When you see the Petzl Chicane

[LordFarkwad]

I have a BDB.

Mowerr, I like the akimbo but it sounds too finicky.

I haven't tried the uni or the hh. My impression is the uni has been superceded and I don't want to go back to hitch cords.

How about the Rope Runner? Don't forget him!

 

[speelyei]

Interesting video

 

[treegongfu]

I didn't. I have one. It is good but I stopped using it when it got gummed up at the top of a spruce tree and I had a hard time getting down.

Apart from the plagarism, the greatest shortcoming of the zigzag chicane is the length of the thing.

Mine is superior in that it works in the same manner but has the bdb top attached directly to it.

 

[rico]

I didn't. I have one. It is good but I stopped using it when it got gummed up at the top of a spruce tree and I had a hard time getting down.

Apart from the plagarism, the greatest shortcoming of the zigzag chicane is the length of the thing.

Mine is superior in that it works in the same manner but has the bdb top attached directly to it.

Would love to see a picture of your device. I know you mentioned that you have no interest in going back to hitch cord, but if you are ever interested in playing around with the HH2 let me know. I have a loaner that is out right now but could send it to you when it returns.

 

[Burrapeg]

I bought two ZigZags on sale at WesSpur (this was before the Chicane ripoff) and made DIY wrenches for them so I could use them SRT. I still use my BDB for a lot of climbs but I have one line with these ZZ's on each end, so I can leap frog them up something like a really cluttered conifer where I have to keep moving the TIP up repeatedly with no real way to easily set a line very high up to start with. Another thing I have started doing with them is to remove the wrench from one and use that one for a simple DdRT system on the tail of the primary SRT line. I can go up SRT and then move around, limb walk, etc. with either the DdRT tail or use my long lanyard. I learned this from a video Richard (yoyoman) made about this method of combining SRT and DdRT on each end of one rope. I must say, a lot of the fun of rec climbing for me is simply playing with all these options in different trees. Richard is a tremendous asset to our community. I will never buy anything made by Weaver again.

 

[Burrapeg]

. . . Mine is superior in that it works in the same manner but has the bdb top attached directly to it.

X2 on wanting to see a photo!!!!

 

[treegongfu]

Thanks Rico, that is very generous and in character.

 

[treegongfu]

I have a few pictures but feel like the z runner guy.

 

[treegongfu]

And

 

[Burrapeg]

That looks ingenious! I like the tending pulley on the lower arm. This is one of the few faults of my BDB. It does not tend as smoothly as something with an actual pulley wheel, especially when the tail is led straight back up vertical to a pulley on the rope for 3:1 MA. The ZZ is supreme in that regard, with its integral ball bearing pulley.

 

[treegongfu]

It works very well.

It needs a few refinements, the spring to get the top arm to engage can be to weak and not reliably engage or too strong and cause some tending friction.

This is primarily a problem of the spring location.

It tends from its primary attachment with a chest harness.

I have climbed on it in this configuration for two years.

It could benefit from a more advanced manufacturing process.

I would be happy to send it to someone more adept at these things if they had an interest in refining it.

 

[treegongfu]

Thanks Burrapeg! It seems simple and amateur in comparison to your powered ascender work.

 

[Burrapeg]

. . . I would be happy to send it to someone more adept at these things if they had an interest in refining it.

No need to send, at least as far as I am concerned. I think I could easily put one together just from your photos. I have an unfair advantage - I own a machine shop and small foundry.

 

[Burrapeg]

Thanks Burrapeg! It seems simple and amateur in comparison to your powered ascender work.

Thanks for the kind words but you are too modest. That device you made is quite impressive.

 

[treegongfu]

That is the roperunner bearing pulley.

 

[DSMc]

Have you tried shortening it by removing the lower arms and running the chain links bolt directly to the main body?

 

[JeffGu]

I own a machine shop and small foundry.

Well, quit screwing around on here and get to making me an aluminum ring with an inside diameter of five inches and about 5/8" thick stock.

I'll prop my Xmas stocking open and dump out the coal my wife put in there, so you have a place to drop it off.

EDIT: I'll leave some cookies out for you. Ignore the green flakes of plant material in them. You'll love 'em.

 

[treegongfu]

Have you tried shortening it by removing the lower arms and running the chain links bolt directly to the main body?

I have tried shortening it and lengthening it. This is what I found worked the best in conjunction with the lower lever.

I think it slipped with one link removed.
Also reducing length effects rope angles and tending friction.
It gets complicated because every change effects another aspect and if you cannibalize the parts you can't go backwards without a lot of time.

 

[treegongfu]

Burrapeg I can post more detailed pictures and measurements

 

[treegongfu]

If the engagement spring could be located on the top arm attachment link it would work better but that level of machining is beyond me.