light rigging with ring and "figure 8" aka "rescue 8"

[snunyabizness]

I use them mostly for 2 man controlled speedline jobs. I can have the ground "catch" the piece, I then control that line with the fig 8 while they maintain the speedline. Have used lightly experimentally as solo rigging.

I find the control inconsistent. It's not a "use every day" thing but it gets used a couple times a year.

Rope access folks love them.

can you show pictures? esp the solo work? how do you usually lock it off?

 

[snunyabizness]

it twists. but it really doesn't though. doesn't seem to on the ground, but tidy crew so maybe. i think friction above and not at the end weight of the piece keeps the rope from rolling instead of unweighted slack squirting out like spaghetti

 

[snunyabizness]

Yes, it would twist the rope...just like rappelling with a figure 8 twists the rope.

in this configuration having weight on both sides of the friction somehow reduces the twisting. whereas a climber descending with figure8 chest level will send out unweighted slack into a pile of knots.

 

[Lumberjack]

walking this through: if there is a lot of slack and then the right gyrations, the wrap could reform into a girth hitch and lock the entire thing up. hmm. in your experience and what you were taught, does this actually happen, is it just theoretical or at what frequency? in the configuration in the pics above, do you think that is a possibility with the inline ring? if so, how would someone mitigate risk?

The risk is the bite that goes around the bottom horn of the 8 can push up the top of the 8 and girth hitch the top of the 8.

It can happen, just like a bowline can invert into a slip knot. Knowing about the potential is a solid step towards prevention.




To keep the rope from causing problems twisting, use shorter ropes. Our main rope is around 10’ longer than the lift is tall. Shorter ropes now that the lift is 92’ tall vs 70’ previously for shorter trees. Rope a piece down, as it reaches the ground the other end is headed up to you. Pull the tail up and keep working while the groundy gets it untied.