Friction Bollard?

[treesmith]

I don't work alone because I'm bursting forth with energy...it's usually because I can't find help. I have been more fortunate in the past several years when it comes to big jobs, and haven't done a big job alone for some time now.

 

[emr]

We were looking into getting one from KK and we talked to the KK salesman at the TCIA Expo in Milwaukee. He told us to save our money. He told us that their version might look like the Hobbs (kind of), but they dont work the same. He said there are problems with the rope feeding into the "winch". He also told us that you can possibly pre-tension a Hobbs with only one person, but it is almost impossible to do it with the KK version. We were ready to buy one before talking to him, and we told him that yet he still talked us out of it. He also knew that we had no intensions of buying a Hobbs or GRCS from him at that point, but he still talked us out of the KK version. That should speak volumes when a salesman talks you out of a sure sale. I have never used a fixed bollard, but when the time is right, it will be a GRCS for me.

 

[klimbinfool]

Treesmith, I have used fixed bollards and everything up to the fancies. I would use a fixed bollard over a porty any day of the week especially on larger removals.However, like anything you have to talk the groundmen through, before used. It's pretty brainless and you cant hardly put the rope on wrong, will take a pounding, can stand on either side (provide space) and very little if none, hockling. A porty will hockle the rope if not tended all the time and especially on shorty trees.

Greg

 

[cutitup]

I made this up some months back.......

https://www.masterblasterhome.com/showthread.php?t=12030

I like it and it does what I ask of it very well. I've shock loaded it quite a bit and it handles -what I "throw" at it- just fine. After using it for a few days the number of wraps becomes second nature. However, you do need to be careful on how the line enters it.
I'm also lucky in that my son is my groundie and I've been "learning" him since he's been about 8 years old. I swear to you I would hold "rigging class" in the backyard! He's now 15 and we have been working together so long that I'll gonna be lost when he moves on to greener pastures. I can tell you one thing though if he gets a job as a goundie somewhere there's one treeguy that's going to think this kid came from heaven!!

 

[Frans]

thats a real nice clean design

 

[treesmith]

That looks nice, cutitup. I've got some steel laying around and I've thought about building something like that. Is the base part 6-inch channel? That's what I thought about using. Gotta get wome more acetylene before I can do anything though. Got any more pics of it?

 

[klimbinfool]

Very Clean...NIce job....

 

[klimbinfool]

Cutitup, do you think it would help to have a fairlead at the top to keep your rope guided ?

 

[cutitup]

Thanks, guy's. It's 4 inch channel that I used and 3 inch pipe. I deal mostly with skinny "pecker poles" where I live so the 4" channel works OK for me. You could use 6" but it might limit you to somewhat bigger spars.
As to the fairlead I use a 'biner or a small shackle that I put on a sling girth hitched around the tree. I run the rope through the biner or shackle. I was going to make a fairlead on it but I've found the biner/shackle method works very well and allows me to put it either close to the bollard or farther away as the situation changes.

 

[Burnham]

Don't forget that with a ratcheting bollard, besides the ability to pre-tension the rigging rope, a competent ropeman can also pull slack out as it develops in the first moments of fall.

 

[Frans]

You can do that with a fixed bollard. Just a bit harder to do.

Any of the bollards, weather they are porta-craps, ratcheting, or fixed ALL require a new skill set. The point of where the rope grabs or slides is very small and needs a light sure hand to work perfectly.

roping is an art form really.


The argument of 'my guys don't understand all that fiddly stuff' is a sure way to admit that you and your company are unwilling to grow and learn.
FWIW

 

[Bounce]

The argument of 'my guys don't understand all that fiddly stuff' is a sure way to admit that you and your company are unwilling to grow and learn.
FWIW

You said it mon. Ain't that the truth.

 

[Blinky]

You can do that with a fixed bollard. Just a bit harder to do.

Any of the bollards, weather they are porta-craps, ratcheting, or fixed ALL require a new skill set. The point of where the rope grabs or slides is very small and needs a light sure hand to work perfectly.

roping is an art form really.


The argument of 'my guys don't understand all that fiddly stuff' is a sure way to admit that you and your company are unwilling to grow and learn.
FWIW

+1

Burnham,
Do you pull slack during the fall with the crank handle? I thought it should be removed when actually dropping the piece.

 

[Frans]

Blinky we call that 'rapid slack removal'.
Taking the suddenly created slack out of the load line as the piece drops or is pushed off the stem.
Then, 'letting it run' as the rope accepts the load to minimize shock loading.

Its an art to rope well.

Best guy I ever had roping for me was a stone cold drunk. All he would do is run the ropes. He kept on hand a couple of Shlitz malt liquor in the large size. Drank them throughout the day.
That guy was like the pinball wizard with a load line.

 

[cory]

Best guy I ever had roping for me was a stone cold drunk. All he would do is run the ropes. He kept on hand a couple of Shlitz malt liquor in the large size. Drank them throughout the day.
That guy was like the pinball wizard with a load line.

Ah, ya gotta love it. LOL.

Frans, is rapid slack removal necessary if you are going to let the piece run?

It would be nice if there is little to no room to let it run, but otherwise why bother? Just asking.

 

[PCTREE]

Rapid slack removal isnt done with the handle, the bollard is free to rotate in the direction of taking in as it has ratchets so no matter how many wraps are on it you just pull the rope and the bollard rotates. The reason to pull in slack if you have room to let her run is so as not to let the piece gain to much speed before you have it under control , even if you can let er run its better with less momentum.

My 2cents

 

[lumberjack]

It's helpful on the big bits and on the pieces you can't let run very far.

 

[thattreeguy]

the red bollards will do fine for your needs a grcs is the way to go but i use my lil red bollard daily and havent had a problem with it
and i drop big chit on it

 

[Frans]

The idea is to minimize shock loading.
Think quiet rigging. Shock loading your ropes, the tree, the gear, it is really the biggest danger in rigging

 

[sotc]

It may not be nessasary on a long run but you can gain control of the load quicker

 

[TREECYCLE]

Put that on your friction Bollard and smoke it

 

[lumberjack]

That's pretty well sketchy.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Not how I'd do it.

 

[stig]

If there is any taper to the trunk, I can just see that porty going up to say hello to the climber.

 

[lumberjack]

I was thinking the intense loading on a $18 rachet strap from China.