Crane Slings

chris_girard · May 5, 2015

OK, so here's a question for you guys. What do you prefer when using crane slings? An eye-to-eye sling that has to be taken off the hook and choked around the pick, then put back on the hook, or a eye-to-eye sling with a shackle on the end so you don't have to remove it from the hook every time?

I always use the shackle on my slings, but I work with some old-school climbers who don't see the benefits of the shackle. I will be climbing for them as a sub someday, and will show them how I was taught, but can anyone tell me what the advantages (if there are any) of just using an eye-to-eye sling would be? Why bring the headache ball any closer to you than is necessary??

MasterBlaster · May 5, 2015

I like a shackle!

PCTREE · May 5, 2015

Chains all the way pour moi

rangerdanger · May 5, 2015

Dead eye sling. Eye on the hook, cow hitch on the limb

chris_girard · May 5, 2015

rangerdanger said:
Dead eye sling. Eye on the hook, cow hitch on the limb

What about when you get into the big trunk wood?

I totally agree with you about the dead-eye sling on the hook and cow hitch on the limb. One of my favorite sayings when balancing 99% of large laterals comes from Reg Coates. "2 in the brush and 1 on the butt" is usually the most that you'll need.

chris_girard · May 5, 2015

PCTREE said:
Chains all the way pour moi

Paul, I have seen the way that you choke wood with chains and it looks fine to me, if you like chains, but you also don't have to take the chain off the hook each time right? My question is why would anyone use an eye-to-eye sling and have to take it off the hook all the time?

woodworkingboy · May 5, 2015

Slings were never popular here from what i have seen. Wire rope all the way, pretty much with a shackle. Spider legs generally go with rope.

lumberjack · May 5, 2015

Shackle for sure. Big slings are heavy as hell to pass through without a shackle. There's no reason not to use a shackle that I can see.

cory · May 5, 2015

I use shackles. The pro is it is fail safe. The con is it is time consuming compared to certain locking style choker hooks.

SouthSoundTree- · May 5, 2015

Most of my little crane experience had been a crane hook attaching to a large ring with two chains with hooks on the ends. Choke 1 and go. 2 for a co dominant, or two small pieces.

If extra length is needed for extension away from the 'headache ball'/ climber's TIP to allow a limbwalk down to the cutting point on a more-horizontal piece, one chain hook can attach to the crane hook, and one to the wood. Also, for big trunk picks it's also used similar to a long eye-&-eye sling, but 'midline attachable.

chris_girard · May 15, 2015

OK, so here's the second part to this question. What do you guys prefer to use for balancers slings (aka "spider legs")? Amsteel, Tennex, or double braid?

I found out yesterday on a crane job, when using Amsteel as a balancer, that when that Cow's hitch and half inch termination knot cinch down tight, even if the crane doesn't put a heavy strain on it, that that Amsteel digs in as tight as hell. My ground guy needed pliers to get it loose. Granted, I probably should have thrown on a half hitch, before tying the Cow's, to ease the strain on the primary knot.

Any thoughts?

PCTREE · May 15, 2015

We use tenex and have a Prusic on it to adjust

No_Bivy · May 15, 2015

3/4 double braid here. Clove or cow hitch. Second climber rides and rigs

sotc · May 15, 2015

We use shackles. If we need a balancer, we use another sling

chris_girard · May 17, 2015

Thanks for the info guys.

chris_girard · Jun 17, 2015

PCTREE said:
We use tenex and have a Prusic on it to adjust

What size Tenex and Prusic do you use? 3/4" Tenex and 1/2" Prusic?

chris_girard · Jul 30, 2015

So no doubt about it IMO, old school wins hands down over higher tech gear when it comes to crane slings. Using (usually just one) an eye-to-eye choker sling without a shackle is quicker and easier to use. Just take it off the hook, sling it and put it back on the hook. No messing with shackle pins and yes you can still half hitch then to make them adjustable.

Do I still use the other slings? Sure, just not as often.

rangerdanger · Jul 30, 2015

FYI, am steel and other high mod fiber ropes lose roughly 70% of their strength as well when a knot is tied with it.

woodworkingboy · Jul 30, 2015

Shackle pins don't much bother me, but I do think about the possibility of mistakenly swallowing one.

chris_girard · Jul 30, 2015

rangerdanger said:
FYI, am steel and other high mod fiber ropes lose roughly 70% of their strength as well when a knot is tied with it.

Hardly ever use "multi-point rigging slings" (aka spider legs), but if I do, than its 3/4" Tenex.

To be honest, unless I'm picking something that needs to be balanced, 99% of the time, I don't waste my time with multiple slings. KISS principle.

PCTREE · Jul 30, 2015

I would say 90% of the time we use just one chain.

MasterBlaster · Jul 30, 2015

No chains, no way.

Stuff is heavy enough already!

No_Bivy · Aug 1, 2015

two accidents here involving single attachments......why not use a second?

MasterBlaster · Aug 1, 2015

Because if you do it right you don't need it.

No_Bivy · Aug 1, 2015

for the same reason you tie in twice.

hell, your under it....most folks i hear say it takes too much time. lame

IMO your ego is getting in the way if you think one attachment is fail safe

Crane Slings

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