Speed Line set up

[frans]

I talked to Greg Good about the speed line set up and he suggested in order to minimize shock loading bring the SL up to the point you want in the tree, set a block, and bring the SL back down the tree, at the same angle as the first part, and tie it off to some other point/tree etc. Just so the two sections are the same angle with the tree as the highest point. He says this creates a suspended bridge effect with the tree as the pylon. It reduces shock loading on the tree.
The 'Golden Gate' effect
I'll try it out on the next one if I am not sick of hassling with SLs...
Frans

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Snarf,

Golden Gate is a good name for that setup. Changes the load to more compression than tension.

Something that is common to do is a load transfer system. This is one way to set it up:

Have a traveling block on the SL. Through the TB you set a lowering line which goes to a lowering device, FOS, etc.
Slack off the SL until it lines up with the piece you're cutting. This puts the TB above the connection point on the limb to be cut. Attach the lowering line to the limb and snug up the lowering line.
As the limb is cut, crank up the GRCS to take slack. With care, you can haul or slack out the lowering line.
After the limb is cut free you can control the drop with the lowering line.

Moving limbs in three dimensions is so cool. Plucking off pieces and floating them around makes me feel like a puppeteer

I've done setups like this and used my ATV as the anchor for the lowering line. I generally will reeve a 3:1 in the system if the limbs are big. The ATV weighs about 500# and I don't want to have things get out of control.

Tom

 

[hillbilly]

For the problem of branches being higher or lower than
the speedline, Mike Maas had an idea of a Gibbs or a
prusik for height adjustment.

Here is the illustration he made:
http://www.arboristsite.com/attach/3678.jpg
Here is the thread:
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7200

 

[frans]

Tom
Your idea of using your ATV is what I was doing but I used a p-up to create slack and tension in the SL. Dont like doing this cause it takes two people (one to drive and one to direct the truck according to my signals) to take up the slack in the SL and what if the truck snaps the tree in half? heaven forbid!

But for limbs above the SL now thats where the problem is.
The Gibbs or Prussik idea, well I dont know, seems kinda micky mouse in terms of strength. These limbs were (and usually are) too big and heavy to mess with that type of light hardware.
It seems like the best way is to have two GRCS. One to control the load and one to control the SL slack and tension. BUT it still does'nt address the issue of locking the load close to the SL. A MiniTraxion/Gibbs/prussik seems too light weight for real ropeing... and how would I easily lock off the prussik?
I have been trying all these new fangled ideas and rigging and the result seems to just slow things down alot. Not productive.
My hands start itching to just revert back to old school and just wreak out these trees.
But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel if I could just get a few wrinkles ironed out...

Frans

 

[Roger_Barnett]

Hey, snarf,

We met at the TreeHouse!

How about a prusik minding pulley as the traveling block, with a prusik (naturally) used for progress capture. I've never done that, bit it sounds like a cool idea. I'm not sure if that is applicable to what you were wondering about.
However, if the piece is above the SL, most recommend to alway catch it with the lowering line first, then ease it onto the SL. Did I still miss you exact point? Cause that answer seems mighty basic to me...Oh well, I tried.

Me, I usually just drop down the speedline, creating a bight, then pull the bight out with a z pulley set up, chipper winch, or chain saw winch. It is easier than using the lowering line to lift with. Of course, it does stress the SL anchor more, and should only be utilized when the SL is guyed back with a Golden Gate (great term guys and new to me), or the anchor point is bombproof. This method works great for lifting or lifting and turning a limb.

I will have to look for opportunities to utilize a traveling block and SL rig, such as the Tree House team did when they finished up--without many of us. I only recall doing it once or twice over the years.

 

[Kevin]

Could you use a winch strap to secure the bull rope that supports the block and advance the strap as you move up the tree?