Lazy or Clever?

[39Buick]

Here is the drill adapter in place. It started out as a 5/8 shaft adapter for 1/2 inch grinding and buffing wheels. The stub shaft on the device is also 5/8 inch. I shortened the shaft adapter to the same 3/4 inch inside length as the device stub and also turned off the threads to make it a smooth shaft to grip in the cordless drill. The drill in the second photo is not powerful enough for sustained SRT with the device but worked fine set up MA with two pulleys. For faster ascent on single line, one just needs a bigger drill.

- Stewart
View attachment 48337 View attachment 48338

Is this the adapter that you mentioned here? I pulled the wheel off of my rollgliss today and tried to drill a 15mm socket to use with a 3/8" adapter I already have. Went through 3 drill bits and didn't scratch the socket!! Hard stuff! and cheap drill bits is not a good combination. Went to the hardware store looking for one of these but had no luck so before ordering online I wanted to verify it was the right part!!
Thanks so much.
Mike
https://wowdeals.online/itm/Eazypow...bor-Adaptor-RH-Thread-1Pack/332561807714.html

 

[southsoundtree]

When that occurred, did you have any issues with the rope exiting your wraptor peeling away cleanly without a load of some kind on it? Coming out of the sheave, the rope has to be pushed for just a short way to get to the fairlead in the frame.

I just open the hinged cover to feed my rope around, mid line.

 

[cerviarborist]

I just open the hinged cover to feed my rope around, mid line.

Yes I do too, but typically I base tie and pull just enough line through the TIP to reach the ground with a few feet left over, so there's not much rope weight to pull. I always figured that the close fitting cowl would also serve to keep the rope in place until enough had tailed off for gravity to assist.

 

[Burrapeg]

Is this the adapter that you mentioned here? I pulled the wheel off of my rollgliss today and tried to drill a 15mm socket to use with a 3/8" adapter I already have. Went through 3 drill bits and didn't scratch the socket!! Hard stuff! and cheap drill bits is not a good combination. Went to the hardware store looking for one of these but had no luck so before ordering online I wanted to verify it was the right part!!
Thanks so much.
Mike
https://wowdeals.online/itm/Eazypow...bor-Adaptor-RH-Thread-1Pack/332561807714.html

Yes, that is the one, Mike.

 

[Jehinten]

Is this the adapter that you mentioned here? I pulled the wheel off of my rollgliss today and tried to drill a 15mm socket to use with a 3/8" adapter I already have. Went through 3 drill bits and didn't scratch the socket!! Hard stuff! and cheap drill bits is not a good combination. Went to the hardware store looking for one of these but had no luck so before ordering online I wanted to verify it was the right part!!
Thanks so much.
Mike
https://wowdeals.online/itm/Eazypow...bor-Adaptor-RH-Thread-1Pack/332561807714.html

I had some trouble finding that adapter locally, so I drilled a socket and used a driver adapter. The first socket I tried the drill bit would barely make a mark, I finally got through the second socket (different manufacturer) with the help of multiple bits a drill press and a cutting oil. All of that being said you may be better off with the adapter, as mine has a little wobble in it from the adapter into the socket. It's hardly noticeable under a load, but it causes some vibration on high speed and no load.

 

[39Buick]

I had some trouble finding that adapter locally, so I drilled a socket and used a driver adapter. The first socket I tried the drill bit would barely make a mark, I finally got through the second socket (different manufacturer) with the help of multiple bits a drill press and a cutting oil. All of that being said you may be better off with the adapter, as mine has a little wobble in it from the adapter into the socket. It's hardly noticeable under a load, but it causes some vibration on high speed and no load.

Lol, i tried several sockets and drill bits. Set up in the drill press w/cutting oil and thought this would be a piece of cake.
I couldn't find the arbor that Stew had used at the only two hardware stores in town but did find some titanium drill bits. I bought a couple of those and went back to the drill press.
I should have bought some cheap sockets cause these old craftsman sockets are tough as heck.
Ordered the arbor online so I will get back to the project next week!!

 

[39Buick]

Yes, that is the one, Mike.

Thanks so much Stew! Quick question for you. When you split the sheave in half and added the spacer, where did you source the spacer from? Also when you finished modifying the sheave do both halves still fit back onto the shaft or are you relying on the screws for support?

 

[39Buick]

Just a word of caution to anyone using system, the rope grab says that it is rated for 5/8 rope. I read that upon getting it, and later forgot because it came with a system to use it on a 3/8 rope. Well I tied into the rope grab (with a pulley clipped to it) with a moving rope system, did a test ascent up to the rafters in a pole barn about 10' up. Then repelled down on the climbing system. The rope grab slipped and although it did grab, it cut the sheething of the kernmantle. I would highly recommend a smaller rope grab or a friction hitch above the rollgliss.

The rollgliss package I purchased included all of the manuals and documentation for all of the parts included. The protecta rope grab is rated at no more than 310#. I was really shocked when I read that. I saw Santiago was using it lifting large oak branches. I think mine will not be used for much! You guys be careful playing with these things.

 

[Burrapeg]

Thanks so much Stew! Quick question for you. When you split the sheave in half and added the spacer, where did you source the spacer from? Also when you finished modifying the sheave do both halves still fit back onto the shaft or are you relying on the screws for support?

The screws are indeed part of the support. The sprocket fits on OK but you will see how only the front engages the flat on the shaft. So use enough strong screws, and maybe with nuts on them so you don't depend on screw threads cut into the aluminium sprocket. It is too soft to hold a strong thread. The spacer was just a large washer the right thickness, about 3/16 inch. After you cut the sprocket in half, it helps to smooth the two inside faces flat with a file or sanding block. I faced mine off in a lathe. Also, as to the adaptor, one thing you can easily do is take the device apart (it comes apart very easily with an allen wrench the right size) and run the large gear over to any local machine shop. It is a five minute job to turn the 5/8 inch shaft end down to 1/2 inch to fit the cordless drills. This also shortens the profile of the whole device when the drill is attached. And don't use any of the awful rope grabs! They are really old school and pretty primitive, also hard on the rope. The snap hooks on the rope are nice, however, heavy and steel, but the cool thing about that is a magnetic throw bag will latch on to them if you have them on the end of a long lanyard you use sometimes as a second line. The heavy steel carabiners are too much weight to lug around on the saddle but I have used them at the canopy TIP and for Basal ties.

 

[Burrapeg]

I just wanted to second what Jehinten said earlier about not using the steel rope grab above the device. They are somewhat crudely made and very hard on our softer climbing ropes. It also makes change-over to your normal rig much more difficult. Just ride your normal hitch/wrench combo/multiscender/etc. above the device when you deploy it. Then when you are up there, it is a simple matter to quickly remove the rollGliss from the line and there you are, all set for normal climbing around in the canopy on your usual rig. You are thus never at any time detached from the line with your usual climbing rig and the rollGliss is never at any point used as your life support. Of course the rollGliss is originally rated for that, for two men at once actually, but remember we have modified it rather considerably at this point and are also no longer using it for its stated purpose of merely an emergency descender for occasional or one-time use.

 

[Santiago Casanova]

As an update. I was only rigging with the rope grab to see how functional it was. It does work really well with 1/2 arborplex. I would not use it for anything critical. I did not need to worry about structures if it broke or snapped the rope. I could see it being useful as a 3:1 anchor for a speed line. It is very quick to set and wont see much load.

 

[Burrapeg]

Hi Mike, another possibility for you, if you don't want to split the sprocket or worry about making the device mid-line attachable, is to do what some of the chaps have done by just using it alongside of the main climbing line. That is, get both lines up, both your normal climbing line with hitch, wrench, whatever, and then also the kermantle that is in the rollGliss. Hitch both to the saddle and head up the tree with the rollGliss doing the work but also taking up the slack in your main line as you go. When high enough, just unhook the rollGliss from the saddle and let it dangle there and you are on your normal rope and gear. This is the way to use it with the least mods, by merely removing the flywheel and adapting it to the drill. Probably the absolute safest way too.

 

[39Buick]

Hi Mike, another possibility for you, if you don't want to split the sprocket or worry about making the device mid-line attachable, is to do what some of the chaps have done by just using it alongside of the main climbing line. That is, get both lines up, both your normal climbing line with hitch, wrench, whatever, and then also the kermantle that is in the rollGliss. Hitch both to the saddle and head up the tree with the rollGliss doing the work but also taking up the slack in your main line as you go. When high enough, just unhook the rollGliss from the saddle and let it dangle there and you are on your normal rope and gear. This is the way to use it with the least mods, by merely removing the flywheel and adapting it to the drill. Probably the absolute safest way too.

Stew,
I was thinking just that! I will start just using the drill adapter and the Kernmantle that is captive on the rollgliss as an ascent system.
Please correct me if I am wrong (so that I don't Die) but I was thinking that I could set the line for the Rollgliss, attach a tether above the device connected to my saddle, carry my climbing line with me on the way up and once I reach my TIP, secure my lanyard and then set up my normal climbing system and do the change over. Seems easier than tending two systems. Again if this would not work PLEASE correct me.
I thought I had read a post where you had actually made a device to attach to the Kernmantle for this purpose. I'm so confused! hahaha

 

[Jehinten]

Stew,
I was thinking just that! I will start just using the drill adapter and the Kernmantle that is captive on the rollgliss as an ascent system.
Please correct me if I am wrong (so that I don't Die) but I was thinking that I could set the line for the Rollgliss, attach a tether above the device connected to my saddle, carry my climbing line with me on the way up and once I reach my TIP, secure my lanyard and then set up my normal climbing system and do the change over. Seems easier than tending two systems. Again if this would not work PLEASE correct me.
I thought I had read a post where you had actually made a device to attach to the Kernmantle for this purpose. I'm so confused! hahaha

you can do that, I had done this a few times before I started to use mine as a winch as well. For me I used a pinto pulley on a prussic and tied into it in a doubled rope system. If you do use this method, your prussic should be a little smaller than the climb line, which in this case is pretty small. being the same size or larger can lead to not grabbing as well once weighted.

As far as tending two systems at once, when I ascend I am going up the rollgliss and my SRT line trails up its own line with me, neither system has to be tended leaving me a free hand to avoid obstacles as I am going up.

 

[Burrapeg]

. . . I thought I had read a post where you had actually made a device to attach to the Kernmantle for this purpose. I'm so confused! hahaha

I did make a pair of miniature versions of Surveyor's BDB but they did not work as well as I had hoped on the original RollGliss kermantle. It cables up under load and gets very hard. Ascenders with cams work OK but hitches and things like the BDB, Zigzag, etc. can slip and not hold reliably in my experience. I still intend to try and fine tune them to work better but am skeptical of finding complete satisfaction. The Rollgliss has a cam cleat affair on it to hold position when you stop and you could back this up with a hand ascender riding above the device until you get up there and switch to your main line and TIP.

 

[fish73]

I just now caught up on this thread and went to eBay and picked up an r550 - couldn’t find a decent r500 like you guys did. I’ve got an old Tanaka gas-powered drill that’s just hanging on the rack that wants to connect to this thing. Has anybody used an r550 and found a way to make it midline attachable with 12mm climbing line?

 

[Santiago Casanova]

I just now caught up on this thread and went to eBay and picked up an r550 - couldn’t find a decent r500 like you guys did. I’ve got an old Tanaka gas-powered drill that’s just hanging on the rack that wants to connect to this thing. Has anybody used an r550 and found a way to make it midline attachable with 12mm climbing line?

I really like where this is going. I think the R550 has dual brakes. I am not sure how the handle attaches. It might have the same pin that needs to be knocked out.

 

[Burrapeg]

I just now caught up on this thread and went to eBay and picked up an r550 - couldn’t find a decent r500 like you guys did. I’ve got an old Tanaka gas-powered drill that’s just hanging on the rack that wants to connect to this thing. Has anybody used an r550 and found a way to make it midline attachable with 12mm climbing line?

Hi Fish, the only way to really make it mid-line attachable is to cut or mill away the part holding the rope captive (red areas in attached photo). But you need to rig up some sort of fairlead on the output side for the tail of the rope. You have to hold a bit of tension on the tail, after you cut away the metal that holds it tight in the shiv, otherwise it slips sometimes. Now, when you are hanging on it, there is actually no tendency for the rope to jump off the shiv. That is not a problem I have experienced, but it can still slip a bit and interrupt a steady climb. I just hold tension on the tail as I ascend or else hang a small weight on the tail at the ground, like my small cordless chainsaw. On the r550, I don't see in the photo how the shiv is removed from its shaft. The shiv on the r500 has a pin that is easily driven out, but on your r550 this looks flush to the side of the shiv and not accessible. It is important to not use this as primary life support. When you ascend with it, always back it up by riding your rope wrench and hitch/BDB/ whatever right above it to sit back on. Of course, you want to do that anyway, so you can remove the ascender from the rope when you get up there as high as you want. You can also just use the device as-is with its original rope to ascend and have a second main climbing line alongside to use at height. Some of the guys are doing that with the r500.

 

[fish73]

Hi Fish, the only way to really make it mid-line attachable is to cut or mill away the part holding the rope captive (red areas in attached photo). But you need to rig up some sort of fairlead on the output side for the tail of the rope. You have to hold a bit of tension on the tail, after you cut away the metal that holds it tight in the shiv, otherwise it slips sometimes. Now, when you are hanging on it, there is actually no tendency for the rope to jump off the shiv. That is not a problem I have experienced, but it can still slip a bit and interrupt a steady climb. I just hold tension on the tail as I ascend or else hang a small weight on the tail at the ground, like my small cordless chainsaw. On the r550, I don't see in the photo how the shiv is removed from its shaft. The shiv on the r500 has a pin that is easily driven out, but on your r550 this looks flush to the side of the shiv and not accessible. It is important to not use this as primary life support. When you ascend with it, always back it up by riding your rope wrench and hitch/BDB/ whatever right above it to sit back on. Of course, you want to do that anyway, so you can remove the ascender from the rope when you get up there as high as you want. You can also just use the device as-is with its original rope to ascend and have a second main climbing line alongside to use at height. Some of the guys are doing that with the r500.
View attachment 51217

Thanks for the reply @Burrapeg. I guess I’ll start trimming away the obstacles and see if I can get the sheave off. Looks like there’s a set screw accessible from where the rope enters/exits that may have something to do with its removal. Then try to fab a fairlead on it. Yeah I definitely don’t plan to rely on this thing for life safety.

 

[Burrapeg]

Thanks for the reply @Burrapeg. I guess I’ll start trimming away the obstacles and see if I can get the sheave off. Looks like there’s a set screw accessible from where the rope enters/exits that may have something to do with its removal. Then try to fab a fairlead on it. Yeah I definitely don’t plan to rely on this thing for life safety.

To use the shiv with 12-13mm rope, I split my shiv in half with a hacksaw, then trued up the cut faces. Then I inserted a thick washer I found that was about 3/16 inch thick. Before I hacksawed it in half, I drilled the screw holes thru it so they would line up again after it was separated. I used six screws to hold the shiv back together, with nylock nuts on them. Seems to be holding up OK so far.