JonesClimber
New member
- Location
- Atlanta
Would you share your solo work technique? Just curious.
New Climber's First Rigging Gear
- Thread starter TreeRookie
- Start date
Would you share your solo work technique? Just curious.
Cut and pitch everything small so you don't have to rig or untie it at the bottom, once the mess starts to pile up get down drag and chip & repeat.
JonesClimber
New member
- Location
- Atlanta
^^^ This.
Totally agree and I never suggest working solo to anyone always have a groundie or at least someone to dial 911
JeffGu
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Osceola, Nebraska
As others have mentioned, it's not something you want to make a habit of... I take a Stein RC-1000 up the tree (well, pull it up with haul line) and use it on the nearest stem to where I'm cutting. Slow setting up, but I can manage it. Tie the rigging line off somewhere near you, but between you and the stem, so it's behind you. Cut, untie the line and lower. The biggest downside to this is that you can't let the piece run, because you most positively do NOT want to try to hold onto the rigging line while you make your cut! This also means you need to stick with pieces that won't knock you out of the tree or kill you if they swing back into you. If you really think about what the possibilities are for the piece when the cut is made, you can allow for all this, but again, this isn't something I would recommend anyone do. I do it when I want to get the job done and I don't have any help. These are always small jobs at relatively low heights, and I am very careful (and slow) when I do it. I'm looking to pick up one of the mini-portawraps, which are terribly lighter in weight, and will help discourgage me from pushing things. That Stein is a heavy beast.
Spread out a couple of rigging points to spread the load and friction out and anchor to a porti or friction hitch to lower SMALL pieces.
But I suggest cut and let fly or cut and pitch only, if you need to rig bring a groundie it's worth it.
'Well do ya punk'
- Location
- Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
So far the best piece of gear for climber rigging without a groundie is this >>>http://www.bmsrescue.com/blayspl.html
I wish I bought it sooner, might have to buy another.
I wish I bought it sooner, might have to buy another.
monkeylove
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Roslyn, Pa.
I have a mini porty, a BMS spool, and a SS rescue 8 that have all seen the canopy. I would agree with Jeff and others though that rigging alone is not a good daily practice and is certainly not something that I would suggest to a new climber.
Jeff
Branched out member
- Location
- Marlborough, MA
Even with ground guys, a lot of times I can get an extra piece down, using this technique, in between the pieces they're rigging
eyehearttrees
Not a new Member
- Location
- Tampa-Area
Very good post, thanks!! (am hoping to get to replying in Media tonight it's in one of the tabs I just opened had a too-many-tabs internet/browser failure actually full shut-down 1st ever on this machine, anyway will be caught up soon 
)
How often do you setup a 2nd system to do 2-system rigging or drift-rigging? Have been a huge fan of @LawrenceSchultz3000 's vids lately he seems to know how to get the most out of any tree/system it is pretty amazing! Do you have any comparison between the rc1000 and a Porty? Is it more like a Medium porty? Would love to know if you've got a comparison for aerial-friction between a porty & a Safebloc!
In watching Schultz's style/approach I'm starting to think that, instead of "as-required", it should be more 'the norm' to over-compensate like that, to use a 2nd line whenever possible/practical, to almost-always setup double-whip configurations on the log being cut, I wish I had the means to test it but I'd LOVE to see the chasm between peak-dynamic-forces from the same log depending whether it was dropped by:
1 - stiff bull rope going from groundie to basal bollard to 4" block to bowline on log, versus
2 - more-dynamic bull rope (ie Nystron not Stable Braid) going from groundie to basal bollard, then through 2-4 rings or sets-of-rings en route to terminal-anchorage which is a Porty or Safebloc, then through a Safebloc (or XL ring(s)) that are roped to the cut log, and finally back to a wrap&knot around the tree.
Would bet that ^#2's peak-dynamic-force, if you had an Enforcer load cell between the groundie's hands and the bull-rope's tail, I bet it'd be something huge like 50% force reduction, and you can of course just use a 2nd, comparable system when taking larger pieces (or when longer falls are on the menu)
Wish I could mess around w/ this type of stuff more often, only recently "finished my kit" and most of the work I do I don't get a chance to use it (even stuff that'd benefit from rigging like a speedline I can't convince the guy I do most of my work for that it's smart, he'll only allow rigging when it's 100.0% required for not breaking something never because it's smarter/easier only when a requisite thing like house-proximity) Are you 'competent person'/boss/similar in most/all of the work you do or are you working under a larger company?
)How often do you setup a 2nd system to do 2-system rigging or drift-rigging? Have been a huge fan of @LawrenceSchultz3000 's vids lately he seems to know how to get the most out of any tree/system it is pretty amazing! Do you have any comparison between the rc1000 and a Porty? Is it more like a Medium porty? Would love to know if you've got a comparison for aerial-friction between a porty & a Safebloc!
In watching Schultz's style/approach I'm starting to think that, instead of "as-required", it should be more 'the norm' to over-compensate like that, to use a 2nd line whenever possible/practical, to almost-always setup double-whip configurations on the log being cut, I wish I had the means to test it but I'd LOVE to see the chasm between peak-dynamic-forces from the same log depending whether it was dropped by:
1 - stiff bull rope going from groundie to basal bollard to 4" block to bowline on log, versus
2 - more-dynamic bull rope (ie Nystron not Stable Braid) going from groundie to basal bollard, then through 2-4 rings or sets-of-rings en route to terminal-anchorage which is a Porty or Safebloc, then through a Safebloc (or XL ring(s)) that are roped to the cut log, and finally back to a wrap&knot around the tree.
Would bet that ^#2's peak-dynamic-force, if you had an Enforcer load cell between the groundie's hands and the bull-rope's tail, I bet it'd be something huge like 50% force reduction, and you can of course just use a 2nd, comparable system when taking larger pieces (or when longer falls are on the menu)
Wish I could mess around w/ this type of stuff more often, only recently "finished my kit" and most of the work I do I don't get a chance to use it (even stuff that'd benefit from rigging like a speedline I can't convince the guy I do most of my work for that it's smart, he'll only allow rigging when it's 100.0% required for not breaking something never because it's smarter/easier only when a requisite thing like house-proximity) Are you 'competent person'/boss/similar in most/all of the work you do or are you working under a larger company?
JeffGu
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Osceola, Nebraska
Quite the opposite. I only do a limited amount of tree work each year, and am either working by myself, or with one helper (my wife or one of a couple of friends that like the work). As a result, I have to do things in a way that allows me to do it alone, or with limited help.
I no longer take the Stein friction brake up into the tree. The RC-1000 has a 2-3/8" bollard (up to 9/16" rope) and the RC-2000 has a 3" bollard (up to 5/8" rope).
I use aerial friction a lot... mostly the Rig 'N Wrench devices, occasionally the AFB. I always run the RnW as a redirect, close to where I'm working, with OmniBlock 2.0 pulleys for redirects and a OmniBlock 2.6 as the main block. If the rigging will be very dynamic, or any negative rigging, I use a CMI RP160 for the main block. I very seldom do any negative rigging. It's dangerous, hard on equipment, and even harder on the ropes. I prefer to use a vertical speedline and some cribbing at the base of the tree. I've never tried any of the SafeBloc and TripleThimble type products, and am not much interested in them. If I want more friction at the main anchor, I have an old ISC block that I have drilled and pinned the sideplates/sheave so that I can lock the sheave... I'll use that when I want some more friction. I am, however, interested in picking up a CMI Holdway.
90% of my rigging is with 1/2" ropes and smaller cuts.
I love all manner of span rigging and whatever else gets the job done without breaking somebody's house or stuff.
I often use the RnW to control the loads on a speedline. It has the added advantage of letting me pull the trolley back up to myself, and the wife only has to unhook the pieces. The RnW has almost no friction when pulling the rope back up, which allows it to be used for lifting the load. The friction is pretty much all in one direction.
Holy crow how much rope do you need to setup a 20:1? We've setup 5:1 but not needed 10 or 20 around here so I'm trying to imagine the amount of rope.
For rigging 10:1 Generally 20:1 in extreme situations where expensive property or lives may be in danger. Life support has a minimum rating of 5,000 lbs
Different folks Different strokes, with the ratios in place you get proper life from your gear and have that wiggle room for that time when the novice miscalculates his load or his dynamics and accidentally shocks the system beyond what he anticipated. That way its no big deal right?
Of course if your are using knots you need to be aware of the strength loss.
Z'sTrees
Branched out member
- Location
- Hartsel CO
It's the safety factor, not mechanical advantage. 10:1 being with rigging good for at least 10k lbs, you could safely take a 1k lb piece. 20:1 should be considered when negative rigging in tight quarters, etc
eyehearttrees
Not a new Member
- Location
- Tampa-Area
Interesting Re frequency, would love to hear why as you seem very passionate so not being daily surprises me, hope it's 'chosen' (ie early half-retirement and not bad-back or something :/ )
I setup pretty similar to you & am often solo, gotta say I'm totally surprised you're into aerial-friction but not "a ring guy", they're so optimal for it!! Wish you'd try a Safebloc or a multi-ring system especially w/ 5/8" line (is 1/2 your largest?), I use my 5/8 almost-always (my 1/2 is hardly roughed-up yet!) because, w/ ringed friction, it gets even more friction than the 1/2 and is thus far easier to control- last week we took down an Oak using no basal anchor, just my 3-ringed sling and 5/8 bull rope, needed 2 people on the tail of the rope for a couple cuts but most of it I was controlling or controlling w/ 1 person on the line, and if nobody were with me I'd have setup my Safebloc in the system (and used an extra ringed-sling for those cuts where I'd have wanted more ground-support) Not only will 5/8 just handle so much better but it'll last way longer since a rope's degradation is based on %ABS forces it sees, so even though it may seem overkill on weight-of-rope and price, those are small prices to pay for the advantage of a 5/8 (at least w/ ring based friction, w/ bollards it shouldn't make much difference what diameter you use although even then the 5/8 would last longer & is nicer for the groundie to hold!)
Surprised to hear you tried the RigWrench before a Safebloc given their prices! I see the Rig Wrench and couldn't imagine where I'd use it if I had rings & a Bloc on-hand :/ With how you tinker w/ gear it'd be awesome to see @Sherrill or @TreeStuff throw you a piece of ringed-hardware to see if you couldn't be converted ;D
eyehearttrees
Not a new Member
- Location
- Tampa-Area
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