Safe techniques for tying into the crane ball
- Thread starter cory
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SeanKroll
Treehouser
I tie-in through my shackle while standing, allowing me to squat for 100% of bodyweight double-check. I fully think that the system should be double-checked before committing to any height. I wouldn't want to be lifted to 8', only then checking things under 100% load.
speed
and the whole point with cranework is to climb as little as possible (half joking)
lumberjack
Young man on the go
I still don’t understand how the problem with a crane is different than the problem with a tree... possibly because I haven't climbed for production in 10 years, but still it seems fundamentally the same.
If you're worried about repelling off the end of your rope, tie a stopper or use a rope long enough to reach the ground.
If you're using a crane and the long rope gets in the way, use a rope bag for your tail.
If you don't want a rope long enough to reach the ground, be comfortable with being at the mercy of the operator or being a piñata if the crane breaks down.
If you can't manage to organize your thoughts enough to reliably figure out which connection to make/break, the problem is inside you. Figure it out or accept gravity fixing the problem.
If you're worried about repelling off the end of your rope, tie a stopper or use a rope long enough to reach the ground.
If you're using a crane and the long rope gets in the way, use a rope bag for your tail.
If you don't want a rope long enough to reach the ground, be comfortable with being at the mercy of the operator or being a piñata if the crane breaks down.
If you can't manage to organize your thoughts enough to reliably figure out which connection to make/break, the problem is inside you. Figure it out or accept gravity fixing the problem.
treebilly
Student of the Jedi. OH-7106A
@cory I’ll second @BIGTWIG
I always have the op lift me a few feet. When he’s picking me up from the tree I make sure my full weight is on the tie in before releasing from the tree and then my lanyard goes through the hook. I don’t mess with termination knots. Tight eye splice passes right through the crane tie in with ease.
If I remember right Paul tied his termination knot under part of his saddle on accident. Not into his system. I don’t want to sound like I’m speaking ill of him but I think he rushed a lot and would not keep his mind on what he was doing. I can see it with trying to do everything he was doing.
I always have the op lift me a few feet. When he’s picking me up from the tree I make sure my full weight is on the tie in before releasing from the tree and then my lanyard goes through the hook. I don’t mess with termination knots. Tight eye splice passes right through the crane tie in with ease.
If I remember right Paul tied his termination knot under part of his saddle on accident. Not into his system. I don’t want to sound like I’m speaking ill of him but I think he rushed a lot and would not keep his mind on what he was doing. I can see it with trying to do everything he was doing.
lumberjack
Young man on the go
That's part of why I stopped climbing... but more from an efficiency perspective than a safety one. Hard to run two companies from a saddle, but it's fairly doable from a basket.
pigwot
M's, Juniper's, Lowen’s, and Inge’s Grandpa
To be clear, I have a long lanyard, but the majority of it is stowed 99% of the time. By the time the op gets the hook to me my rope is bagged and hanging from my harness, my lanyard is resting over my shoulder, and my hands are poised to toss the carabiner at the end of my MRS system (Akimbo-based) through the ring hanging from connection above the ball, connect ‘biner to my saddle, grab lanyard and toss through hook and terminate. At that point I raise a finger, op lifts just till off the ground, I double-check all connections, and again raise index finger and up I go. Whole process takes less than half a minute.
It is ‘rare’ that I ever need to extend my lanyard, unless it is getting situated in an awkward location where the op can’t get me exactly where I want to be. I keep the long lanyard for insurance and flexibility.
I’ll typically strap the first piece, then drop down to the cut position and pull my rope, once lanyarded-in, set my climb line, and once cable tensioned and op and I have verified what we expect: weight, cut, path start the pre-heated saw and cut the pick.
After that, on a large tree another crew member flies the hook, sets the sling(s), and rappels down. The moment his rope is pulled from the ring, and he is clear I am cutting. Rinse, repeat, till done.
If it’s a day of small trees, I set slings, rappel out, grab saw I previously placed at base of tree, cut ‘er loose, and while the op is carrying the tree to the crew for processing I am re-bagging my rope, and before the op has the hook back to me I am standing at the pick up point for the next tree, lanyard over shoulder, hands holding my MRS system, ready to connect as above… quick, efficient, repeatable, always double-checked.
It is ‘rare’ that I ever need to extend my lanyard, unless it is getting situated in an awkward location where the op can’t get me exactly where I want to be. I keep the long lanyard for insurance and flexibility.
I’ll typically strap the first piece, then drop down to the cut position and pull my rope, once lanyarded-in, set my climb line, and once cable tensioned and op and I have verified what we expect: weight, cut, path start the pre-heated saw and cut the pick.
After that, on a large tree another crew member flies the hook, sets the sling(s), and rappels down. The moment his rope is pulled from the ring, and he is clear I am cutting. Rinse, repeat, till done.
If it’s a day of small trees, I set slings, rappel out, grab saw I previously placed at base of tree, cut ‘er loose, and while the op is carrying the tree to the crew for processing I am re-bagging my rope, and before the op has the hook back to me I am standing at the pick up point for the next tree, lanyard over shoulder, hands holding my MRS system, ready to connect as above… quick, efficient, repeatable, always double-checked.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
This ^
Mick!
TreeHouser
Actually Cory, I’ve said the opposite.
It’s very possible to run a company from up a tree.
Come down and check your messages, phone back when possible.
