Rigging Question

Yes, Steve, when we are not bitchin and squabling like to sibs we are. Glad to finally meet you all.:D
 
HA, I have two teens who have prodded and poked at me to get with the tech, smilies, avatars, chats and the works. Not bad for an ol plowboy from the hills:)
 
Rob understands more working physics than I do... He really helps get the job done when I am up in the wood... I would be lost with out him. :)
Give that man a lever and a fulcrum and I bet he could move anything with just tenacity. :D
 
Cool! Welcome to the treehouse Rob. 8)

I think I understand what you're doing there with the rigging, now if I could see it done then I'd be sure.
 
Also I would add that at the base of the zip anchor (A) is your lowering/friction devise. Thus you would feed the line out at that point to the entire rig. The anchor point on the lowered object would then not only follow the downward line, but also lower the other point (c) on the lowered object. So as you lower, the lowered piece would not only follow the line with more tension, but also the slack being offered to the other hitch point(c). Make sense? So in basic principal, it would run the line and lower at the same time landing at about 1/3 the distance from the trunk to the point (a).
 
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kiss_destroyer.jpg
 
OK, I'll say it, K.I.S.S.


dunno if that's what da Blasta meant...but know'n him and his ways like I do.....I'ma jes guessin'...

Wow....been a few years since I've seen "Born on The Fourth of July" Taking a puter break....Cruise just confessed to a family that he prolly killed their 19 yr old son...friendly fire.... heavy, man!

Welcom, Rob....

I'll have to try your trick, it does sound intriguing...and I like fancy rigging, now and then. But, usually, we just gotta get the job done the fastest way.

Later...
 
Rob and I are estimating, that if you ( as the groundie) pull the piece cut over as it is hinging, it should fall less to the rope and thus reduce the shock. Then it is lowered down the tensioned line only away from the tree and then down at the same time. I really think the shock load is lessened. Theory mind you, but we have used this and I know I don't feel as much shock on the tree from it as like I had just dropped it.
I believe in KISS.. but when we have to get it away from the base of the tree, This is a handy tool. I would imagine it would also save you time if you can make or find an anchor point away from the tree with out having to rig another tree or such. Even a mini could be used for the anchor point on 3-500 # drops.
Also saves on turf with out a separate lowering line on a speed line.
 
OK.. Rob has drawn a better picture with explanation of this concept... See if I can get this posted....
 

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Rob's quite the artist. I can appreciate the time that goes into a drawing like that. I'd like to see that system working the way it's illustrated.

Looks to be a bit on the complicated side, but I've learned out in the field things come up that make you scratch you head to find solutions to a problem. It all works out and later when you try to explain it to people they look at you like,, WTF.

You got to come up with a good name for that system. I'll feature it in my next video.
 
It actually is a simplification to a problem. If you look close, you can actually save a line. On a zip line, often you would run a second line to the pulley for a controlled lowering down the zip line. This is actually using the existing zip line for both... It does however change the zip line into something else. Like Rob explained, a slate patio, everything had to be real gentle. And there was no room for a direct lower because of the limb being over a roof. This limb was way out off the tree like 30-40 feet. We had shat every where to miss... House, pool, pond, slate, knick-nacks, planters... Ya'll know what I am talking here.. And this made it happen kinda slick.

Forgot to mention the plate glass windows on that side of the house....
 

With a GRCS on each line it's frickin rediculous what you can do.

Charley Wagner and I set up a similar system (with 2 GRCS's) to get a white oak down that was over a specimen Jap Maple. The only difference was I stuck a block on the end of the drift line instead of tying 2 ropes to the working piece. It was easier to reset, and if we needed 2 lines on the piece (we didn't) the drift line was already there.
 
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So four pulleys are involved?

GRCS? I'd love to know the % of tree companies with one of those. I bet it's like 3%.
 
I don't know anyone in my area that has a GRCS. Heck, I don't even use the portawrap that often. Usually it's bombs away. For $10, I can bring a few bags of topsoil and a couple squares of sod to fix the divots if need be. :D
 
Steve, I assume whatever you're using as your lowering device attached to whatever you're using as your anchor.

Keep in mind that the weight of your work will deflect the rope as it comes down, so your actual deflection away from the tree won't be absolute. Letting rope out to lower the work also allows it to swing back towards the tree. This would work best on pieces less than a couple hundred pounds that you can swing out by manipulating the rope.
 
I'm not a treeman ,I am a rigger though .

As a general observation it appears to me that most people rigging down a tree that is being disassmbled don't use a lot of pulleys .Often times they use a shackle of some sorts to run the line over .

Being a steel rigger this never done that way .All redirects run through a pulley or sheeve of some sort or another .

Then too ,more times than not with the stuff I do is assemble rather than disassembly or pulling heaving cable with often 8 thousand or more pounds of load .

That said though it would appear to me that the use of pulleys /sheeves would do better at preserving lines /ropes .Plus be a tad safer regarding possible cuts or abrasions the line could be subjected to thus causing a failure .Just a thought .
 
Can't say that I've ever seen a shackle used as a lowering device. Either pulleys, blocks, or just natural crotches.
 
Not trying to pick here again just conversation. But if you're only gaining that little of distance away from the base of the tree, wouldn't a tagline be able to accomplish the same thing? Or a driftline if further distance was needed?

I'd still like to see some pics next time you guys employ it if time permits.


No GRCS here............yet.
 
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