Threadbare

[Bounce]

It's been too long since I've seen a new thread in felling and rigging, so I'm starting one just to keep the juices flowing. When you guys pull a piece over against it's lean, what do you use and why?

If it's just a small top or short trunk and I don't need a ton of power, I usually just use a quick 2:1 advantage with a couple biners. Here's a pic from the catalog (orange sling usually gets anchored to another tree at ground level):

 

[Bounce]

If it's a bigger piece or has a lot of lean I'm pulling against, I like to use a Maasdam continuous rope puller come-along. I stopped using my truck after I watched it get dragged across somebody's lawn by a tree that weighed a good deal more than the truck. That was a bad day. Sometimes I even use the 2:1 system with the rope puller on it, doubling the power of my come along.

 

[Mr. Sir]

I always put pulleys on the biners. Easier pulling, less friction.

 

[pete mctree]

Is that a revolver krab you are yousing on the 2 to 1?

 

[wiley_p]

z-rig is standard, sometimes a 4:1 piggyback, sometimes reeve a 4:1 in front of the GRCS, still use a truck often, just need to use a tail hold, and have a porty on the receiver.I'd say the first two get the job done 90% of the time.

 

[Bounce]

Yup, revolver with built in pulleys.

 

[pete mctree]

what knot are you using? I prefer the alpine butterfly

 

[NickfromWI]

what knot are you using? I prefer the alpine butterfly

I prefer a slip knot- easier to remove. Or better yet, a slip knot on a bight.

love
nick

 

[Mr. Sir]

Yup, revolver with built in pulleys.

Built in pulleys??? Haven't seen one of those animals yet.

 

[SkwerI]

Here you go Brett, leeched from Wesspur's website.

http://www.wesspur.com/Carabiners/accessory-carabiners.html
second from the bottom.

 

[Mr. Sir]

Here you go Brett, leeched from Wesspur's website.

http://www.wesspur.com/Carabiners/accessory-carabiners.html
second from the bottom.

Cool! The gate looks pretty flimsy though. What are they rated? Pretty slick for a speed line, eh? What else would you use them for?

 

[Frans]

p or short trunk and I don't need a ton of power, I usually just use a quick 2:1 advantage with a couple biners. Here's a pic from the catalog (orange sling usually gets anchored to another tree at ground level):

If you really want to go basic, just use a truckers hitch.

 

[squisher]

Just cause Burnham's not here I'll say it. WEDGES!

 

[Frans]

When I posted, I did not see the posts about reducing friction. Biners are a quick way to do that.
That DMM biner I bet is not too strong. At least for rigging

 

[Will]

Cant beat a compounded reduction for bigger logs.

 

[Al Smith]

Hmm not being a real climber I don't have real climbers stuff . Being a rigger though I have a bunch of big snatch blocks .They won't break .

 

[Bodean]

We use a John deere 644 loader,
or a cat bobcat, or a 5:1 pulley gizmo if we're in the cuts.

 

[Bounce]

For the midline knot where one of my biners goes on, I use an alpine butterfly. I switched to that after I had to cut a trucker's knot out of the line because it was loaded to heavily.

Wedges are great unless you've got a lot of lean. Even then I still usually use them though just in case the line breaks so the cut doesn't close and pinch my bar in the kerf.

 

[Burnham]

Just cause Burnham's not here I'll say it. WEDGES!

Thanks, Squish . I really don't think many of y'all truly appreciate the power available from properly applied wedging.

If I need real pulling power though, I use the truck mounted Warn 12,000 winch. I have reeved rope all around and about obstacles with blocks to redirect the direction of pull, allowing for it's use even when the access for the truck was poor. I never pull with the truck...keep it parked and even anchored down if need be.

Wedges are great unless you've got a lot of lean. Even then I still usually use them though just in case the line breaks so the cut doesn't close and pinch my bar in the kerf.

Absolutely. Or even worse things can happen, like the tree going over backwards or sideways if the hinge isn't up to holding together under that kind of stress...keep the wedges snug all through the pull.

 

[pantheraba]

Midline knot for me is always a single or double butterfly...and I use a pulley if I really want an efficient (stronger) pull. I usually use a z-rig system. If I need more, my next option is a rope hoist that gives me 4:1.

I have started using wedges more and more...I am becoming a believer in the power of the wedge.

 

[pantheraba]

The butterfly is designed for 3 directional stress...I was taught the knot in 1969 at a Ranger mountaineering training course...it was a midline knot for moving groups of people across a rock face with all being linked to the same rope...you tied it around your waist.

I have never had a butterfly get jammed...I have had to use a rope wrench (aka knife) with a slip knot used midline.

 

[TC3]

I stopped using my truck after I watched it get dragged across somebody's lawn by a tree that weighed a good deal more than the truck. That was a bad day.

Sorry, but that is a funny visual !!! "I said put it in the kitchen... IN THE KITCHEN !"
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Was the look on the driver's face priceless ?!?
I've had a few hairy experiences (early on in the game) bringing a stick over center. After a while, all the extra time it takes to set up & put away the 2:1 is sooo worth it !

 

[Drella]

On our crew, it was always two guys on a rope and wedges,, 100% success rate.

 

[Blinky]

Wedges, 5:1 fiddle block...
if there's a loader on site, the loader.

 

[Bounce]

Was the look on the driver's face priceless ?!?

Now that its been a few years since it happened, it's good for a laugh every time I think about it. At the time though, it sure did suck.

On our crew, it was always two guys on a rope and wedges,, 100% success rate.

That works great if you aren't pulling against much lean. 2 guys might be able to generate 500 lbs pulling power, which is completely inadequate when pulling over a 130 ft fir tree from a 60 degree angle. As far as wedges go, I just can't figure out how to stack 5 or 6 wedges on top of each other. When the back cut has to open 6-8" before the tree falls, wedges are less useful. On the job in question I actually had to shave thick wedges off the face cut so I could stack those in the back cut, allowing my plastic wedges to keep working.