TreeStuff - APTA - Wow!

Red dot sights are great as long as you can keep your head and eye in close proximity. They should work well from the shoulder launch position. As I said earlier, that does not work well for me so having a lazer that can project an image, regardless of how you are holding the APTA is the obvious choice for me and anyone else that needs or would like that flexibility.
 
Do you just tape it on top?

I'll answer too, with I bet yes.

The mailman brought me a green laser with an APTA last night. Looking forward to blast off.

I've had some good times and great shots with the Bigshot, but the broken ferrel coma or snapping rubber bands makes me leary of it......not no más with the APTA.
 
Congrats man! You'll love it. Yes mine is held on with two sided tape and zip ties, but that is just the picatinny rail and the lazer can slide on and off.
 

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My lazer was made for use on firearms so has windage and elevation adjustments. You will want to check and make sure that your lazer is pointing where you think. One way is to cut two V notches in a cardboard box so they will support the APTA while you spin it. With the lazer on, spin the APTA with it pointing ar a large object about 25 yards away. What you should see is the dot ascribing a small circle. If it is a large circle then your lazer is not pointing straight down the tube and will need to be adjusted.
 
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  • #306
Do you just tape it on top?

I'll answer too, with I bet yes.

The mailman brought me a green laser with an APTA last night. Looking forward to blast off.

I've had some good times and great shots with the Bigshot, but the broken ferrel coma or snapping rubber bands makes me leary of it......not no más with the APTA.

Deva....look back at post #180....on Nov. 15, 2015 of this thread...it shows some pictures of the green laser holder I am using...bamboo. Simple to start with...anything slightly bigger than the laser will contain it. I have cardboard to brace it securely in the boo...and an index mark at the end of the APTA that helps with a quick alignment when I put it in the bamboo. Crude but effective so far.
 
HA!

Have yet to mount the laser but eyeball is pretty good.
Brought it to work. Hooked it up to air compressor at 200psi.

I love the little recoil!!!
Did I read someone had like 400psi in one?

Thing is rad.

Of course instantly everyone asked how much it was and that they could make one themselves....

Thing is rad. I hit my tie in two to es consistently back to back with a tired leaking 14 Oz bag... ring down.
 
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  • #308
Yeahhhhh....now you are ruined! The APTA is cool.

I am still working on a portable air supply. Trying to get my son to get a surplussed firefighter airpac....SCBA.
 
If I wanted a portable power source, I would use a CO2 tank like for a paint ball marker.
With an adjustable pressure regulator you would have a very light and portable power supply.
 
Deva, get yourself some of the recommended 12oz bags. Even if you have had trouble in the past on getting the lighter bags to come back down, the ability of the APTA to send the weight beyond the target crotch helps immensely. With 12oz bags, 200psi is a lot! It should get lines to the top of most of your trees.

Co2 might be a good light weight and fast fill option, especially in the Bay Area, where temperatures do not get really cold.
 
A bike pump is light, cheap, easy, and always full. 25 pumps, and I'm good.

Co2 seems overkill. $ .o2
 
Some of the paintball stuff is pretty cool, but I agree with you. A bike pump is light weight, portable and reliable. Co2 is also very inconsistent in an area where the temperature makes big swings.
 
Try spraying some dry lubricant in the tube (barrel). I used liquid wrench dry lube, gave it some extra distance.
 
made a 14 oz weight with an 'O' ring seal grove, got a little more taper on this one. Shot it 10 times 100+ feet into a crowded Spruce canopy with no hang ups. Its amazing how far this thing goes with minimal air pressure ; 55 psi for 100 ft vertical. IMGP0064.jpg
 
Climb High Im super interested in that weight. Can I buy one?

Were do you want me to ship it ? and its on its way. maybe you guys will come up with some better Ideas after playing around with it. Been having lots of fun shooting it around here, just move the Lexus out of the way before you pull it out of the tree !
 
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  • #321
Nick, I told you I was thinking of using a scuba tank for charging the APTA. My son is a firefighter and takes care of their AirPacs for their department. He told me to be patient and he would see what he could come up with. Here are pictures of what I am using for remote site APTA use. Up til now I used a bicycle pump...works fine but tedious and slow compared to this airpac.

The FF Airpac is fiberglass so it is much lighter than scuba tanks...and holds more pressure. I don't know the voodoo involved in the air regulation system but I have about 10 shots through the APTA so far and it is working well. The first few shots I charged it for about 5 seconds and checked pressure with a tire gauge...it showed about 50-60 pounds pressure each time. Now I just count seconds. I'll be getting an air chuck with built-in air gauge so I can accurately charge the APTA for different heights.

I figure I have used about 500 pounds of air but the pressure indicator has not moved much..still over 3,000 pounds. I have not weighed it yet but it is easy to carry. I had an old Lloyd Bridges style scuba backpack that I am using...has a handle built in.

Alex made one for himself, too...he gets good use wearing it and using it to power air tools when a compressor is not available.

The shot I made today (first try) was to a 70' TIP I needed to use for a takedown I am doing at my house. I let the tank pressurize the APTA for a 6 count and the shot was about 10 feet over the TIP. (12 oz. Weaver throwbag weight)

I typically used a 16 oz throw bag with the APTA...it fits but is a TIGHT fit...have to use the bamboo ramrod to sink it. My last few shots were with the smaller 12 oz bag. It slides down the tube easily, without the ramrod..not as tight a seal but it did make the 70 foot TIP shot well. Sometimes the heavier bag is needed to overcome bark friction in a "thick" tree. I'll still be experimenting with throwbag sizes, I am sure.

I am really liking it so far. Not sure of the value for folks not closely related to FF's...in terms of getting the system re-charged (it cannot be re-charged from a "regular" home or shop-use air compressor). Jim and Bermy...y'all will likely recognize some of the air configuration involved.

FYI, I use the 6 gallon air compressor for on-board air in my tree trailer (I could use the AirPac backpack air but save it for the APTA). Wonderful to clean saws (and people) at the end of the day. I run "shore power" to it when parked at home and run the compressor long enough to fill the air tank. I am not sure if a 12V inverter would be strong enough to charge it running down the road. If anybody has any ideas on that let me know...it would be great to use the truck to produce the AC power for the Rigid air compressor.
 

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That's a fun use for an older SCBA tank. When full, those bottles hold 45 cu ft of air, like a 3x3x5 box. Should be a lot of APTA charges per tank. Have you asked a SCUBA shop about having it filled? similar procedure IIRC.

Missed most of this thread, is that a homemade APTA?
 
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  • #324
Not a clue...I would have to measure. I guess that relates to Ruel's question about it being homemade.

Ruel, that is one of the first of what I think of a Gen. 2 (or 3) maybe of the APTA. I think Dave and I were one of the original folks to support Nick Bonner as he got the APTA started. I have a cast iron pipe version of an APTA...effective, futuristic looking and HEAVY...hard to use. I think Dave had a "tube mortar" version of it. Nick almost gave up on the design at one point.

Then I think he started working with Treestuff and a nice aluminum lightweight version started being sold. I have one of those first Treestuff APTA's. I don't know how it compares to what they sell now.

Dave, I'll measure the air chamber and let you know.
 
Gary, I've seen some guys that use an air conditioner compressor for onboard air on the truck...
 
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