Friction saver and throw bag stuck together. Is the friction saver too short?

[rolfm]

Thanks! I'll let the 4-year old pull it up until just before it needs to be jerked over the branch next time, then take over myself.

 

[Phil]

I'm curious to see a picture of this friction saver. Where did you get it? I've never seen one that short. Or are you going over like a giant limb or something?

 

[rolfm]

I have photos!
The fateful tree where the friction saver and throw bag were stuck in the tree was at mile marker 4 (yellow, in the background) down a no-cars bikeway. Note the long pole carried by the bike.

 

[rolfm]

This is the tree. I used the bottom branch hanging over the bike bath.

 

[rolfm]

This is the friction saver and throw bag, as they were stuck.

 

[rolfm]

This is my pole at 25 foot long, as I'm about to pull down the friciton saver

 

[Reach]

This is the friction saver and throw bag, as they were stuck.

Thanks for the pictures! That friction saver is definitely too short. Use a longer one and you’ll be good to go.

 

[rolfm]

These are the two friction saver lengths (90cm for the short one) with my boot for comparison. The short one gut stuck and the long one worked well.

 

[rolfm]

When the friction saver is this long, it begins to "rub" across the tree bark when the kid swings back and forth on the tree swing. Any longer, and it would rub more and more.

 

[rolfm]

Thanks for all of your help and thanks to my friend who came along last weekend and finally shared photos.

 

[southsoundtree]

Fixing savers are designed for climbing, not swinging.

The short one works when a climber is on a spar without any unions/ forks, or maybe as a soft-8/ Flintlocker.

 

[rolfm]

Thanks. I understand that friction savers were designed for climbing. But wouldn't it be better for the tree to hang the swing using a friction saver than just a rope over the branch?

 

[Reach]

Thanks. I understand that friction savers were designed for climbing. But wouldn't it be better for the tree to hang the swing using a friction saver than just a rope over the branch?

For a swing, my opinion is that the rope over the branch is probably better for short-term use because it will not saw back-and-forth like the friction saver will.

 

[rolfm]

Sawing across the bark I no good. I get that. But when the length of the friction save is just right, short but not so short that it will get stuck, it doesn't saw. It stays in place nicely. The motion is then all between the rope and the rings. I'll have to make sure it's just the right length though. And if it's too long, I pull it down and use one a bit shorter.

 

[rolfm]

This one (see photo) worked well. It didn't slide and it didn't slip. It just sayed put while the kids were on the swing, even with my friend pushing wildly. And it didn't get stuck. A somewhat longer friction saver works without sliding or slipping too.

 

[Reach]

Sawing across the bark I no good. I get that. But when the length of the friction save is just right, short but not so short that it will get stuck, it doesn't saw. It stays in place nicely. The motion is then all between the rope and the rings. I'll have to make sure it's just the right length though. And if it's too long, I pull it down and use one a bit shorter.

That’s good. As long as it is not sawing, I don’t see it as a problem, just unnecessary. I don’t see that rope damaging the tree with a day of swinging in one spot, and the webbing on that friction saver probably does not spread out the load all that much more than the rope itself does.

 

[ATH]

Use the Dan House rope sleeve instead of whatever you're Currently using. No retrieval issues

Solves all of the concerns brought up here...and for less money than a ring and ring (but for OP, that is money already spent...).

 

[rolfm]

Reach summs it up for the most part: "not necessary." There are a few cases where the slope of the branch is such that a rope will wander as the swing oscillates, but the friciton saver wont. And I'd guess that the rope sleeve won't wander either with the oscillation of the swing.

Thank you all!