Biner Talk

I mostly always use a bowline. I am tempted to try knotless but have never made the leap.


Oh and Welcome Paul is it? Nice pics and description of your rigging!


Justin
 
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I imagine it would be really quick and time saving on the big conifers out west. But what do I know, I am an eastern hardwood kinda guy.
 
Some situations for sure it is, I guess I should say never made the leap to knotless with a sling set-up, I have tried it on the exact situation that you describe though. I found it cumbersome I remember for the groundy too and then sending them back up and what not. Often I'll use a biner on the end of the lowering line for rigging smaller limbs(like in conifers). But I find more often than not if the limbs are to big to wrastle then it's one at a time and if they are small then they can usually be manhandled into a drop-zone.
 
I must try the running bowline as it is such a simple knot and very fast to tie, see I learnt something already. It must be dependable like a sling girthed hitched. Not going nowhere.
Thanks Justin for the welcome.
 
I have tried lots of ropes however I LOVE arbormaster, yellow streak being my fave. I hate skinny ropes and how they feel in my hand like velocity. Tachyon isn't too bad but give me arbormaster any day and I have hanks enough of it. Nothing wrong with the tautline or blakes very reliable in my book and everyone here on the island except me uses one or the other and I started on the blakes. But the Vt is my baby 3 wrap 3 braid on HRC ( depending on cord length as I have many different spliced ones ) with hitchclimber rapide. I guess I am old school as I just climb and rig and cut and load the 6 metre dump. No cranes or chippers. My bud has a chipper ( bandit 250 ) but the damn thing is too big to fit in most places I venture. The cranes here are very good lots of TEREX of all sizes ( even the 100 ton ) but they are super expensive by the hr with a minimum charge of 2 hrs and the HO ain't budging mostly so in comes the grind and dismantle old school. Also the operators are not familiar with tree work so until I get the opportunity to go North and get at least a little experience with them I ain't risking my life with these dudes. And to be honest I don't think our trees are that big to really have use for a crane although some guys here have used them but very few. Most of our big trees you would need a permit to cut down are they are very hard to get, seeing that the trees are usually sound and healthy. I get a lot of pruning and raising canopies as well as large branch removal usually during hurricane season. Sorry for the long post just kinda letting you guys know a bit about what I do, nothing really exciting but lots of nice climbing and fun warm weather with lots of good beach views.
 
Thought you would be old school Butch that is way cool, heard the fly is firm in the hands but I have big hands and they have been broken a little too often doing not so nice stuff ( oh how it's so good to pass that youthful stage ) so the larger rope suits them better.
 
I tie a carabiner to the line with a scaffold knot (1/2 double fisherman's).

Usually I'll use tubular webbing slings or spectra slings.

Sometimes I"ll use a steel biner with a half-hitch for heavier pieces, or make a little munter hitch around the large branch and clip back into the rope.

Half hitch and running bowline mostly for blocking down wood. Anybody know the efficiency difference between half-hitch/ running bowline combo and marlin hitch/ running bow combo?


If a rigger is concerned about stressing the biner, two half hitches/ marlin hitch can be placed before the biner-choked girth hitch.
 
The marline adds an extra bit of security so if the piece comes off in a peculiar rotation when negative blocking the rotation will not cause the piece to roll out or slip out. This is nicely explained in The Art of Practical Rigging by the late Pete Donzelli. The half hitch is easier removed when the piece hits the ground.
 
I haven't seen a HH roll at all, but then again, I'm up top. I'll investigate that next time.

What about efficiency/ strength loss?

I like that it won't turn into an overhand knot, but simply fall apart when slipped off the end. When rigging short pieces, I don't have them untie the bowline, when possible, just slip off the end, and I can slip it back on the next piece to skip a step. My 9/16" dbl braid has a large spliced eye, so I can slip a bight through, 'invert' the eye, and have a clean girth hitch, to the same effect. Also, I don't have to have a stopper knot put into the end to prevent it from running up and through the block on the return trip to the top.

A minor individual preference

Many people don't have a spliced eye on their rigging line, but I got one. It gives a stronger pulling point when used to pursuade a tree to the lay and is slightly cleaner for knotless rigging, as well as stronger. I don't have a 5/8th line to move up to, so knowing I have most/ all the strength of the 9/16"s is good in my mind.
 
One minor problem with the HH is it tends to fall down when setting-up for negative blocking a stem. But, it is easier to untie when on the ground. The MH is more stable but slightly slower to tie & untie. Both the HH and the MH have their advantages and disadvantages. I like both for different uses ... haven't been able to find any working strength difference between them. Below are a couple of simple vids that illustrate some to the pro's & con's of each.

<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CpH6FuH8ucc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QPVd1oZvEFs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

BTW: Welcome Swing ... good to see you here! ... looking forward to picking your brain for some tips. :D
 
swingdude said:
No prob Jack I am really liking the reception here, cool vibe and all good flow.
Click to expand...

Sometimes we bullshit about stuff other than trees as well. If a thread goes off topic, don't be dismayed. Either go with the flow or bump it back on topic, both are perfectly acceptable. :)
 
Shoot, man, you just talked about trains, geometry and psychiatry in that comment...you're gonna do just fine here.:D
 
Gary you are a funny dude, the forum is very relaxed with no twisted panties that I can see. Can I say panties or should I use boxers I don't want to be too offensive. I don't wear any so I can't get twisted anyhow. I am an island boy commando is the rule from young. That stuff can hurt your child bearing prospects. Humanity must endure.
 
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