Think it’ll work?!

Treeaddict

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Been practicing knots and hitches. So, I got the “bright” idea to tie a cow hitch finished with a 1/4 hitch and then some other knot or hitch I don’t know the name of. Basically, the groundie would just have to pull the tail and it come undone (except for the wrap around the branch) Anyone done this or see any red flags?
 

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Idk if that is a problem or useful and stable.


Educatedclimber.com
Patrick advocates for the Daisy chain hitch for that purpose.

If you can't teach the groundie to untried a running bowline, something needs to change. Someone who can't learn to untie a RB is a danger in the job site.


Knotting rigging is another option. Biner or snap on the end of the rigging rope. Girth- hitches slings on the wood.


With a wealth is true and true knowledge at your finger tips, why try to figure out new ways as someone new to some parts of it?

Good luck.
 
Reminds me a bit of a mooring hitch...


edit:
Here's the daisychain hitch. Looks pretty cool to me...



Speaking generally, I don't like the idea of leaving a slippery knot in rigging, or anything critical. A knot should stay until it's explicitly untied. Leaving a loop in the knot(slippery) can be unintentionally snagged and pulled out.
 
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  • #4
Sean,
Appreciate your input. I will stick with the more tried and true but may play around if the right opportunity arises (100 lbs without targets). My brain just naturally thinks of things and methods. Sometimes good, sometimes not so good. The problem is that I don’t always know the difference 😄
 
I agree with Sean....anyone who can't untie a bowline has issues.... As for knotless rigging....I swap ends, run through rings/blocks, and often drop un-needed ropes from the tree. Hence, a carabiner or snap would not be in my best interest.Not to mention the risk of damage to the hardware when rigging down big stuff. I can't imagine even a 300# chunk would be friendly to a snap or 'biner if it smacked it between chunk and trunk.
 
Personally I would push the training on knots. Because if they can’t untie/tie a bowline in a timely fashion they will never grow as a groundie. You will be aloft and a situation will come up that they will need to setup something and if they don’t know the knots well…. Then comes the swearing, yelling, frustration, and eventually you drinking more.
 
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  • #9
I don’t actually have inept groundies. I wish I was at that point😁. I’m just exploring the rigging side if things. I’m doing some removals for family and will need to rig most of the pieces. I’ll start with rigging the pieces that don’t require rigging for proof of concept. Awkward sentence. I’ve gotten away with bombs thus far- 15 removals and 5 trims. Still very green at this point. I definitely have my nose in the books and eyes on YouTube and Treehouse! My groundie friend is a competent man so that helps matters.
I guess what Im looking for in knots and hitches is: easy to tie from awkward position, easy to untie after loading, holds securely, no sharp bends weakening the rope, can be used in a wide array of situations. I’m sure there’s more characteristics that are missing from that list. The goal is to have at least 2 rigging knots committed to muscle memory before going“live”.
 
Double Clove locked off by a Timber hitch's my go to for serious negative rigging.

Running bowline for light stuff.

Jomo
 
Double Clove locked off by a Timber hitch's my go to for serious negative rigging.

Running bowline for light stuff.

Jomo
Pic?






TA- anyone can unchoke a girth-hitched sling.

Awkward positions are inevitable.
Climbing prowess reduces these.




Running knots, such as a Running bowline can be set remotely. A long, low limb can have the rope installed before climbing, avoiding a long limb-walk and return.

A RB can be tied while you are a ways away from the rigging point, saving some of the limb-walk and return.
 
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  • #13
Now that’s an aspect I didn’t think of- remote setting! Ill practice the rb starting tonight.
I planned on slings to biner on light stuff.
 
Now that’s an aspect I didn’t think of- remote setting! Ill practice the rb starting tonight.
I planned on slings to biner on light stuff.
2 slings/ one biner. Girth hitch on both sides of the cut with the slings. Clip together. Cut the branch without splitting it. Cut, hang, cut up as needed, chuck.



2 slings- two biners, easier to unclip.


One girth- hitched sling. Hold the sling, finish with a hand saw. Cut and chuck without torque on your joints.
 
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  • #16
Thank you everyone for your input this far!
Sean,
Great small branch rigging tips! Very viable alternatives to one handing too. YouTuber Stihl Born is the only arborist I remember seeing practicing creative sling use kinda like you describe. I don’t understand the “2 slings- 2 biners” though. What’s the application?
 
You guys locking off rigging with biners better have visual confirmation it's loaded along its axis, or in time you're gonna end up in an ER like an experienced Canadiand friend of mine.

Trust your life to an aluminum gate at your own peril.

Old School rules for a reason........

Jomo
 
Sometimes while out over a structure you may want to simply cut pieces up and throw them rather than rigging. This is often easier and quicker than rigging, but is difficult physically and often leads to poor cutting postures as you are often trying to catch a heavy limb with one hand awkwardly while trying not to cut your hand off. So if you can use a quick way to self rig the pieces so they can be held while you cut safely.


There's a bunch of different tricks but i think the trick he's talking about is when you choke the limb in 2 places and just clip them together. Then you can cut a good size limb calmly knowing it can't be dropped while you cut, and you can even part the limb out when you are cutting and tossing. It even works when rigging pieces, I'll sometimes hang the end of a limb on itself if I'm tip tying or something, this ensures that the long brushy section isn't past the tipping point so you don't have any surprises when cutting like the butt shooting up from guessing the balance wrong. Sometimes you can hang the tip, not even physically touch it but cut the whole mess down rather than rigging. Kinda like you tossed it straight down but you just did it with cuts (always tell people you have hardware there if they are coming to chip stuff). Tricks like that make you more productive (and safer) in the tree because you don't need help getting stuff down, essentially getting a free ground guy just from you knowing tricks. I use speedline slings for this often, since i often have them with me.
 
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  • #19
09,
Thanks for the clarification and elaboration. The sling rigging tricks are definitely gonna get practiced and used. They’ll be helpful enabling both hands behind the bar and chain until the chain stops rotating. Will probably lessen the potential damage anxiety too. I nicked a glove and knuckle coming in to grab a branch before the chain came to a complete stop.
 
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