Anyone still using the APTA?

[pantheraba]

I call that a Zorro. He does it with his bull whip... So does Indiana Jones

 

[SeanKroll]

Sigh, looks like I NEED an APTA now

Or now you've realized you've needed once since some time ago

 

[Cliff]

I made my own APTA, using some 1-1/2" aluminum tubing I already had, a couple of 1-1/2" galvanized plumbing nipples, a 1-1/2" galvanized cap and a Milwaukee BB2-100 1-1/2" butterfly valve. The butterfly valve is the key; the valve handle opens very smoothly, which improves your aim. A Schrader tire valve to pump it up to 90-100 lbs PSI. I use a 16-oz throwbag because it fits more tightly in the barrel than my 12-oz. My barrel is 5' long, which may make it more accurate, but mainly because that's how long the aluminum tube was. The galvanized pipe "air chamber" nipple is 2-1/2" long. I'll post a pic if anybody wants to see it. I don't think a laser would help much, it's easy to aim at the crotch you want to hit.

 

[ruel]

Sounds cool, would love to see some pictures of your setup.

Also, welcome! Tell us a little about yourself if you'd like

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[BeerGeek]

@Cliff

Please do show us your version! Thx in advance!

 

[Cliff]

Here you go - Barrel is thin wall aluminum tubing, rest is plumbing fittings. Short plumbing nipple jammed into barrel screws into the butterfly valve. Paper circle is "wadding". I added a handle but it's not really necessary. Need to add a 90-degree short fitting for the Schrader valve so I can stand it on end. The butterfly valve was about $45 when I bought it, so cheap to make. Again, get the butterfly type valve, it's easy to pull the handle so you don't lose your aim.

Started rec climbing years ago, now do just small tree work, don't try to compete with the pros. Like many of us, bought more shiny new tree gear toys than I can use, so it's fun to make your own. The advances in gear and techniques is just amazing.

 

[Jonny]

Looks excellent, I like it.

Where’d you source the handle?

 

[Cliff]

It's from an old speargun. I think you could zip tie most anything onto the pipe and it would work as well. Or no handle at all.

 

[cory]

i use no handle, seems fine

 

[pantheraba]

Same here... Mine came with a handle but I do not use it...seems to work better without.

 

[cory]

Been using it a lot lately. It shoots a weaver 12 oz bag well over 100' with ease. That is often a bit too high so we're still working on figuring proper PSI. Also, at that shot height, the 12oz has a bit of trouble coming down, so a heavier bag would be better but my heavier bag is too fat for the apta so I'll have to adapt. Pumps up to 150psi in under a minute with a bike pump.

Also have been using the foam plugs Pat very kindly sent me to help make a seal around the bag.

Makes the big shot obsolete for high shots.

 

[kevin bingham]

smaller diameter line will help if 12 oz. is not coming down well. i have been buying spectra in various diameters from kite sulply stores. i can throw 1.3 spectra with an 8 0z weight over the top of any tree in michigan. but its hard to pull a rope up. 1.5 mm with a 10 oz is very nice. the 12 oz oz with 1.7 mm for standard shots.

 

[Jonny]

How’s that stuff hold up, Kevin?
Probably nice and slickery when new, but does it wear out pretty fast?

 

[kevin bingham]

i just replaced my 1.5 after three years. it went through some phases. it came a little waxy and slick which was co. while it was wearing off it was a pain in the ass and tangly, then after breaking in, it was great. broke it right in the middle trying to fight a stubborn rope through a crotch.

 

[pigwot]

I use the thinner Zing-it with a 12 oz for most shots; 8 Oz if need to get it up over 120+ feet IF it’s a smooth-barked tree or else it won’t come down. I find the fatter throw bags rolled between your palms while held upside down and inserted upside down, ring first into the APTA, let’s the fill flow up into the neck of the throw bag, reducing the girth so I can get a 14 oz in for the scaly-barked white oaks and shag-bark ( ‘snag-bark’ ) hickories. Throwbags made by Sydney Lemieux (SL) - (a Tree Climbers International Rec-climber) are a looser design allowing that ‘thinning-down. Here are my current stock (minus my two 14 oz I can’t locate atm).

L to R, top to bottom: Harrison Rocket (HR) 5 oz and a SL 6 oz I use in-tree with the automatic fly reel, two 8 oz SL’s, my favorite 10 oz SL ‘court jester’ (on end so you can see all four colors), three more SL 10 oz, a HR 10 oz (gift from climbing friend in England I’ve yet to use), SL 12 oz, a Weaver 14 oz ‘fatty’ I found stuck about 80 feet up in a white oak on a broken piece of green throw-line (sorry but I still won’t buy Weaver), and Richard Mumford’s Climbing Innovations MagThrowbag for creative retrieval scenarios (beware those magnets will bite you - very strong!!)

 

[cory]

I find the fatter throw bags rolled between your palms while held upside down and inserted upside down, ring first into the APTA, let’s the fill flow up into the neck of the throw bag, reducing the girth so I can get a 14 oz in

I tried that, thought it would work. I'll try it again

 

[treesmith]

Not the APTA, but novel idea for surf casting!

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youtube.com

 

[murphy4trees]

I wonder what the MPH is on the big shot and the APTA.. I have one that was a gift, but still haven't used it. bought the 12 and 14 oz weavers... one broke on the third throw with the BS, when it landed on a log

 

[walden]

I throw by hand 99 percent of the time. I've had a big shot for about 10 years and only use it about 5 or 6 times a year. If I was more accurate with it I might use it more. It's nice but it can still take a few times for a very tight spot. I've been rec climbing some taller trees lately and been thinking about the APTA to help speed up setting the line. Is the laser worth having? Seems like it would be. What laser are you using? What throw bag works best? I've searched here but didn't find any recent threads. Just wondering what everyone settled on. I still intend to throw by hand mostly but there are times I could see it saving a lot of time. Most days I can hit pretty good but then there's that one day where I want to run off screaming. And it's always when there is an audience. And they're always full of advice.

I can't throw by hand because of a shoulder injury that resulted in permanent nerve damage. ( I know, "How can you climb/work with only one good wing?" I don't do this for a living, so its a sloooow process getting up in the tree) I made my own throw ball launcher when I realized I could not cast even an 8 oz. ball accurately to even 10'. I'm a Plumber by trade so it seemed natural to me to cobble together a unit out of PVC and a IP ball valve. I've improved the accuracy of mine by mounting a green laser on the "barrel" and bore sighted it a 100'. Allowing for the less than stellar ballistics of my 12 oz. bags (I aim a little higher) I can routinely hit crotches 50 - 80' up - even with my neighbours watching!

 

[pantheraba]

That watching stuff gets crazy. I tried five throws the other day and missed the first five and when my neighbor showed up I nailed the very next one perfect. Of course as I had to draw the throw bag through another set of limbs to get it to the main crotch it got stuck. Which means I had to climb up and rescue that stupid throwbag... But the throw was perfect

 

[Burnham]

Been there and done that, my old friend Gary. Sucks to be us .

 

[stig]

The apprentice had to set a line in an extremely brushy oak yesterday, to get up and reduce the side towards the high voltage lines.
Took him maybe 20 shots with the Bigshot.

I almost caved in and told him to just spur up the damned thing.

 

[pantheraba]

Old school!

 

[SeanKroll]

I can't throw by hand because of a shoulder injury that resulted in permanent nerve damage. ( I know, "How can you climb/work with only one good wing?" I don't do this for a living, so its a sloooow process getting up in the tree) I made my own throw ball launcher when I realized I could not cast even an 8 oz. ball accurately to even 10'. I'm a Plumber by trade so it seemed natural to me to cobble together a unit out of PVC and a IP ball valve. I've improved the accuracy of mine by mounting a green laser on the "barrel" and bore sighted it a 100'. Allowing for the less than stellar ballistics of my 12 oz. bags (I aim a little higher) I can routinely hit crotches 50 - 80' up - even with my neighbours watching!

As a plumber, you may know lots more about pvc... in tree-people's eyes, it has seemed questionable under 160psi.

 

[SeanKroll]

I got a 100' shot the other day, best I can tell, based on the little left on the 120' speedline rope, and extending my Wraptor rope for a base-tie.