Crane Slings

[chris_girard]

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]

I like a shackle!

 

[PCTREE]

Chains all the way pour moi

 

[rangerdanger]

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

 

[chris_girard]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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-]

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]

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]

We use tenex and have a Prusic on it to adjust

 

[No_Bivy]

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

 

[sotc]

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

 

[chris_girard]

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[chris_girard]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[chris_girard]

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]

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

 

[MasterBlaster]

No chains, no way.

Stuff is heavy enough already!

 

[No_Bivy]

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

 

[MasterBlaster]

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

 

[No_Bivy]

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