So far in this thread I have made a conscious effort not to submit any negative comments or comparisons at/with past or present Lowering devices that made it to the market….I can only hope that other contributing members will respectfully do the same.
Giving people a choice can only be a good thing i.e. budget-restraints, application, frequency of use, lifespan, maintenance…..consider how these values would differ in priority for Arborist’s throughout the industry….then I think it’s not unreasonable to suggest that a variety of such Lowering Devices can co-exist.
What’s more, it’s a sad day when one party begrudges and tries to undermine another’s attempt in making its product available. I say let the workers decide which best suits their needs!
No amount of fancy equipment is going to make a good climber….but we can certainly make life easier by giving them options. If the availability of those options were further subtly imposed in a way that would prioritize and influence strategically safe and efficient work ethic, then all the better. Within a budget, that’s what I’ve tried to do here….although for those lacking in experience or imagination perhaps, I’ll put a video together!
Jomoco , I know your concerns are sincere, thankyou for bringing this matter to light. I would never put a fellow worker at risk, the tensioner does not damage the rope
I have answered Frans’ points in Bold.
Seems fairly obvious to me.
The device has an arm with jaws attached. The jaws grab the rope and the arm supplies leverage to be able to pull the rope down under load. The capstan then holds the slack line which the jaws feed to it.
The amount of pull strength depends on how hard you pull down on the arm.
I would imagine that the amount of weight or pull you could exert on the load line would not be that much. Perhaps enough to pre-tension a 5/8" bull rope pretty good, but not enough to easily raise say a 500 lb. limb.
The RH attachment on the lever ought to lift 500lb easy enough Frans, if you had reason to do so that is?
Here is a way to compare: Go out to the wood pile and using a truckers bar (prob. the same length as the devices arm), jam the end of it under a big log and lift. How far you can lift the log is prob. the same as the amount of pull you can supply to the device's arm.
However, in a rigging situation, you also have a bull rope, friction from the load point, and also the limb you are removing.
So I would guess you could exert about 2-3 hundred pounds of force on the load line using this device in ideal situations.
Incorporating a ratcheting capstan would increase the amount of pull alot.
Seeing as how the device was made to be a less expensive alternative to other higher priced models, I guess it does the job.
Does a superb job, or so I’m told.
So lets do a quick very very inexact general price breakdown starting with the higher priced models and going down:
GRCS: +/- 2500 $
HOBBS: +/-1800 $
I am sure their are other devices out on the market, but these listed are the two main ones used in the States.
I think Kong made a fixed capstan which you strapped onto the tree, and also there was one device which could take two lines.
Say this new device had a price of 500 hundred dollars. For 500 bucks you would get a device which is essentially a port-a-wrap with a few added features.
The portowrap 3 is a great device, everyone ought to have one….but wrapping a rope around one of this devices barrels is where the comparison ends, otherwise the Hobbs and GRCSs are also essentially portowraps with a few added features.
Or, for slightly more money
Slightly??? you could buy one of two devices (GRCS or HOBBS) which provide you with so much more in terms of durability, ease of use, longevity,
based on what evidence? and lifting
(I’ll agree with that) and lowering capabilities.
Wrong!
I guess it depends on how you want to spend your money.
Or how much you can afford to spend and whether or not it can be justified against other essentials
For me, I would rather buy a port-a-wrap then buy a larger heavier device such as Reg's new device. The port-a-wrap provides exactly the same features as his, but in order to lift a limb you need to install a come-a-long or block and tackle to provide pulling power.
There’s a lot I could add to that paragraph but shall have to resist!
Block and tackle or a come-a-long are real handy and can be used in a variety of different ways so the purchase of one of these is always a good buy for a tree service. Same with a port-a-wrap as it is so light and easy to pack into remote areas or use in smaller jobs where a heavy lowering device is not needed.
Frans, on several occasion’s you have publicly referred to the portowrap as the portocrap. And the Hobbs = boat anchor…. Why the sudden change of heart?
-These comments are just my opinion
And of course they are most welcome Frans….I was expecting them. In fact, I have looked through some of the L.D archives on various forums and where ever a device is mentioned, you are there e.g http://www.treebuzz.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=51998&an=0&page=12#51998 ….why such an interest? My incentive is quite obvious! 
