Maasdam Slipping

These aren't redwoods up here, a large tree would be 30 inches DBH give or take.
If you get the rope up high and don't leave a large hinge, put the hinge back and continue cutting the forces aren't that great.
If you keep the hinge ahead of center and leave a large hinge then the forces will be greater much greater.
You can have rope slip on the GRCS if things aren't done right so the rope puller will slip much sooner.
There are ways to reduce the force and that's what needs to be done.
 

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A few hundred pounds? maybe a telephone pole.

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Your class 5 telephone pole will take 6lbs. to pull it over cut right off.
What you add to that will increase the forces.
That includes, how you cut it,placement of the hinge,the size of hinge, where the rope is placed,the angle of the rope,the lean and what ever else you want to add to it.
 
We tested one last week on a dynometer and found out:

New Maasdam on a new, dry piece of tree master-
one handed - 1200lbs of pull (easily)
two handed - 1600lbs (easy but not recommended)
bent the handle @ 1900lbs

New maasdam on a new, wet piece of tree master-
one handed - 1200lbs
two handed 1650 lbs
stopped @ 1900 lbs before handle bent

We came to the conclusion there is something else going on and why it is slipping. There is more than enough tension to pull a tree over. It may be one unit could have been flawed but its going to hard to tell.

Maybe we will have to get the ropes dirty first and then we won't have this issue.
 
Pulling the tail while using a Maasdam will result in loads of tension in the rope. Three strand will deform into a thin rope with less ridges. There is nothing wrong with the Maasdam, you just shouldn't use it "to the limit".

Our first slipping moment was while pulling a 30 inch elm.
The tree was leaning out of a forest over a busy railroad track.
Shocking_by_YesOwl.gif



That was the best wake up call ever. Use the device wisely.
 
Vid of one used yesterday ... worked fine:

Removal of a vine covered poplar

Did you check to see if there's some kind of lube on the V-Spool that may have been left from the manufacturing processes or what ever?

Did you compare the Maasdams that work and the one that didn't?

I would be great to see some pictures of the patient ... you're right it could be a defective component ... ???
 
Sorry no pics available. After the handle bent we parted it out and tossed it in the dumpster.

The maasdam that failed was also the one that we had problems out in the field. But in the test, not only could we not get the unit to fail we ended up bending the handle.

Makes me wonder if there is something else affecting it.
 
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Dave, getting someone to pull on the running end will help with that until the rope gets a little use.

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Yes that's the solution.

I've also noticed slippage with worn ropes under a lot of tension. When i'm pulling over something with a good lean in the opposite direction I have someone mind the running end.
 
i just got my 4th maasdam rope puller. wore out the other three pulling
beatle kill pines in the prescott forrest.

always had good luck with them untill now. this new one did nothing but slipp . since im using the same blue streak rope (well brocken in)
i cleaned the pulley thinking maybe there was some lube on it.
no difference . then i read a suggestion to shim the two halves of
the pulley apart so the rope could go deeper in the groove.
took one half to the hardware store and got washers.
that did the trick. (hint. loosen the four bolts before pulling axle bolt)
am still ordering a new samson three strand. and as always critical
pulls get 2 ropes. 2 pullers (one cable). 2 anchors and 2 angles.
the 2 beers will have to wait untill i get home.
 
I had a new maasdam and new three strand at the beginning of this year, I set the rope in a tree and then couldn't even get it to set into the groove of the rope puller. It was so stiff it just ran along the top of the channel. I haven't had to use it since. Rope's broke in now, wonder if it would work.
 
10 years later and still having problems with new Massdam pullers slipping and yes we only use hard lay 3 strand.

The only way for it not to slip (at least under small loads) is to have someone tail the line for you. Once there is sufficient tension, than one person can pull on it alone.

ALWAYS use wedges in the backcut of the tree being pulled!
 
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chris_girard said:
10 years later and still having problems with new Massdam pullers slipping and yes we only use hard lay 3 strand.

The only way for it not to slip (at least under small loads) is to have someone tail the line for you. Once there is sufficient tension, than one person can pull on it alone.

ALWAYS use wedges in the backcut of the tree being pulled!
Click to expand...

It's the same here.

I have a Maasdam that I wore out and it always gripped the rope.

My new one wants to slip without someone on the tail of the rope pulling lightly.

I'm going to try a carabiner connection the two pieces of rope together and see how that works.

I've considered a Gibbs ascender to catch the tail but haven't tried it yet.
 
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chris_girard said:
10 years later and still having problems with new Massdam pullers slipping and yes we only use hard lay 3 strand.

The only way for it not to slip (at least under small loads) is to have someone tail the line for you. Once there is sufficient tension, than one person can pull on it alone.

ALWAYS use wedges in the backcut of the tree being pulled!
Click to expand...
I don't need a second person, and do need sufficient pressure to get sufficient friction to start it gripping. One person job.

Pull slack by hand until it grips, then maybe a bit of tail tension while making a few advances with the handle.
 
Try some Blue Fleck

I used to rely on 1/2” Multiline II, but it is not what it once was. I called NER and asked what had changed. One of their engineers said the fibers used to make the ropes are quite different. He guaranteed the rope is as strong as ever. It may be, but it’s nowhere near as durable.

Older three strands ropes didn’t shrink diameter as much under tension as they do now. Since Blue Fleck is 9/16, it settles nicely into the Maasdam drum under tension. The engineer said by the time the rope puller is loaded, the diameter is closer to 1/2” as needed.

It is more expensive, but slipping is rare under normal loads (less than 1500lbs.)
 
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I recently bought a Maasdam and I already have 150ft of 12-strand that I have no other use for. It is 1/2" and I'm wondering if it will work. I would rather not buy more rope if this will suffice. This is something I will probably use twice a year I'm guessing. Any thoughts?
 
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