Zipline, thoughts

Hey Reg this is one of your vids from a few years back when you were still in the UK. Just wondering if you would stay with this kind of zipline setup for this particular Pine, or would you do it differently now that you've been doing much more of it in BC? Thanks.

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Chris, as I've speedlined using many different variations, for over 25 years, I'll jump in with my interpretation of Reg's brrrrrrrrrrrr video.

The first few limbs were rather low, so, as he didn't have a lot of clearance, he mid tied the limbs.... and the control line was to , duhhhh, provide control. Pulleys are good when there isn't a lot of drop in the line, as well.
 
Here's an old, low rez vid of a cottonwood we ziplined the limbs. As we had a solid high tie point, we used the chipper winch to tension the speed line, with a lowering control line to keep the wild action in check. When the limb being rigged is tied out a ways, and if it is to the side or the back, that creates a bight or bend in the speed line. By tensioning the line by whatever method, as the bight is straightened out, the limb will swing around, and can even be lifted to some degree. Again, as Reg pointed out, one must be aware of the forces which multiply very quickly as the angle of the speedline become closer to 180 degrees, or straight. In this case, even though the tree was populus, the tie point was low enough, and the tree had good taper, so there was no risk of breaking out the rigging point.

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  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #57
Thanks Rog

Chris. That setup has its place. It worked well enough on that job because of the clearance issue on the lower limbs in particular. Both lines were being tensioned and controlled from the dual bollard at the bottom of the tree, hence the pulley/redirects up top. If the tree had been on the scale of Rogers cottonwood or the firs out here, past the low limbs Id have abandoned all the clutter and control lines etc, because they'd have been a waste of time....and just switched to a dozen slings at a time like we do mostly now. But there really wasn't all that much to the tree, so we just stayed doing the same thing. Those guys had never done any kind of zipline before so it was good, controlled introduction for them to start with.

If I approached that same tree now, with experienced guys, no Id just use multiple slings with the zipline fixed at the top. No Bollards, redirects or pulleys. Id just cut/rig those low extended limbs in half rather than balance them whole....and have both guys stood out in the field pulling on the line. Would be faster to cut small, rather than tensioning and managing two lines at the bottom of the tree trying to raise big pieces. Setting all that shit up takes time too. We still made good time, but realistically, simpler would've been faster in that instance.
 
Once again, tips and tricks from different folks add to the tool bag.

I've never tandem sling-ed a long limb, or cut it in half, speedlining in two parts.

Always single slinged, balanced or lifted.

Thanks, Reg.
 
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  • #59
SouthSoundTree- said:
Once again, tips and tricks from different folks add to the tool bag.

I've never tandem sling-ed a long limb, or cut it in half, speedlining in two parts.

Always single slinged, balanced or lifted.

Thanks, Reg.
Click to expand...

I recall the second line was just to control the speed and haulback Sean. It may have helped with the balance, but those low limbs were mid-tied to balance anyway. Thanks
 
Gotcha. Didn't watch it again, actually, as I've been running around feeling pulled a thousand directions.

Something in the discussion pointed me to see how a double-slung, long, low fir limb would slide out more easily with a low-tied or low-redirected, taut speedline, if a climber couldn't risk a balanced rig going wrong.

Thanks.

I'll watch it again, when time allows.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #61
SouthSoundTree- said:
Gotcha. Didn't watch it again, actually, as I've been running around feeling pulled a thousand directions.

Something in the discussion pointed me to see how a double-slung, long, low fir limb would slide out more easily with a low-tied or low-redirected, taut speedline, if a climber couldn't risk a balanced rig going wrong.

Thanks.

I'll watch it again, when time allows.
Click to expand...

No worries Sean.

Thus came in the mail today....off the back of some earlier discussion in the thread. Just like that. Many thanks to the sender. It is much appreciated and will not be wasted on me. :beerchug:

2015-10-21 18.04.07.jpg
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #66
mistahbenn said:
It does actually... Ive had stuff sent to and from Italy, Georgia, Maine, N Carolnia etc, all tree guys looking out for each other :)
Click to expand...

Still wouldn't happen for me Ben because I don't have an account. But good to hear nonetheless.
 
Thanks Roger and Reg for more zipline tips. Around NH, we usually have good lift on the ziplining that we do, so I don't need a separate haulback line, but I have all the rigging if we ever need to do it again.

Hope you like the HH2 Reg :)
 
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