
- Location
- Gilmanton, N.H.
Again, NOT true. Having been field tested for a number of years in many, many different rigging applications, not just crane rigging, they have proven their value. Now, if you're an idiot and you don't TDS your knots, than you're asking for trouble.
Also, for those of you who haven't worked with Amsteel and don't know its properties and construction, you may not be aware than once you start working with it on a daily basis, it looses it "slickness" and picks a little bit (no worse than Quantum-X), which makes it ACTUALLY better for friction and tying knots.
classictruckman
Participating member
- Location
- Ottawa Valley, Ontario, Canada
Tied knots always severely reduce the breaking strength of any rope or sling.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
