Compact Bulldog Bone

Steve, it is a new to you device, so give yourself time to analyze its movements. From what you described you might have the tether too tight at times. If it is it can engage the bottom arms. You might try running the tether a bit loose and see how that works.
 
When testing out different tending locations, make sure to keep tension on the line, whether your have a foot ascender on or just stepping on the line firmly to see what is going on/wrong when advancing the bone. I found the spot Gordon supplied with your bone works best. I started using the neck bungee with the bone at first as well. It never worked out for me. Something more static may be in your future.

When you get everything dialed in with time, I'm sure you will begin to like it more and more.
 
Sorry for the incomplet post. I'm at the station and we just had a trailer fire. Anyway. The bottom arm appears to be th culprit. My cougar 11.7 is flat as a pancake. The top arm does not seem to pull up and engage. The bottom seems to pivot in a way that puts quite a pinch on the rope.
 
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DSMc said:
If that throw line loop gets too floppy you can put a small plastic tube sleeve over it to give it enough substance to hold its shape.
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Yup. I drilled slightly oversize so I may try some heavier line, but the "stitch" seems to be very hard to pull the line through. You have to sort of feed it and then draw it tight. I feel it shouldn't flop loose in the holes, but it may lay down for sure. We'll see over time. I miss my grungy old loops. We went through a lot together. :)
 
Steve Connally said:
Sorry for the incomplet post. I'm at the station and we just had a trailer fire. Anyway. The bottom arm appears to be th culprit. My cougar 11.7 is flat as a pancake. The top arm does not seem to pull up and engage. The bottom seems to pivot in a way that puts quota a pinch on the rope.
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Tachyon would probably perform a bit better for you because it stays rounder than other ropes, but don't jump that far away from your current setup. Should be able to work something out...but I would suggest just trying a different rope to gather a bit more info.
If your rope is flat, it will be difficult to pass in the upper arms.
Give it time and keep observing what's going on.
 
I have been on this cougar for quite a while. It has some miles on it. I was even noticing some flattening with the zigzag wrench combo. I have a brand new 200' cougar in the truck box for the tall trees. I have only used it a couple times. If I don't get rained out tomorrow I'll stick with the old rope and then if its still giving be a fit I'll try the new one. I will also look around in my locker and see if I have something to make a chest harness. The length of my bridge with a chest harness will put the harness attachment and the tending spot at the same point on my chest. I would make the bridge tighter but then it won't go over my hips. I look look a girl putting on skinny jeans getting my saddle on with the bridge the length it is now. LOL I appreciate the feedback. I'm also taking into consideration I did about 10 ascents over the same area of rope and only about 15' high. I have to say I'm a little surprised the amount of pressure I have to put on the upper arms to descend. I've gotta tell ya the zigzag has spoiled me. Rope literally falls through it on ascent and it takes 2 fingers resting on the top to descend. Super sensitive. Man I wish I was closer to someone who actually climbs on this thing. It would be nice to do a climb with someone who has it dialed in.
 
Going up and down the same short section of rope multiple times will give your rope a severe case of cube-itis. It is not something that would normally happen on a job.
The Bulldog Bone has a very distinct movement sequence when it engages. The bottom arms should be carrying most of the weight and that will lighten the top arm release. Don't try to set the top arm like you would a RW.
 
Steve Connally said:
...I would make the bridge tighter but then it won't go over my hips. I look look a girl putting on skinny jeans getting my saddle on with the bridge the length it is now...
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That's the beauty of an adjustable bridge. Long while putting it on, short while climbing and whatever length you want in the canopy for maneuverability.
 
Steve Connally said:
I've got a makeshift chest harness out of some webbing. I'll give that a shot tomorrow. Maybe I'll revisit yoyo's adjustable bridge at some point.
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Fold a web sling into an 8 and pass an arm through each eye. Connect it in front with a biner and you're good to go...that is...if you can find just the right length sling to begin with. I flew that for a over a year before getting my swing harness.
 
oceans said:
Fold a web sling into an 8 and pass an arm through each eye. Connect it in front with a biner and you're good to go...that is...if you can find just the right length sling to begin with. I flew that for a over a year before getting my swing harness.
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Steve
For some adjustability try two of the arborwear treeclimbers belts from Treestuff for like 7$ a piece in the same configuration if you can't find a web that fits . Same way as oceans said
 
So I spent the day yesterday using the bone. I like it. I used a loop of 1" webbing for a chest harness. I put the webbing around my chest, slide the boat snap swivel over a bight and the put the bight over my head. The static tending made a good difference. It seems like it is mostly pulled up instead of back to me and up. I worked a couple trees off another tree and noticed the bone didn't like to be pulled in any way but inline with the rope. Also had the spikecender and that helped a lot also. I did some spikeless ascent. I noticed that it tends much better if you don't sit back and load the bone between strides. Once loaded, that bottom arm seems to be the booger that keeps it from advancing. Work in progress still

One thing I am surprised with the the amount of pressure I have to Apply for descent. Also it gets in the drop bounce cycle if I can't keep my hands oriented correctly. Just not smooth for me. I can't see trying to swing from one stem to another while letting out slack at this point. It would be disastrous. How do you orient your descent hand and do you feel like it's smooth and a soft grip to release or do you feel like it takes a little extra hand strength And that's the nature of the beast.

I do like it. I like it a lot and will continue to learn and get better with it. I'm super glad I bought it. I know I sound like a broken record here but the zigzag ruined me. There is really nothing as smooth and effortless. I know I will find this with the bone. I just have to work out my learning curve.
 
I had the same jerky experience on cougar. I use yale 11.7 now and easy smooth to release and even an abrubt stop u coast a few inches to a smooth stop. It's alotta fun u just got to find a right line for what u want. Guys seem to like tachyon but I i like my yale. Each rope will perform differently
 
Steve Connally said:
So I spent the day yesterday using the bone. I like it. I used a loop of 1" webbing for a chest harness. I put the webbing around my chest, slide the boat snap swivel over a bight and the put the bight over my head. The static tending made a good difference. It seems like it is mostly pulled up instead of back to me and up. I worked a couple trees off another tree and noticed the bone didn't like to be pulled in any way but inline with the rope. Also had the spikecender and that helped a lot also. I did some spikeless ascent. I noticed that it tends much better if you don't sit back and load the bone between strides. Once loaded, that bottom arm seems to be the booger that keeps it from advancing. Work in progress still

One thing I am surprised with the the amount of pressure I have to Apply for descent. Also it gets in the drop bounce cycle if I can't keep my hands oriented correctly. Just not smooth for me. I can't see trying to swing from one stem to another while letting out slack at this point. It would be disastrous. How do you orient your descent hand and do you feel like it's smooth and a soft grip to release or do you feel like it takes a little extra hand strength And that's the nature of the beast.

I do like it. I like it a lot and will continue to learn and get better with it. I'm super glad I bought it. I know I sound like a broken record here but the zigzag ruined me. There is really nothing as smooth and effortless. I know I will find this with the bone. I just have to work out my learning curve.
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A swivel helps a lot with the hand positioning. Tachyon and 5/8 bollard Steve. Can't beat it. Otherwise you might have to change to a different bollard. What size are you using with the Cougar? I would use the 3/4.
 
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