New device to tend Hitch Hiker

Walt, I received some Kaydex sheets today, where have I been to not know about this stuff!
Looks like you could cut a whole stack of those very cleanly with a scroll saw. I used to do a lot of craft projects with my RBI Hawk scroll saw and the cuts are incredibly smooth and the bends are tight.
 
yoyoman said:
Walt, I received some Kaydex sheets today, where have I been to not know about this stuff!
Looks like you could cut a whole stack of those very cleanly with a scroll saw. I used to do a lot of craft projects with my RBI Hawk scroll saw and the cuts are incredibly smooth and the bends are tight.
Click to expand...
What I'm thinking now is to cut pieces, stack and drill them, then to put them on a template which indexes the drilled holes and trim the stack to shape. For bending I've been using a heat gun, and a male/female mold which I made from wood. You have to be judicious about the application of heat so as not to scorch the stuff. Perhaps a toaster oven could work, provided it doesn't go over about 200 degrees. A more advanced set up for bending would be a vacuum bag press. You could also bend a U channel first, then cut with a bandsaw, drill, and finish sand the edges.
 
yoyoman said:
Walt, I received some Kaydex sheets today, where have I been to not know about this stuff!
Looks like you could cut a whole stack of those very cleanly with a scroll saw. I used to do a lot of craft projects with my RBI Hawk scroll saw and the cuts are incredibly smooth and the bends are tight.
Click to expand...
I'll be interested to see what your going to do with it, Richard!
 
I've used a heat gun on the edges for a nice finish. It may or may not work in this application.

As to your target market, I think you could eliminate any HH owners using a pulley and tending from the bottom of the biner (at the pulley) or from the bridge ring.
 
dogwood said:
I'll be interested to see what your going to do with it, Richard!
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Have you ever worked with a scroll saw?
I have the BM-20 model, just found the website and I'm pleased they still make them.
Anyway, whey you cut a hardwood with them the cut is as smooth as glass, it is really quite amazing. I think it would have the same results on the Kaydex. I was tooling up to do something else and will have to give it a try.

http://www.bushtonmanufacturing.com/WebsitePages/The-Hawk-Scroll-Saw.html
 
yoyoman said:
Have you ever worked with a scroll saw?
I have the BM-20 model, just found the website and I'm pleased they still make them.
Anyway, whey you cut a hardwood with them the cut is as smooth as glass, it is really quite amazing. I think it would have the same results on the Kaydex. I was tooling up to do something else and will have to give it a try.

http://www.bushtonmanufacturing.com/WebsitePages/The-Hawk-Scroll-Saw.html
Click to expand...
You could do really well with that I'm sure, Rich. I have a pretty good assortment of tools, but I don't have one of those. I can see that it would be a great addition to the shop. For now I'll make it work with what I have on hand, bandsaw, router, drill press, sanding equipment. There's more than one way to skin a cat (not that I've ever done that!) :)
 
Walt try this on a piece first but, if you turn your band saw blade upside down it may also give you a smoother finish. It doesn't work on all plastics but when it does, it works very well.
 
pctree said:
FYI we have sold shy of 1000 HHs and are about to make this version obsolete. I like this add on and can see how it would enhance the design but doubt it will be needed with the next generation.
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Hey pc, I saw the thread about the new HH, and that's an interesting development. It looks the same, only smaller, is that right? Wouldn't it have the same need for some kind of tending tether or device?
 
dogwood said:
Hey pc, I saw the thread about the new HH, and that's an interesting development. It looks the same, only smaller, is that right? Wouldn't it have the same need for some kind of tending tether or device?
Click to expand...

No, it doesn't. I have been using my HH 1 for a long time now with no advancing tether but still with a small corner trap and it works great. The dynamics completely change with a slack tending pulley set on the carabiner ring interface. When pressure is applied, the HH will run straight up the rope without flopping over, it feels just like the Hitchclimber. The same is true when using knee and foot ascenders under the HH. Clipping into the bridge ring with a chest or shoulder strap causes the HH to run straight up the rope without flopping over so there is no additional set back.

The HH 2 does all of this but better and does it without a corner trap.
 
DSMc said:
No, it doesn't. I have been using my HH 1 for a long time now with no advancing tether but still with a small corner trap and it works great. The dynamics completely change with a slack tending pulley set on the carabiner ring interface. When pressure is applied, the HH will run straight up the rope without flopping over, it feels just like the Hitchclimber. The same is true when using knee and foot ascenders under the HH. Clipping into the bridge ring with a chest or shoulder strap causes the HH to run straight up the rope without flopping over so there is no additional set back.

The HH 2 does all of this but better and does it without a corner trap.
Click to expand...
Thanks, DSMc. So you'd clip a shoulder strap or something like that into the bridge ring, right?
 
Yes. Without the pulley under there the HH and carabiner would rotate and cause a lot of set back. You do have to use a knee and foot ascender for it to work in a rope walker system. A hand ascender above the HH will cause things to collapse. For normal slack tending you just pull on the tail like you would with a Hitchclimber.
Obviously there will be some people that will not want to bother with a pulley ( though they really should try it ) and they will still need some form of advancing tether. Also all the HH 1s will still need a corner trap and that material you are using would make a very tidy one.
 
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