Rope Runner

I have tried point behind the slick pin but I just keep finding that dead in the middle of the slic pin attachment is the best tending spot. Everything else will tilt the body onto the rope causing excess friction
 
Thanks Kevin, I figured you must of tried it and put it where it is for a good reason. So far the Titanium sleeved bollards are showing very little wear. Of course you do give up a little bit friction, Titanium just has less then Aluminum. Not much but the bird movement is just ever so slightly less before descent starts.
 
did a decent jump in a oak today in the rain rope runner performed superbly! kernmaster was like biting for you so i ended up sitting on a branch ahhaahaha Rope runner -1 kernmaster explore -0
 
Rha i can't keep reading you without looking forward to have a runner... decision is made, the bill allmost allready paid, in fact gonna take two of these guys and give it a try on a dual hitch system.

Can't wait for November ^^
 
Some general knowledge you should all keep in mind about my versions and my comments on them. I run Vortex and only Vortex. I don't even own anything else.
 
treebing said:
I wonder with the bump on the body does it act like a governor keeping one from reaching top speed. Which could be a good thing, for some it might be a hindrance as well.
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I would say that depnds a lot on the rope Kevin. Running Vortex I can tell you from non published experiments that maintaining your design relationships between the working face of the body and the slick pin is crucial. To much body equals to much friction, and to many speed bumps grab like a rock but also lose friction quickly. Once you get moving there just is not enough surface conact. I think in one of our pm's you referred to yourself as "just a tree climber", well for just being a tree climber you did one hell of a job designing this. Nice job again.
 
Yea I think think having the hump will help. The whole momentum thing is big. Times when I really get moving it is nerve racking to know if you can slow the momentum. I think have just a hair more contact on the lower assembly will help with that.
 
Thought I would copy this reply to the RR thread.


gmcttr said:
Any comments on the performance of the different body shapes?
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I think I have in mind the next shape but it takes me time to get it made as I'm doing it with a fricking Dremel!
Here are my observations.
  • When the RR is new the body is anodized. I don't know the coefficient of friction on this but it runs pretty smooth. Still some flattening of the rope.
  • As the anodized surface wears off the RR seems to get a little more difficult to release and more pressure is needed to control the bird.
  • The RR is very sensitive to various ropes, each responds in a different way, i.e. flatness.
  • The last mod I made was with soft aluminum which I epoxied to the hard/strong aluminum used on the original body.
  • I am seeing a more consistent finger smooth reaction with this.
  • I am still working on the rope flat issue.
  • When the rope gets flat spots, the friction or slid you experience will change as you hit these spots.
  • During ascent, as y0u hit these spots and the effective diameter of the rope changes, the bird will drag at times as the rope can go from 8+-mm to 13+-mm depending on the orientation.
All said, great tool and these are simply aftermarket, what I would consider, high performance seeking modifications. Like supping up your car the way you like it.
 
Hey Rich, general rule of thumb is about half the friction of raw aluminum. Now this does vary quite a bit do to many factors. Type 1 anodizing is the base for that percentage, type 3 (hard anodizing) will have less friction as will any of the teflon additives. All of them will also vary depending on the quality of the anodizing process and the grade of aluminum. Type 2 sometimes refered to as architectural is more duable but also more complicated to process. There are also other finishes that can be applied to aluminum but they are technically coatings and most of them fairly expensive. I agree that all the stuff we are doing is really just custom mods, the RR is so versatile the way it is. I myself like a little more friction, but I also love your drum for that same reason.
 
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Thanks Frank, so that seems contrary to what I'm thinking. If the new body has less friction that should put more on the bird so if the worn body has more friction it would put less on the bird making it smother?? Perhaps the wear is more like a polish, don't know and I'm still a bit time zone lagged.
Wish we could get together and do some milling, maybe later?
 
Basically that is what usally happens with anodized sufaces as friction is applied Rich. Think of an anodized suface as a piece of sand paper. When it is new it is sharp and causes friction, as you use it it gets duller (surface irregularities get polished down) and it slids across the wood more. Keep going further and eventually you wear through the grit and get to the backing material (aluminum in this case). Over time the aluminum will begin to get polished and also lose some friction also. That is where sand blasting the surface comes in, ha ha.
 
Ask kevin, but in my opinion, the RR is not anodized. It is a painted or powder coat I think.

When I sanded the body of mine today to prep it for epoxying a bump mod on, the coating came right off with 400 grit paper. Anodizing does not come off like that.
 
gmcttr said:
Ask kevin, but in my opinion, the RR is not anodized. It is a painted or powder coat I think.

When I sanded the body of mine today to prep it for epoxying a bump mod on, the coating came right off with 400 grit paper. Anodizing does not come off like that.
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I just climbed with Kevin, it is anodizing but I don't remember if he told me it was hard anodizing. It is all just for pretty anyway.
Kevin, there is a though, perhaps do not coat the face of the body for a more consistent break in.
Note; pretty sure the Unicender has hard coat and it wears off quickly and does little to protect the clutches from wear. again, it is for pretty and shinny and I like that.
 
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