Spectra for throwline

F

freemanruss

Location
Gulfport, Mississippi
does anybody know of a good place to get a 1000' spool of the spectra throwline now that sherrill doesn't have it in their catalog anymore? and what are the advantages of "zing-it" or any other high strength throw lines?
 
Zing-It is soooo light and slippery! It takes less oomph and a lighter bag to make the same shot as using Slickline. On the same tack, a higher shot can be made with more oomph.

I've got some ZI that's been in use for over a year. The ends get a little frayed so I cut them off.

Tom
 
is the zing it strong, does it kink? what size ball do you use? I have been using the same bit of this spectra for a little over a year and it's been great, it is supple, strong, lighter than the slick-line I used to use. about half of the pull cords on our crew have been replaced with the stuff it's great, I've even used it to hang a hammock to a big fir tree out in Washington and slept on it. I am the kind of guy, when I find something I really like I will usually stick with it, as satisfaction is extremely hard to come by in a mail order tool industry. The last throwline I got just a couple of months ago from Sherrill has a breaking strength of like 250-300 lbs. I guess that's good, if I don't want to break limbs when my line gets stuck, but what about getting down hangers and such. I love the spectra because it is so supple. The knots come out so well and in a day or so, you wouldn't even know they were there. and until recently, it would always come right down over limbs, even rough bark. I would like to know more about this Zing it, and I appreciate your endorsement Tom, really ,but I have a hard time buying gear I can't see. I trust as a tree buzz administrator, you've quite a bit of experience, as I can also gather from your posts. Maybe I'll give the Zing it a try. Are there different diameters?
 
Freeman,

You can still get Spectra, just call Sherrill's they have it in stock , just dont show it in the Cat. I have both spectra and Zingit. I can throw abaout a hundred feet with Zingit using a 10 oz bag and still get it to come down fairly well depending on the type of tree.As Tom said very slick and I think it is a 2.2 mil. The only thing I hate about it is the notted balls and tangled up mess I get all the time with it.
Spectra on the other hand is a 3 mil. 1200lbs flat line that has a limper lay than Zingit and less tangeling, although it still does. Have to keep it free of any little debri or you will get a notty mess. However it is much easier to untangle . It's slippery , but not as slippery as Zingit. Very little strumming effect with either line, wich sometimes ticks me off because I had used Slick line for ten years before switching to these new lines.I use a 12 oz bag with the Spectra because of the thick bark on the VAlley Oaks we have around here and still throw eighty to ninty feet. Myself, I prefer Spectra over the Zingit, but I'm not giving up on Zingit yet. I have to use it more, break it in and then compare.

Greg
 
Tree Geek

You need a 1000' of Spectra, and I am assuming that you have a double bigshot like myself (80 plus m) or you need to have repeated shots at low heights.

We now use baler twine, for the initial shots, and for the longer ones pull up an intram haul line. There is 30,000' of line deployment in every role of twine, and if you don't like the shot you cut the line away , retie the fullsize throwbag and fire again. In forested environments one big hassle is line deployment, and the plastic wrapt baler twine is well suited.

No more tangles, no more flaking.

Graeme McMahon
 
Gerry,
here are two pics,
1. shows the "back to back" bigshot rubbers, joined by another bag. The two rubbers together are too strong to pull down by hand and have to be pulled down with a pully system/ quick release makes for more accurate shooting.
I think telescope sights are needed at 80 - 70 m.
Graeme
 

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2. shows role of bailer twine in plastic lined up in dieretion of shot and elavated position of double bigshot.
A full size throw bag with bailer twine seems to come down almost as fast as we shoot it up.
Regards
Graeme
P.S. All this great stuff on the computer is automated, I tell my son what to do and it happens!:)
 

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I'm just going to have to do it I guess. Order up two BS heads and build the frame. Ought to solve the problem of me having to climb the traverse tree to set a line in the Montgomery Giant. Picture attached. First limb 250'.

I found the site "Actsafe" They are going to let me know where I can order the Odysse-PM winch

The mpeg movie of you blowing that limb (two tons) with explosives and catching it in the rigging is awesome, Graeme. Thanks

Really, Graeme, you ought to start a new post on the Buzz about that big Euc. I know everyone will love it.
 

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no double BS, but what a good idea...what's the range on that thing? the reason for the 1000' of spectra is that many on our crew need new lines, things seem cheaper when you buy in bulk. and hey, what about this Euc post Mr.B is talking about?
 
Seems threads always get sidetracked at times and Graeme is going to have to pick up ramblings of this one on a new post. I recieved a Mpeg movie of him blowing out a major spar in the big Euc. Truely awesome.

I might add that after having met Graeme in Seattle during the ITCC that he is not a person to mince time for material. With that bulk spool of bale twine he keeps on shooting without bother of trying to recover it for another shot.

As with some other of Graemes methods he don't let material costs slow the job down.

In all of Don Blair's discriptions of the "Euc Man" It is only accurate to say that Graeme is the mold that Euc Men come from.

His work shows that. It was an honor to meet him and see the videos of the work he has done.

But even all said, Graeme is a humble person and not afraid to admit feelings of concern for the customers, the crew, the job and himself.

Should he ever compile his images and video of the work he has done I can only say it would be "AWSOME"

You hearing me, Graeme?
 
Gerry

As usual you are a gentleman and your kind words make me feel a little embarressed. I consider it high praise indeed coming from yourself, thanks. However you know my philosophy, "rooster today , feather duster tomorrow".

We have some very similar problems in manageing and removing large trees the world over, and that is why I got such a kick from talking with you in Seattle. Ill contact the administrators of this forum and see if is ok to put up some "happy snaps".

Monday, is the day weather permitting that I will blast the big limb off (2.5-3 ton est), followed by the crown. If the head of the mature ash doesn't break off with the pre-load it will also be severed with explosives, but not caught. Hopefuly the pre-load will enable it to collapse away from the creek and viewing platform.

Regards
Graeme McMahon
 
Amazing picture Jerry! We definetely don't have trees like that here in Europe. Who is willing to take me up one of those???

Sergio
 
2mm Mammut!!!

Jason- I bought some of that stuff (400') when i was first getting into tree climbing. I spliced an eye to one end, but that broke couldn't handle the abuse the end of throw lines go through.
The 2mm Mammut was great compared to the 1/8" diameter hardware-store line i WAS using. I couldn't believe the difference. Just a month ago (at TCI) I bought a spool of 1.75mm Zing-It. WOW!!! The prob with the Mammut was that after little use, the nylon frayed like crazy and became really resistant to sliding down branches. I was using a 16oz. bag to make 40' tosses. It just WOULDN'T slide back down. Now granted my ZI is new, but I doubt that the problem will be as great as what I had before. Now I use an 8oz. bag and couldn't be happier!!! With an eye spliced on the ZI, my shots are quick and effortless!!!

love
nick
 
Re: 2mm Mammut!!!

I've been using Spectra for a few years, still like it best, but have only been using ZingIt for a few weeks now. I needed something shorter then 200ft that my Spectra is and that "flylite" Sherrill sells is real prone to breakage. Actualy I think it is crap.

The only thing i do not like about Spectr is that it has a mind of it's own and will birdsnest in a heartbeat. I have to stuff the bag just so or it will come out in a big glob.

The ZI seems to bcome a hardlay after being tensioned a few times, so it seems less likely to do this so far.
 
Re: 2mm Mammut!!!

I've been using the Zing-It for a few months now and finally figured out an easy way to deal with removing the throwbag for pulling the rope up. Since even a running bowline won't untie very easily, I tied a standing bowline with a loop large enough for the throwbag to pass through. Then I girth hitch the bag on the line so it can be removed without untying any knots. Even with a 'slip' in a knot, the ZI won't always come untied. This might have been obvious to many of you, but it took me a while to figure it out. (DUH)
JPS is right about it getting stiff after it's been pulled hard a few times. I just picked up a can of Ballistol lubricant to see if I can get my old ZI to deploy like new again.
And yes, the Fly Lite is crap. I had some that I cut up into 12" pieces before throwing it away so I wouldn't be tempted to keep it for a 'spare'.
 
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