Are you considering a lowering and lifting device?

sohner

sohner

Location
Northern California
I personally have been using the Hobb's lowering device for over twenty five years. Its performance characteristic's to me are comparable to none. I've never had one explode on me or fail in any fashion. Sure their were time's when things didn't always go according to the plan but those times were a learning exprience for everybody. Sometimes the strap was to loose or the taper of the tree trunk was not taken in to consideration when mounting it on the tree. Simple and correctable matters.
The new Hobb's H-2 is rated for use with arborist lowering lines from 1/2 to 3/4 inch in diameter. Offering solid mounting, smooth and precise rope control, increased lifting and pulling capacities, the H-2 is designed to perform on the job, on demand every day for years to come.
The reconfigured spool is cast from A-356 aluminum and T-6 hardened. With a 3/4 inch thick wall structure, the H-2 is designed for high impact loading, wear resistance and heat dissipation. Massive, maintenance-free, oil impregnated bushings support the front and rear of the spool, which rotates on a solid steel 1-1/2 inch shaft.
This device uses the winch strap bar to rotate the nose of the H-2 using the same priciples as a come-a long. Its designs are simple, reliabe and have impressive pulling and lifting power. With a 16:1 ratio the H-2 can develop over 3,000 lbs. of pulling force and is rated to lift up to 1,000 lbs. The H-2 increases it's versatility by being able to remove unwanted rope slack, lifting up limbs and perform other pulling and lifting tasks.
The unique, angled frame may be mounted in 3 separate configurations to suit the rigging task:
Preservation Mounting- For maintenance pruning when large limbs are removed and the tree is preserved. A hinged guard prevents spike insertion and a hinged heavy-duty rubber pad provides additional protection. 1,000 lbs. WLL (Working Load Limit)
Standard Mounting- 3 side spikes aggressively cut into the tree when the strap is tightened for increased holding strength for most rigging needs. 2,000 lbs. WLL
Cut-in mounting- A notch is cut into the tree and the top frame plate is placed beneath it for high impact loading (e.g.butt hitching trunk wood). 3,000 lbs. WLL
A "rope captured" fairlead permits the rope handler a wide range of movement. The entry hook guides the lowering line properly onto the spool. Side hooks let the operator safely tie-off the load line in certain situations. The H-2 comes complete with a 20 foot mounting strap, winch bar and detailed graphic labels explaining proper usage, ratings and warnings.
The H-2 weighs 54 lbs.
 

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Is there a means to lift/winch with a single operator? ie a method to compete with the Harken self tailer?

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When rigging a tree that would need the use of a Hobbs Lowering Device it would be rare that there would only be one person on the ground anyway, so it's largely a moot point.

I've never had any trouble lifing with the Hobbs by myself.
 
There's no doubt about it the H2 is a great piece of equipment. I watched Ken Johnson demo it at the EXPO and I was impressed.

I purchased the GRCS instead because it is usually my wife and I working a job and it is easier to use with just 2 people.

I don't think you could go wrong with either one.
 
Re: Are you considering a lowering and lifting dev

Go man go!
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Re: Are you considering a lowering and lifting dev

Like historians use BC. (before Christ!) We use BH. Meaning before we finally got our [censored] together and invested in a Hobbs. We mostly do removals and the Hobbs has just made such a difference. Just 2 days ago, we were trying to figure out the price for removing a really large beech standing 15 feet from a medieval church building, and got to talking about how hard it would have been to do back in the old days BH.
 
Re: Are you considering a lowering and lifting dev

we have a grcs and its great, never used a hobbs before but it looks like a nice piece of equipment. the grcs is nice because it does only take one person to lift and lower pieces which is a big deal for us because we break the crews down sometimes to make up some time and sometimes there is only myself and a groundman to do lifting tasks. i would tell anyone out there to buy a grcs
 
Re: Are you considering a lowering and lifting dev

I agree, more than half the time we use are GRCS theres only 1 ground man. The self tailer makes the GRCS much more user friendly.
 
Re: Are you considering a lowering and lifting dev

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Go man go!
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Hi Frans, like I mentioned before, seeing you demo the GRCS with Greg at the EXPO really sold us on purchasing it.

I also saw you working with Greg in the DVD demo. Do you get to work with Greg on alot of jobs using the GRCS? I bet you guys have put the unit through some tough rigging situations.

Have you guys out there used both the GRCS and HOBBS together on any tricky copmpound rigging jobs?
 
Re: Are you considering a lowering and lifting dev

We used both on the last job we did before we shut down for the winter. It was a good sized blown out top in a siberian elm that was hung up in another tree over the neighbors roof. Funny thing was it was damage from a micro burst in Sept. and the local big tree service did lots of crane removals on this and some adjacent properties. Maybe it was hidden by the leaves or maybe they didn't look to hard. 'Not sure why they didn't see this but the owner was mad and refused to call them back. We set a block in a larger maple with the GRCS to handle the load over the neighbors's house and another block on the stem of the damaged elm with the Hobbs to control the butt end of the top. Ground guy handled both the GRCS and the rope from Hobbs, which was 20 ft. from the GRCS. The butt of the top was pretty badly barber chaired so I pulled back in the lift and slowly released the holding wood with a pole pruner. Crank and drift and repeat. It all went well but it was mighty tight quarters and there was a lot of energy stored in that butt. If I had it to do over I think I would have told the owner to call XYZ tree company back and tell them to bring their crane and finish the job they started.
Phil
 
The Hobb's is not as convenient to lift objects single handed but none the less still possible by holding tension with one hand and cranking with the other. Believe me it is possible to perform this feat as I have had to do this on occasion when the situation at hand made it necessary. Slowly but surely you can lift most objects and reduce the slack in the rope and take up the tension as needed.
Maybe I'm a believer in making things work regardless of the manufacture's suggestions or recommendations.
Each device is limited in performance to a certain degree. At least with the Hobb's H-2 you don't have to which heads to lower and lift with. One stop shop.
Of course if someone else is on the job working the ground lifting with the Hobb's H-2 is extremly pleasant and simple to maintain precision control while lifting and lowering.
 
Thanks Sohner closest thing to an answer, if still a little vague, so far.

The intention is not to pit the 2 dominant devices, as noted by my purposeful use of the term 'Harken'. The self tailer is very convenient. And you (I make the presumption, after reading many dialogues that you have participated in, that you produce the Hobbs) would obtain a great portion of the the 'lowering/lifting device' market with a self tailing Hobbs........somehow. Pins on the end of the drum are a simple solution, limited by huge amounts of twist it would add to the line after lifting a load.
 
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