I still like (and more importantly HO's do as well) the smaller chips these things make with sharp knives and the anvil to chipper blade gap set correctly anyway. It's great for flower beds and small ornamental trees. And as Dad said, "It gives the goodness back into the soil"! As for branching...
I've often thought about break testing - in the case of the rings, I wonder if some engineering department somewhere would be able to measure how much heat is generated in the ropes in different bend/ ring cases - maybe IR readings. Internal friction would probably be dissipated as heat as the...
Had the AK2 on Squir and it worked well too (different settings than Scion of 'course) if that's any help. I think from my messin' around it will probably work with any more modern rope that keeps it's "round" relatively. Next few weeks should be more telling 'cuz I have jobs that I will have to...
So as a followup to above I too have been playing on Sterling Scion with the AK2 set to F6 for me (~ 185 lbs with gear) in SRT and have hit some sort of sweet spot - the catch is instant, starting the down has the buttery smooth feel of the ZZ without hammering your hand and control is down to...
Mine was set up bevel up. I. E. when it passes the anvil there is a "flat to flat" action (??) and small chips shear cleanly - with a sharp blade. I think.
Have a small PA chipper a la Reg Coates. Maybe check your belts - I now use cog belts (Timken BX 40's or BX 39's) rather than the ones that came with it. I drilled out a hole pattern on the belt cover to allow more air in - the belts get quite warm on a hot day chipping for a couple of hours...
Same for zippers on ice climbs where screw placement leaves one wondering a bit - but never had one go on a whipper. As I understand they are designed to unzip and spread peak force out over time until you reach the end where you have essentially a solid connection/ loop at rated strength of the...
If in the US and buying ANY offshore equipment I'd have a look at any effect of the US Tariffs on pricing. Here in Canada I found a big chocolate surprise to have to pay almost 50% tariffs trying to ship down there recently. Ouch
See post #4 above. I used it on KM III (not Max which I think has a smoother cover) old rope and also later now, a new one - the new was more slippy but still worked OK. It's unbelievable with a CRIC! Cheers
BTW Wesspur has a good AK2 video and there's now Perry Trees too.
Perry Trees video...
I guess all I initially had kickin' around was actually the Prest-in (from their swivel recall) years ago. That was too small for the AK2 bottom connection hole. Thanks for the DMM video - hadn't seen this. DMM is an interesting company.
I did find it confusing but "DMM Prest-in Wallis Grommet" was what was on the packging. Was trying to be careful :-) . It's the doughnut one! The Grommet on the DMM website. Other thing is this Grommet is more like hard-ish rubber but still rubber. It fits in the AK2 snugly but still will just...
So at conclusion of today's experimentation I offer the following - taking up on DSMc's recommendation of the DMM Grommet, I tried four different HMS type locking biners for the AK2 in MRS. The first was the DMM Ceros "horned" biner with wire keeper (which I liked) but it was a bear to get in...
I guess I went down the easily removable route to be able to take the AK2 off the biner easily and fiddle settings (that and my wife won't let me buy more than one . . . and of course she's right). I did find the DMM grommets to stick real tight on some of my gear, maybe after months. I won't be...
Tried DMM Grommet (Wallace?) (After checking - thanks DSMc- this first iteration was a Prestin) and rubber tubing I had around. The AK2 hole is just too large and it eventually wiggles down when tending (at least without a lot of tail in the rope as above).
I'd going to try cutting a piece of...
DMM kindly got back to me. As for picture - see DMM Ceros biner and spacer configuration pic below. Solution may be some kind of rubber or plastic washer on the "horn side" (or different biner) ? I just don't like the suggested Hydra solution and have also tried CMI plate but both seemed...
I never considered this kind of effect with the ISC Apex rope wrench perhaps. That and the Caralink tether and Arbsession hitch engages like - bam. This kind of interaction between hitch and wrench never occurred to me. Any comments on the ISC specifically maybe? Or am I blowin' smoke?
On the tending with the AK2, that's why I mentioned I didn't have a long tail. It's been noted above that the AK2 works well with a CRIC, so for limb walks etc. I'd use that and set up a 3:1 with a biner on your leg loop for the rope tail. The AK2 with the CRIC is the cats meow as mentioned.
I...