I've been using a unicender for 4 months now exclusively. I attach it to my bridge with a pear biner, running tachyon through it and using a petzl chest harness and attaching it w/ a biner to the top of the uni. What I need advice on is keeping the rope from coming out of the bottom "L" especially and the top friction plate. This only happens on limb walks and is becoming quite annoying. I've tried with the uni in the upright position and with the top attachment disconnected. Granted, the rope angle out of the bottom has alot to do with it, but even with a decent straight rope it still happens. Maybe a second biner at the bridge for the rope to run through to keep it in check?
unicender advice
- Thread starter RexMan
- Start date
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
DsMC has come up with this fairlead for underneath the Unicender.
I've used various biners without the pulley with good success too.
Are you climbing with a chest ascender at the same time as using the Uni? I've done that during ascent sometimes but not during routine climbing.
In over 7 years of Uni Flying I've never had the rope come out of the top clutch. Not saying that it couldn't happen though.
I've used various biners without the pulley with good success too.
Are you climbing with a chest ascender at the same time as using the Uni? I've done that during ascent sometimes but not during routine climbing.
In over 7 years of Uni Flying I've never had the rope come out of the top clutch. Not saying that it couldn't happen though.
Attachments
Thanks for the quick reply Tom. I never use a chest ascender above the uni... Don't really see the point. It has come out of the top friction plate only 2 times but, one of those times I noticed it had come out AFTER I swung to an adjacent branch. Little scary to look at and even harder to get back into the plate with weight on it.( still held my weight but couldn't feed slack ) I'll try out the setup that DsMC has and see if it helps.
- Location
- Longmont, CO
If you are using a smaller diameter rope, like Blaze, it may fall out at sharp angles. I'd simply move up a little larger rope.
I start out with Blaze, move into Poison Ivy, and all the way up to 1/2" safety blue as the Uni wears.
I start out with Blaze, move into Poison Ivy, and all the way up to 1/2" safety blue as the Uni wears.
As with all tools, the Unicender has limits and operating at the edges of those limits will produce less-than-stellar results. By simply adding a tether( I use a 30" eye-to-eye and one carabiner) you will significantly increase the Uni's range of usefulness. The fixed pulley works well as does a Revolver carabiner and both can be used with a ring for reducing wear on long descents.
Dave
Dave
Attachments
NickfromWI
Participating member
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
I love the uni, but I'm really not happy with the slack tender at the bottom. I can't understand why they made it with an L shaped slack tender instead of a U shaped one.
I'm considering drilling into it and screwing in a post to turn the L into a U. Anyone wanna help with this endeavor?
love
nick
I'm considering drilling into it and screwing in a post to turn the L into a U. Anyone wanna help with this endeavor?
love
nick
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
Morgan made a prototype for me with the top leg of the L in a U with a roller across the 'bottom' or outside of the U. Actually, it becomes more like a J in a way. For some reason I don't have pics...hmmm.
If you add a bolt I'd suggest a shoulder bolt with a dab of LockTite. Shoulder bolts
Using a drill press to make a pilot hole that is square to the L of the Uni and a tap would make a good setup.
If you add a bolt I'd suggest a shoulder bolt with a dab of LockTite. Shoulder bolts
Using a drill press to make a pilot hole that is square to the L of the Uni and a tap would make a good setup.
- Location
- Longmont, CO
Another piece of advice:
Don't stop using one.
Don't stop using one.
[ QUOTE ]
I love the uni, but I'm really not happy with the slack tender at the bottom.
[/ QUOTE ]
Nick, the picture I posted is for friction sharing not slack tending. In fact, I do not even use the Fix pulley any more but instead just a Revolver wire gate and ring for that purpose. For slack tending the Revolver is clipped in close to the Uni. I don't have any pictures of that but will try and get some. It is a simple fix.
Dave
I love the uni, but I'm really not happy with the slack tender at the bottom.
[/ QUOTE ]
Nick, the picture I posted is for friction sharing not slack tending. In fact, I do not even use the Fix pulley any more but instead just a Revolver wire gate and ring for that purpose. For slack tending the Revolver is clipped in close to the Uni. I don't have any pictures of that but will try and get some. It is a simple fix.
Dave
I believe I have worked out a way to do this with a size 60 roller chain link which would be midline friendly, and have the advantage of capturing the rope and having a roller at the slack tender point also. it would require a .213 inch hole drilled in the "L" . I will try it out on my handmade model. You would have to promise to make a video tho. ; )
NickfromWI
Participating member
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
[ QUOTE ]
...I'd suggest a shoulder bolt with a dab of LockTite...
[/ QUOTE ]
Tom, that's exactly what I had in mind. I was going to go so far as to hack saw the head of the bolt off and file the edges smooth and round.
I think this addition will make a superior product.
Now I just gotta find someone around here with the tools needed to complete the task.
love
nick
...I'd suggest a shoulder bolt with a dab of LockTite...
[/ QUOTE ]
Tom, that's exactly what I had in mind. I was going to go so far as to hack saw the head of the bolt off and file the edges smooth and round.
I think this addition will make a superior product.
Now I just gotta find someone around here with the tools needed to complete the task.
love
nick
Nick, I agree that the Unicender should have had a fair lead within its initial design. This would have been very easy to do. Drilling and adding parts to its current configuration may have less than stellar results. I use the setup in these pictures to successfully fair lead without compromising the tool as is.
Dave
Dave
Attachments
NickfromWI
Participating member
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
That's a clean solution. I like how the carabiner is held in place in the first pic.
Why do you think the results would be less than stellar? What faults do you predict?
I think I am going to go for it as soon as the uni comes back from the recall inspection. If it turns out to not work, I can just pull the bolt out and expoxy the hole if needed to refill it.
love
nick
Why do you think the results would be less than stellar? What faults do you predict?
I think I am going to go for it as soon as the uni comes back from the recall inspection. If it turns out to not work, I can just pull the bolt out and expoxy the hole if needed to refill it.
love
nick
[ QUOTE ]
Why do you think the results would be less than stellar? What faults do you predict?
[/ QUOTE ]
I may be wrong, but there is not much mass at the tip of the short L so drilling a hole there, for a bolt, will not be very strong. The newly formed U will be supported on just one side, that combined with the stress at the bolt hole makes me think it won't take much force to cause a bend or crack failure.
Dave
Why do you think the results would be less than stellar? What faults do you predict?
[/ QUOTE ]
I may be wrong, but there is not much mass at the tip of the short L so drilling a hole there, for a bolt, will not be very strong. The newly formed U will be supported on just one side, that combined with the stress at the bolt hole makes me think it won't take much force to cause a bend or crack failure.
Dave
NickfromWI
Participating member
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
That is a possibility. You're right. Mine is in the mail on it's way to Rock Exotica HQ. When it comes back I'll have another look.
I keep my Uni on an adjustable tether. I'll have to see if I can incorporate a slack tender biner into the sling like you've done.
I keep my Uni on an adjustable tether. I'll have to see if I can incorporate a slack tender biner into the sling like you've done.
- Location
- Austria, Europe
I searched the Archive but didnt find an Answer to some of my Questions, so I put them up here:
- did someone find out the reason for the L- instead of U-shaped lower Leg?
and even more interesting for me:
- why is the lower Attachement-Point so long?
The only thing I came up with is because it needs it for leverage somehow, but for the rest I just see disadvanteges ( longer system, more chance of mis-loading, ...)
- did someone find out the reason for the L- instead of U-shaped lower Leg?
and even more interesting for me:
- why is the lower Attachement-Point so long?
The only thing I came up with is because it needs it for leverage somehow, but for the rest I just see disadvanteges ( longer system, more chance of mis-loading, ...)
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
The L or U shaped lower unit is evolutionary.
You're right, the length of the low L piece is related to the mechanism of the unit. Milling it into a slot reduces weight. When I first started on the Uni about 8 years ago I asked Morgan about the slot. More mass, even aluminum, changes the action. Less swing weight so that the clutches grab the rope consistently I guess.
You're right, the length of the low L piece is related to the mechanism of the unit. Milling it into a slot reduces weight. When I first started on the Uni about 8 years ago I asked Morgan about the slot. More mass, even aluminum, changes the action. Less swing weight so that the clutches grab the rope consistently I guess.
- Location
- atlanta,ga
tom. i know you climb srt the majority of the{as do i}. do you use your uni in conjunction with a wrench or similar tool or is it pretty smooth. im considring buying one or maybe a zig zag. the whole slack tending thing is a major deturrent for me though
- Location
- Austria, Europe
Thanks Tom, thats interesting!
The weight saving sound reasonable, the slot itself doesnt make me happy though
The weight saving sound reasonable, the slot itself doesnt make me happy though
