Simple Solo Rig

[data farm 26]

I was fretting this job for awhile since I don't do much work like this these last few years, especially solo. Plus I'd injured my hand recently so I had to resched this one a few times to make sure I was feeling at least 90%. Thankfully it turned out alright, was a fun morning actually. Happy weekend, Treebuzzers, may you live to see another one!

 

[cory]

Nice rigging! Um, why is no climber visible in the tree?

That tree looks like a good removal candidate.

Is that job in Boulder? I'm no expert but that doesn't look like a Boulder house/yard, almost could be CT

 

[cory]

Um DOH!!!

Your thread title tells it all. That's lotta work solo, well done!!

So you had to climb down to tension the rigging and then climb back up to cut? Wow!

 

[data farm 26]

Nice rigging! Um, why is no climber visible in the tree?

That tree looks like a good removal candidate.

Is that job in Boulder? I'm no expert but that doesn't look like a Boulder house/yard, almost could be CT

It's in B-town. Definitely a unique style and yard for the area though, I quite like it. Agreed, I think after this it's going to be the basal cut for this one in a few years.

Um DOH!!!

Your thread title tells it all. That's lotta work solo, well done!!

So you had to climb down to tension the rigging and then climb back up to cut? Wow!

Thanks! I was stoked that it worked out. I had been doing it in my head for weeks but of course reverted to K.I.S.S. once I got there. Plus a fortuitous bounce of the throwball got me in a redirect I hadn't contemplated for the rigging, worked out perfectly! I tied off the piece from the ground and set the rigging via throwball, climbed up and cut the bastid, came down and lowered it after I cruised for a few more large deads.

 

[ATH]

Why not set a friction device in the tree so you didn't need to come down?

 

[data farm 26]

For one I wanted to control the landing but I also had to get out of the tree eventually anyways! I only climbed into the tree one time if that's what you're asking. I used a mini port o wrap and a pre set rope to lock off the piece until I could get down and lower it.

 

[ATH]

For one I wanted to control the landing but I also had to get out of the tree eventually anyways! I only climbed into the tree one time if that's what you're asking. I used a mini port o wrap and a pre set rope to lock off the piece until I could get down and lower it.

OK...that makes sense. I was thinking your were going up and down.

 

[southsoundtree]

Good one, Levi.

I'm a fan of climber controlled rigging and solo- self- sufficiency.

All the time of going over a plan with groundie who needs to be pulled from other work to lower a piece is often easily invested in a quick cut- and- lower by the climber. By the time the piece is near the ground, the groundie has two hands free to receive the piece.


Do you double whip tackle?

This is especially useful for me when there is no cleanup and a littered drop zone (I have been told that I get a disproportionate amount of no cleanup jobs).

 

[data farm 26]

Thanks, Sean! I have never done the DWT, is that where you lower a piece on a sling attached to the belly of a rope (kind of like span rigging,) then untie one end and pull it through the sling to free up the rope again? I had kind of forgotten about that but I should definitely learn the technique.

 

[southsoundtree]

Thanks, Sean! I have never done the DWT, is that where you lower a piece on a sling attached to the belly of a rope (kind of like span rigging,) then untie one end and pull it through the sling to free up the rope again? I had kind of forgotten about that but I should definitely learn the technique.

Yes. Its span rigging with the termination end at your same location as the rigging point (essentially).

Very easy and useful. Natural Crotch rigging the pieces is simpler than slings and biners/ rings for the lowered piece.



As well, for the solo climber, its useful to set a climber-adjusted speed line/ lower side terminated at ground or lower elevation.



Multiple lines in the tree and/ or midline attachment for solo-climber lowering pieces means more rigs/ climb and descent.

A suitably cut stub with many wraps can be locked off with enough wraps to not be tied, then unwrapped from the ground with adjustable friction by flicking the overhead stub-wraps off, one at a time. You will have to go clean the (who-cares-if-its-burnt-beyond- the- collar) stub on a subsequent part of the overall climbing.

 

[ATH]

I asked here for a friction device for solo rigging and ended up with a Scarab. Have only used it once or twice alone, but it's a great friction device

 

[Bart_]

BMS belay spool gives you 1/2, 1 1/2 or 2 1/2 wraps options when used like a 180 degree rope bend pulley. 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 are basicly light and heavy settings. double whip basicly doubles the drag effect of a porty/bms. A little more braking is sling w/biner rather than pulley on the piece being lowered. more range for adjustment than comes to mind at first glance. bms doesn't make rope twist like a scarab or figure8. it's not too hard to fab up a bms, don't know currrent cost or availability.

that said, natural crotch with zig zag rope routing gives good results if not going too big which is hard on the final down rope crotch. or not zig zag but instead trunk/branch wrap(s)

I have had the rope self tie a half hitch on a branch on the ground during retrieval! Bet you could never achieve that wanting it to happen!

downside steel bms is clunky to carry

 

[southsoundtree]

Zip zagging between light-duty sling/ biner combos adds as much friction as needed. I always carry 3+ slings and biners.

 

[Evo]

For me it depends on how much lowering I’m going to do. Typically I’ll just go natural friction but if it’s more than a few runs I’m digging the scarab paired with a 3/8 line

Scarab

The Scarab Rescue Tool is a stainless steel tool that excels at easily controlling heavy rescue loads, pick-offs, twin rope systems, and other rescue techniques. The Scarab is strong, does not twist ropes, and allows quick adjustment of friction with easy lock-offs and ambidextrous use. Single...

www.wesspur.com

 

[cory]

I tied off the piece from the ground and set the rigging via throwball, climbed up and cut the bastid, came down and lowered it after I cruised for a few more large deads.

Wow that is awesome. How long did it take to set up all the rigging from the ground, don't lie!!

 

[data farm 26]

I can't exactly remember but I think it was an hour or so. Get all the gear out, set up the truck, just had to tie off the piece, pull the rigging line throw and set my climbing line. I do take a lot of time in setup these days though, and starring at the tree over and over again from every angle

 

[ATH]

Time spent staring it's time saved climbing!

(At least it should be... I had roommate my freshman year of college who spent a lot of time staring at the wall - literally, just staring at the wall. He didn't come back second semester. I'm making the assumption you're staring is vastly more productive )

 

[ghostice]

BMS belay spool gives you 1/2, 1 1/2 or 2 1/2 wraps options when used like a 180 degree rope bend pulley. 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 are basicly light and heavy settings. double whip basicly doubles the drag effect of a porty/bms. A little more braking is sling w/biner rather than pulley on the piece being lowered. more range for adjustment than comes to mind at first glance. bms doesn't make rope twist like a scarab or figure8. it's not too hard to fab up a bms, don't know currrent cost or availability.

that said, natural crotch with zig zag rope routing gives good results if not going too big which is hard on the final down rope crotch. or not zig zag but instead trunk/branch wrap(s)

I have had the rope self tie a half hitch on a branch on the ground during retrieval! Bet you could never achieve that wanting it to happen!

downside steel bms is clunky to carry

Hey - we had looked at this thing for work but it seemed to us that the "relieved edges" might have more wear on a dirty rope than the Scarab with radius'd or round edges (a concern with glacial till on ropes). If you're using this thing Bart is there any rope fuzz on the device after you let a piece down? I've had rope fuzz/ wear with a Munter in the mtns.

 

[Bart_]

What I noticed on my home fab unit (stainless sheet side plates, radiused corner mild stock body, mild pins) was that I needed to be careful to not route the rope touching the edge of the side plates for obvious reasons and that I had to place my wraps centrally loaded to keep it aligned well. My pin length was by eye trying to keep the rope captive once installed. The body stock corner radiuses were about 1" equivalent diameter circle. In more retrospect I think I recall fuzz from sideplate contact. stablebraid A mod could be fat radiused sideplates but then you're either into aluminum's problems or lots of extra steel weight and fab fiddling. Thin plates makes better shear loading on the screws too. They take the entire load.

In more retrospect the 1 1/2 setting is always loaded a bit off center. 1/2 is on center and 2 1/2 fills the pins/pathways. If you've got a unit you could verify the extent of 1 1/2 misalignment under load. I believe having the load exit the center helps the alignment as the larger rope force is on center rather than at the edge. If your keen you could reality test that thought experiment/recollection.

Applying the reasoning to 2 1/2, the ropes are equally located about center but the load side is way higher than the control side. Can you say "ought to tilt?". Never measured the actual angles, maybe it just costs a little extra fuzzing.

Hope that helps

 

[southsoundtree]

Levi,

Here's some basic things to chew on.

4 - 24" speedline slings/ biners 2 ropes.

Some 'double-whip tackle'-ing of 40' pendulant limbs peeled into tie-off rigging (not horizontal limbs being drop-cut with significant impact).


Even on this minorly down- sloping stub, I could easily and securely wrap each rope in ways that could be easily flicked (strong flick) to lose a wrap until free.


I should have used the smooth red double-braid Fly (bought from Ray many years ago) instead of the white Treemaster. The munter hitch should have wrapped on an HMS or large squarer D-biner (Fusion is what I have).


Gotta run