Cycles to failure?

flushcut

TreeHouser
Joined
Jan 15, 2011
Messages
20,136
Location
Delavan, WI
So I was day dreaming today while deadwooding some oak trees and rigging down the wood with ISC 1/2” blocks. I remembered conversation about these blocks and how though they are and I thought of the question: How often do you retire rigging hardware? Ropes and slings get replaced regularly but when does one replace blocks or steel biners? I have some gear from before my business was a business. 20+ years.
Just a thought.
No cracks, no bouncing off of pavement, use but not abuse.
 
Great question. I never have taken a piece of rigging hardware out of service, but for one 3 inch aluminum pulley that the bearings got rumbly in. Light rigging, nothing very shocky, just conifer limbs of moderate size. It was probably 15 years old, I think. I probably abused it some, but not badly.
 
You oughta see how old some of the chain falls and stuff in construction is, i routinely am using stuff that's older than me. If you take care of stuff it lasts and lasts.
 
I'd be more concerned about frequent heavy negative rigging. Maybe the materials can get work hardened and fail? If I were in the position, I might consider downgrading a heavy block at /some/ interval, even if it passes a visual inspection.
 
I’ve managed to retire 4 of those ISC mini blocks because the bushings had worn out. Also 3 port-a-wraps because they ended up with some pretty deep grooves in them. I could shine a light down the tube and see discoloration inside. I don’t replace hard ware often but still wear things out. Only replaced a few things from abuse as well.
 
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