Good deal on 3 strand?

H

Hosocat

New member
Location
Alabama
Westech rigging supply has half inch 3 strand polyolefin with breaking strength of 6600 lbs for about 23 cents a foot. Has anyone used a rope of polyolefin in tree work? How well does it knot? Would you recommend it?
 
Tom Dunlap said:
OK..don't be so stingy with your help...haha...please expand....
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Ok, ok.. My very first rigging rope was a 3 strand. It was cheap, and I didn't know the difference. I never have since seen a rope that coiled as much as that one did when lowering. The strength was there, but it was hard on the hands, stiff, and just overall hard to work with. My impression is that that is the way 3 strand ropes are in general.

Maybe this polyolefin is better, but you usually get what you pay for.
 
I’m no authority on rope but the 3 strand samson pro-master 1/2 line I personally own has been a good rope for me. Especially since I have not ponied up for rigging hardware- natural crotch only. It’s “spun and filament polyester fibers over a polyolefin core.” It was about .50 a foot.
 
OasisTree said:
Ok, ok.. My very first rigging rope was a 3 strand. It was cheap, and I didn't know the difference. I never have since seen a rope that coiled as much as that one did when lowering. The strength was there, but it was hard on the hands, stiff, and just overall hard to work with. My impression is that that is the way 3 strand ropes are in general.
I
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OasisTree said:
Maybe this polyolefin is better, but you usually get what you pay for.
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Tom and climbed on that stuff for years. My wife constantly griped about how rough my hands were. I still have 2- 120 foot lengths of 9/16 Blue Fleck that i sth ill use for pines. I also have a short lanyard on a Gibbs that got DQ'd for being too old at Legends.
 
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If I'm not mistaken, one of my very first climbing lines from back in the 1980's was Arborplex and it had polyolefin in it. Was stiffer than Hell, but still better than manilla!
 
I'd never buy a foot of any three strand rope...unless it was critical that I have a quick spliced eye in a rope. Not even for a dog leash or tying down a tarp.

Three strands just don't behave or perform. Maybe some of the new fibers tames their behavior but so what.

For me, Arborplex is the economy rope I'd buy.
 
Check your melting point for pure polyolefin cord. I read around 165* C, vs 265* C for polyester. Considering the use may be for natural crotch rigging, it could be a problem. Easy to glaze a even polyester rope over a crotch.
 
deevo said:

Maple Leaf Ropes

www.mapleleafropes.com www.mapleleafropes.com
we use this for the rope pullers, natural crotch rigging, whatever else we don’t want to beat the nice ropes up with. 600’ for $366 CanadIan. For you guys around $300 lol easily spliced
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Is that hard- lay?




I will take a different stance...3- strand is very nice rope, in the right applications.

Nice for beating on/ natural crotch rigging, rope-puller-ing, energy absorbing, cheap,
Easy splicing.


I have 5 or more double- braid ropes 3/8-5/8".

Right rope for the job.
 
It's definitely not for best for lifting, or negative rigging right tight over obstacles, or where you can't afford a bit of rotation.


If ACE and Graeme have a place for it...



Certainly isn't sexy in a catalogue.
 
southsoundtree said:
Is that hard- lay?

I will take a different stance...3- strand is very nice rope, in the right applications.
Click to expand...

And re "looks like what Westech is selling" isn't my opinion, if the Westech rope is that (at 23cents per) given here : https://www.westechrigging.com/rope-bluesteel-012.html --which isn't "polydac" but better-deserving of the "polyolefin" moniker in being what I call "Co-Ex(truded)" and of both the polyolefins -propylene & -ethyline (and somehow getting more strength than either, better UV resistance, and harder wearing). I don't know the particular rope, but have seen heaps of similar-looking (i.p., coloration, which I believe the -ethylene side of the ingredients influences) stuff for lobster trawls (maybe mile-long "strings" tying together (fish. knot) several spools. I've read conjecture that the PE might be partly HMPE --yeah, that superstrong stuff, hence some of the attributes.

As for "hard-lay", I think there's a yes & no (for what I've seen --have, actually) : NO per helix angle/count --the stuff can be opened easily for splicing--; but yes per feel --it's a pretty stiffly made rope, hardly flexy. (And when Maine and environs were kicking out such "floating" ropes for "neutrally boyant or sinking" ones --in effort to keep right whales from snagging lines as they open-mouth'd fed--, I mused about arborists et al. reaping some windfall of ropes to use in some operations, to spare roughing up the paid-for gear! (-; )

*kN*
 
i eventually just went with short slings and friction hitch tails, easy eye splice, wear like iron, friction hitches seemed to have unique grip against braid. Then also reverse, w/3strand as the host and double braid as friction hitch for adjustable lanyard. The nubbier host seemed to offer most positive 'catches'. Used D as a comb/tender 3strand reeved thru. It seems to me that 3strand does give unique 'ventilation' to frictions where braid is full contact. Parallel parts drawn together inside a 'nipping loop' as like SheetBend/Bowline bed and lock together with more surface area than 2 rounds so hugged together(but not in similar logic of HFP sliding 8 w/separte 90degree nipping loops)? But then this is also where should watch direction of turns to not counter the 3strand braid twists as well.
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Is essential for Maasdam route, so grew away from Maasdam.
>>couple mens on 5x1 could compensate, truck input even more so
Seeking Gentle Ben tho, of overwhelming available force; lightly applied w/plenty of headroom.
>>totally overwhelming a shituation with force, can work against you
>>especially as like 'breech blowback' of rocket launcher, line recoil, barberchair etc. where just reversed equal/ opposite pair to same power axis of opposite direction concern.
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Have flattened 3 strand on a brake drum.
.
Have also seen (in smaller stuffs) where stepson tightened 3strand then cranked turnbuckle tighter for sail umbrella;
and seems the tightened 3strand twists unscrewed the turn buckle to total separation.
(his wife said thought noticed slacking over days)
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3strand is easier, nubbier grab, 12strand to some extent, more so than 'rounder' 16+ braids at least.
But, 12 strand ArborPlex to me kinda bothersome in usage when cheaper polyolefins break .
>>i think pure polyolefin w/o polyester could not hit 6600# in 1/2" package, not sure even in 5/8"
ArborPlex is cheap, and some utilities just use as a disposable asset i think for that and lower conductivity of clean rope., insurance etc.
 
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For someone who works solo, or maybe two guys, that don't mind taking smaller pieces and taking their time, 3-strand ropes are usually the best bang for your buck. It has its issues, but even that polyolefin stuff will get a tree to the ground. It makes better boat anchor rope than it does rigging line, but for the price you can buy 2 or 3 200' hanks for what a 100' hank of premium rope will cost you. When combined with polyester, the rope is much nicer, but I have used the all-polyolefin stuff and it is surprisingly tough. Good abrasion resistance.

I never even tried to tie knots in it. It's so easy to splice, I would just splice a small, steel ring onto each end and use steel 'biners and slings with it.

I think if you're taking small pieces, you could save a bundle of money using the stuff.. or save wear and tear on your better ropes. I wouldn't call it a joy to work with, but it's certainly not horrible. As others have mentioned, it works great in a rope puller and for tag lines.
 
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