Speedline retrieval in a tree with wide spread
- Thread starter Fred_Berkelhammer
- Start date
- Location
- healdsburg, CA
I have always wondered at the use of a Gibbs for attaching one end of the fiddle block.
Seems to me that the manufactures never thought it would be used in this application.
With 'forces on a speedline' such as they are, is it a good idea to do this?
Laz, Charly's trolley is nicely counter-weighted so the rigging plate does stay pretty much where it should.
but in the sit. you describe even the best tool will not overcome an overzealous groundi!
Hope the trolley works out for you, and if it does'nt, let me know and I'll buy it from you.
I kinda would like to have another for some rec. climb ideas I have...
Frans
Seems to me that the manufactures never thought it would be used in this application.
With 'forces on a speedline' such as they are, is it a good idea to do this?
Laz, Charly's trolley is nicely counter-weighted so the rigging plate does stay pretty much where it should.
but in the sit. you describe even the best tool will not overcome an overzealous groundi!
Hope the trolley works out for you, and if it does'nt, let me know and I'll buy it from you.
I kinda would like to have another for some rec. climb ideas I have...
Frans
A counter weighted robust tandem pulley - sounds too good to be true! I'd like to have one
...'Dear Mr. Santa Claus...'
I use a Gibbs like that. Only its an ISC cam without a spring, so it free floats on the line (don't have to take it off and on). I worked it out that it'd break the line at 800kg. The fiddle blocks are rated for 600kg SWL (i.e one big guy at 5:1 to be safe). If I need more tension than that, I'd swap to a french prusik and stronger winch. A prusik will probably reduce the BS of the rope by half, so that needs to be considered.
...'Dear Mr. Santa Claus...'
I use a Gibbs like that. Only its an ISC cam without a spring, so it free floats on the line (don't have to take it off and on). I worked it out that it'd break the line at 800kg. The fiddle blocks are rated for 600kg SWL (i.e one big guy at 5:1 to be safe). If I need more tension than that, I'd swap to a french prusik and stronger winch. A prusik will probably reduce the BS of the rope by half, so that needs to be considered.
- Location
- Boulder County, CO.
Well, we finally did the job this week. I spent a few insomniac hours thinking that the speedline would waste more time than it would save (and I was right), but decided to go ahead and set it up anyway, mainly as a way to get everyone involved in a complex rigging project. When the crew is inspired, it carries over to the next, more mundane job.
This pic shows both trees; speedline runs from the spar over the house on the back tree, to the crotch to the right of Dustin in the foreground tree. We moved several large tops and logs out to the street on it, then went back to traditional dragging and hauling.
(I went through and compressed the same pics, should load faster)
This pic shows both trees; speedline runs from the spar over the house on the back tree, to the crotch to the right of Dustin in the foreground tree. We moved several large tops and logs out to the street on it, then went back to traditional dragging and hauling.
(I went through and compressed the same pics, should load faster)
Attachments
- Location
- Boulder County, CO.
- Location
- Boulder County, CO.
The tree had five long leaders (four visible here), and alot of linear feet of wood to remove, which was the original rationale for using a speedline. We got to demo a Ditch Witch SK 650 (a beast of a mini loader - 32 horse diesel on a 35" wide set of tracks!), so the speedline became a training opportunity, rather that a necessity.
Attachments
- Location
- Boulder County, CO.
The speedline retrieval method Paulo suggested worked pretty well, though it presented one more thing to get tangled up during the drifting/raising process, and we did suffer an inconvenient foul up on one piece. But it was clear that we were spending too much time. So Jeff did most of the high rigging by butt hitching off a redirect, or by drifting pieces over to the high spar, to be lowered into the yard. (Sorry, no pics of the speedline in action)
One unanticipated safety benefit of having set up a speedline is that we otherwise wouldn't have installed the guy line to back up the high spar. This backup made some fairly heavy loading more and safe (and less nerve wracking, as the high spar was out over the house), and allowed us to rig more pieces before moving the block down lower.
One unanticipated safety benefit of having set up a speedline is that we otherwise wouldn't have installed the guy line to back up the high spar. This backup made some fairly heavy loading more and safe (and less nerve wracking, as the high spar was out over the house), and allowed us to rig more pieces before moving the block down lower.
Attachments
- Location
- Boulder County, CO.
This was one of the few trees we've ever done where a second climber could work well out of range of the main climber. I pieced/rigged the lower wood of the leaders (on all but the main leader, which Jeff butt hitched and then pieced down), while Jeff worked on the tougher problems up high.
This is me, thanking the heavens that a 50 mph or so gust blew a piece onto the yard, not the wires. Mother Nature's own tag line
This is me, thanking the heavens that a 50 mph or so gust blew a piece onto the yard, not the wires. Mother Nature's own tag line
Attachments
- Location
- Boulder County, CO.
- Location
- Boulder County, CO.
- Location
- Boulder County, CO.
- Location
- Boulder County, CO.
Looks like you had some foul weather Fred.
Glad it all worked out. I find that a heavy rigging plate under the speedline carriage helps reduce the rsk of 'flip over' challenges.
I normally now only bother with a haul back speedline if I have a job with twin leaders where you can get plenty of height to remove the entire front fork out over the obstacle (not in one!). The rest I'll freeline and then use conventional rigging.
Thanks for sharing the project!
Glad it all worked out. I find that a heavy rigging plate under the speedline carriage helps reduce the rsk of 'flip over' challenges.
I normally now only bother with a haul back speedline if I have a job with twin leaders where you can get plenty of height to remove the entire front fork out over the obstacle (not in one!). The rest I'll freeline and then use conventional rigging.
Thanks for sharing the project!
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
Hi Fred,
Thanks for posting the pics. That was one big tree!
It's always nice to have lots of options for big jobs.
If you'd like to start another thread, how about a report on the skid steer?
Thanks for posting the pics. That was one big tree!
It's always nice to have lots of options for big jobs.
If you'd like to start another thread, how about a report on the skid steer?
- Location
- Boulder County, CO.
Paolo,
I probably should get a heavier plate. We've been using steel Karabs on the blue paw plate; I don't doubt that the bronze one would be more reliable.
Hey, Tom, hope you're doing well. I'll post to the relevent thread in the rant and rave forum, when I get a chance.
Any nibbles on the Bronco?
I probably should get a heavier plate. We've been using steel Karabs on the blue paw plate; I don't doubt that the bronze one would be more reliable.
Hey, Tom, hope you're doing well. I'll post to the relevent thread in the rant and rave forum, when I get a chance.
Any nibbles on the Bronco?
[ QUOTE ]
Paolo,
I probably should get a heavier plate. We've been using steel Karabs on the blue paw plate; I don't doubt that the bronze one would be more reliable.
[/ QUOTE ]
I don't know Fred - how heavy is it?
I hang a couple of heavy shackles off of mine, depending upon requirements. And they're cheap and can be used for other tasks, which is always good!
Paolo,
I probably should get a heavier plate. We've been using steel Karabs on the blue paw plate; I don't doubt that the bronze one would be more reliable.
[/ QUOTE ]
I don't know Fred - how heavy is it?
I hang a couple of heavy shackles off of mine, depending upon requirements. And they're cheap and can be used for other tasks, which is always good!
- Location
- Boulder County, CO.
I meant the bronze colored one, like in the Blair video, not actual bronze!
- Location
- Longmont, CO
Nice clean set up Javi!
