Anchoring and setting retaining lines?

[LordFarkwad]

I was thinking of picking up another Maasdam rope puller and some 1/2" Tree- or Pro-master to go with it for use as retaining lines (insurance in case of broken hinge, etc.).

Feedback on this? Anyone use them for that? Is there a better way you guys use to set retaining lines? Do y'all all use pulleys or just manually tighten your retainers/guys?

I don't own any other equipment for mechanical advantage besides the pullers (great little piece of kit). I'm married to 1/2" 3-strand because of this, but is it too small for retaining line?

 

[Jehinten]

Are you referring to tying to the base of a tree that your felling? I rarely tie mine, unless the situation calls for it such as a slope that it could slide down. If I do tie a base I usually just hand tighten it. If the tree goes that way it will tighten itself. If your looking for other uses of a pulling system, I really like the ropejack, you only need one and you can use it with as many ropes as you want to as it is midline attachable. It also works well with double braids and 16 strand so I can use it with my regular rigging lines.

 

[LordFarkwad]

Thanks, J. I've never seen the ropejack or heard it mentioned anywhere. This is it, right? https://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?item=15878

No idea how it works...investigating.

I'm referring to simply tying off a tree on one side to keep it from falling towards house, fence, or infrastructure in the event that something goes wrong (gust of wind, rotten wood adversely affecting hinge's performance, etc., etc.). I call this line a "retaining" line, or a "guy", but I don't know the lingo that anyone else would recognize/use. Is this incorrect terminology?

I'm trying to get my setup worked out for being able to tie those sorts of lines without using pulleys (if possible, but like you said, if the tree starts to fall the direction we don't want it to, the retainer line tightens up anyway, so what use is pre-tensioning it?). Need to purchase some more rope too, which is why I mention the Maasdam puller (necessitates 1/2" 3-strand).

 

[Jehinten]

yes that is the rope jack, it works like the masdam but is quicker on and off the rope and has more options on which ropes it can be used with. As a disclaimer I have not used a masdam myself, just spoke with others who have. Here is a thread on here regarding the ropejack and some videos of it in use, http://www.treebuzz.com/forum/threads/cmi-rope-jack.32861/

I have used it with 3 strand and I was not a fan of it on that rope, but all others have worked well, the best being double braid.

Back to the original question of guy ropes in the canopy, that's not something that I use, just a pull rope to get things moving. Unless the guy rope is at a 90 degree angle from the fall it will become slack once the tree starts to move, if it is beyond a 90 degree angle it can get overloaded and cause other concerns. Not that there isn't a place for it, its just not a tool that I have felt that I needed on my jobs.

 

[LordFarkwad]

That's what I'm talking about - a guy rope 90deg to the desired lay.

 

[LordFarkwad]

Whoa, man. That thing is pretty cool. Does it not have the style/diameter limitations that the Maasdam does? I.e., can you use it with a wide variety of ropes and it will perform equally well?

 

[LordFarkwad]

Reading about it helped clear up my questions! That is an incredible product. I see why, relative to the Maasdam, it is so much more expensive; the Maasdam really limits the rope options.

 

[Jehinten]

Whoa, man. That thing is pretty cool. Does it not have the style/diameter limitations that the Maasdam does? I.e., can you use it with a wide variety of ropes and it will perform equally well?

off the top of my head I think it is good for 3/8"-5/8" but I've only used it on 1/2" rope. Style of rope least to greatest performance that I have tried 3-strand (can slip under heavy weight) 12 strand, 16 strand, double braid.