Dan Thornton
Participating member
- Location
- Smithsburg
I discovered a new trick (for me) yesterday in double-bagging.
I was starting another day in a job that included dead-wooding 24 white pines.
So happy - very first Big Shot toss was PERFECT! Exactly over the high crotch (TIP) I wanted, but of course throw ball kept sailing high in a second neighboring white pine and down through the ends of many branches. I was fortunately able to coax this first throw line all the way to the ground, through the second tree. All is well!
Then I attached two throw balls and a second throw line to the end by the big shot. All I need to do is get it up and over the crotch in the first tree and have it drop to the ground, and then I'll be climbing.
But would it drop to the ground? No way! Too much friction on the first line going through the second tree. I kept adding weight until I had four throw balls, 3 1/2 pounds of weight, but it wouldn't drop.
So, I tried something new (for me).
I pulled the four throw balls back down to the Big Shot location. I left one throw ball attached to the first throw line, and it had an XSRE locking carabiner attached to its end. A second throw ball was attached to the second throw line, but instead of attaching the second throw ball to the first one, I passed the second throw line through the XSRE carabiner with the second throw ball hanging loose below the first throw ball. See diagram.
I pulled the first throw ball up and through the crotch, with the second throw ball dangling beneath it all the way.
Holding the second thrown line at the ground, I tied a butterfly knot and attached a carabiner.
Now when I let the line loose, the loose throw ball fell to the ground, pulling the carabiner into the tree and over the crotch (TIP). Grabbing the throw ball that just fell, I could pull the line attached to the carabiner, which pulled the initial thrown line out of the second tree.
After all the initial frustration, that ended up being total fun!
I was starting another day in a job that included dead-wooding 24 white pines.
So happy - very first Big Shot toss was PERFECT! Exactly over the high crotch (TIP) I wanted, but of course throw ball kept sailing high in a second neighboring white pine and down through the ends of many branches. I was fortunately able to coax this first throw line all the way to the ground, through the second tree. All is well!
Then I attached two throw balls and a second throw line to the end by the big shot. All I need to do is get it up and over the crotch in the first tree and have it drop to the ground, and then I'll be climbing.
But would it drop to the ground? No way! Too much friction on the first line going through the second tree. I kept adding weight until I had four throw balls, 3 1/2 pounds of weight, but it wouldn't drop.
So, I tried something new (for me).
I pulled the four throw balls back down to the Big Shot location. I left one throw ball attached to the first throw line, and it had an XSRE locking carabiner attached to its end. A second throw ball was attached to the second throw line, but instead of attaching the second throw ball to the first one, I passed the second throw line through the XSRE carabiner with the second throw ball hanging loose below the first throw ball. See diagram.
I pulled the first throw ball up and through the crotch, with the second throw ball dangling beneath it all the way.
Holding the second thrown line at the ground, I tied a butterfly knot and attached a carabiner.
Now when I let the line loose, the loose throw ball fell to the ground, pulling the carabiner into the tree and over the crotch (TIP). Grabbing the throw ball that just fell, I could pull the line attached to the carabiner, which pulled the initial thrown line out of the second tree.
After all the initial frustration, that ended up being total fun!
