Thoughts? tree launcher shoots line up to 250 feets

[morgan c.]

Hard to say which I'd prefer if I had them in hand to compare. I still disagree with you that the DTX is "more accurate" by design, as it is nearly identical to the APTA from the valve forward. As to catching 1000# marlin on 50# mono, that's entirely different. Reel drag plays a large part in that, and you're only pulling the fish through the water, as opposed to pulling a rope through or over obstruction, which often has NO give to it. So they're using 500# test mono? My spectra is 450#, and I have one set up with 1000# Dynaglide.

oh wow your using some strong stuff. From what ive seen the air chamber hits the tube a little different and that might make a difference. Apparently these units are in the field with Edison energy because of their durability and accuracy. But again, if you had these units next to each other for the same price you wouldn't go with a stainless steel unit that might be more accurate?

 

[flushcut]

I have two big shots and both stay in the shop and they get used maybe once or twice a year. I find a throw bag and a cube far more easy, compact, and cheaper. And in general less shit to truck around I got enough of that.

If it works for you, great, but not for me. Plus 200 bucks for a single use tool seems a bit much for something that really doesn't make money.

 

[SeanKroll]

Monofilament would Suck Big Time in a forested setting, I'd have to expect.

Does this always necessitate two people? Throwlines are one-person operations. Better be twice as productive if you need twice the people...or more than twice as productive.

Can monofilament be easily hitched and unhitched from a biner, as a pulling handle? Will it kink it?

My expectation is that I would need a pulling handle much more often with a tiny line than 1.75mm or 2mm throwline.


I expect the APTA to shoot the moon with monofilament, too.

 

[treesmith]

oh wow your using some strong stuff. From what ive seen the air chamber hits the tube a little different and that might make a difference. Apparently these units are in the field with Edison energy because of their durability and accuracy. But again, if you had these units next to each other for the same price you wouldn't go with a stainless steel unit that might be more accurate?

That valve is screwed DIRECTLY to the "barrel" just like the APTA......

Again, unless firing a specific projectile down a rifled barrel, how can a throw bag fired from a stainless steel smoothbore be any more accurate than when fired from an aluminum smoothbore? That's like saying a Wendy's straw will fire a spitball more accurately than a straw from McDonalds!

 

[kevin bingham]

Ive never heard anyone complain about the big shot ever. I'm too proud to do anything but hand toss but my guys use a big shot and I have to admit it is damn hard to beat. The apta is cool but overkill and burns up expensive bike pumps. This looks like a fun toy.

 

[squisher]

Ten posts and all in this thread? Welcome to the treehouse brother. It's always best here to be square if you are affiliated with or trying to sell something. Not saying you are, maybe you're just passionate about this. But why not poke around a bit and introduce yourself? I always thought a big shot was pretty awesome myself.


Justin

Oh sure.

Fugging old cannon cocker!

Crack me up Jim. Peters new nickname! Lol.

 

[morgan c.]

I saw this unit online and then saw some of the slingshots and the other air launcher. I want to see what other people think which is the best buy for me and climbing high trees but I get a lot of one sided answers just because a lot of people have simply already bought the other items. Im kinda seeing people saying basically, its better because that's what I use. I don't do much high tree trimming but when I do my guys eat up a lot of labor costs messing around getting up the tree.

 

[squisher]

All good man. Some background for you. The apta was developed by a mia member here. And tested and prototyped by other members here. And then furthermore bought and used by many members here with a high degree of satisfaction and success. So there probably won't be a lot of love for some unknown piece of gear, that appears to be a copycat of a great idea that is known to work well already. You might also notice that treestuff banner at the top of the forum. The forums one and only sponsor.

I'll be curious to hear if anyone else pipes in who has used this other device besides yourself?

 

[Mick!]

Hi Morgan or Malcolm as you call yourself on Arbtalk, be honest, if it’s your product, good luck to you with it.

https://arbtalk.co.uk/forums/topic/114258-tree-launcher-that-shoots-very-accurate-250-feet-thoughts/

https://www.facebook.com/DTX-Toolin...-0md2Q1rm0lLgTw32EdK2i1W2TTJSvem5q8znQ2kMrZEJ

 

[treesmith]

I saw this unit online and then saw some of the slingshots and the other air launcher. I want to see what other people think which is the best buy for me and climbing high trees but I get a lot of one sided answers just because a lot of people have simply already bought the other items. Im kinda seeing people saying basically, its better because that's what I use. I don't do much high tree trimming but when I do my guys eat up a lot of labor costs messing around getting up the tree.

Then by all means, buy this new contraption. I have no doubt it will function.

I already have the APTA and a $20 bicycle pump that have worked well together for three years now, as well as the Big Shot that I keep in the toolbox for backup. I have thrown 90' by hand, so normally all I use the APTA for is precise high shots, or where I'm having to stand directly under the tree to throw, or having to thread it though several limbs where the arc of a hand thrown line won't allow me to make it.

 

[morgan c.]

All good man. Some background for you. The apta was developed by a mia member here. And tested and prototyped by other members here. And then furthermore bought and used by many members here with a high degree of satisfaction and success. So there probably won't be a lot of love for some unknown piece of gear, that appears to be a copycat of a great idea that is known to work well already. You might also notice that treestuff banner at the top of the forum. The forums one and only sponsor.

oh haha ok that makes a lot of sense now. I was a little confussed because I was getting a very different response to the products on here compared to when I called and asked arborist about what they were using and what they thought. I guess

 

[squisher]

That seems odd as despite the development of the product by members here. No one pulls any punches and if the apta was shit people here would say so. Here there is a very diverse and experienced group of arborsits. Where are you 'calling' and getting different feedback from?

What kind of crew(s) are you running that you've got threads started on multiple forums and are calling around about to get opinions on a couple hundred dollar purchase? Buy both for crying out loud let your crew decide which to use, then get back to us.

This is starting to seem a bit. Walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, must not be a duck though kind of a story.

 

[MasterBlaster]

my guys eat up a lot of labor costs messing around getting up the tree.

That's usually a training issue, not an equipment problem.

 

[flushcut]

That's like saying a Wendy's straw will fire a spitball more accurately than a straw from McDonalds!

Oh yes they will! LOL

 

[SeanKroll]

The APTA is more streamlined and tough.

That looks like it needs a specialized case to protect it.


My APTA bangs around with other stuff on a top shelf, with the pump, no worries.


The last thing before 'shouldering' the APTA is to load it, and as always with a projectile launcher, pointed away from everyone.
I have a lot bigger fish to fry that if I can lift the APTA to my shoulder safely.

 

[Stumpshot]

The apta is cool but overkill and burns up expensive bike pumps. This looks like a fun toy.

We fill our APTA off the truck's air tank. (We've also used the truck's air compressor with an air jack and impact to change the chipper's tire, but I digress...) No bike pump here.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

My only issue with the APTA and other air devises is the turn time to re-shoot on a miss.
I can re-shoot faster with the big shot.
I think the range of an air devise is the enticing part. Shots over 100 feet.

 

[sotc]

I have a couple APTA's, a big shot and a couple tru-shots. I still hand throw most times, occasionally use the shots and rarely the APTA's. If I had to use a bicycle pump, I would have never bought the APTA. I have shot the big shot with a 12oz sack over 120' to the first limb before.
You have asked for opinions and been given them, several times, but continue disagreeing. I'm with Squishy, buy it and be happy, we don't need to argue. Looked too bulky to intrigue me, just like the first APTA, the newer ones are small and compact.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Morgan welcome to The Tree House. Great group of people and tree people here.

Apologies work wonders if you ever find the need for it.

 

[Tree09]

Welcome to the house man. That thing looks like an incredibly complicated copy of the apta, which is a copy of the common potato gun lol. The wheel has already been invented. Being somewhat of an expert on potato guns (my entire youth ), the clear plastic barrel (which isn't a piping material to actually resist the forces involved), combined with the complicated ass trigger assembly, combined with ridiculously polished "ss" pressure chamber, with fragile pressure gauges sounds like a broken pos in a week. My bigshot works well enough for me, and I weld pipe as a day job, so making an apta would be free and take about 2 beers of time. Did anyone ever do a combustion barrel, a la hair spray, ether, propane, etc. , with the grill starter ignitor for the apta? That's what we used for our potato guns mainly, complete with breech loading for ease of spraying, and a tube on the barrel to hold the broomstick ram just like a black powder rifle.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Willie, 120. I think I only get 100 with a big shot.

Any tips on how you're doing that high?

 

[stig]

300 gramme lead sinker and a fishing line will get you to 70 meters.

Just don't stand where that sinker is coming down

 

[kevin bingham]

when I went to climb the sequoias, we had a cross bow and a big shot. The big shot was the winner in my opinion. We got a throw bag with fishing line 250 feet without a problem and pretty accurately as well. The cross bow was accurate and shot far, but the nature of the Bolts made it very hard for them to come down again.

 

[flushcut]

Welcome to the house man. That thing looks like an incredibly complicated copy of the apta, which is a copy of the common potato gun lol. The wheel has already been invented. Being somewhat of an expert on potato guns (my entire youth ), the clear plastic barrel (which isn't a piping material to actually resist the forces involved), combined with the complicated ass trigger assembly, combined with ridiculously polished "ss" pressure chamber, with fragile pressure gauges sounds like a broken pos in a week. My bigshot works well enough for me, and I weld pipe as a day job, so making an apta would be free and take about 2 beers of time. Did anyone ever do a combustion barrel, a la hair spray, ether, propane, etc. , with the grill starter ignitor for the apta? That's what we used for our potato guns mainly, complete with breech loading for ease of spraying, and a tube on the barrel to hold the broomstick ram just like a black powder rifle.

I don't think a combustable propellant is used because they could be classified as a firearm in some areas. In my city a big shot is illegal as it is a large sling shot which are illegal to use in city limits, but I have never been hassled over it. I have made many a sud gun and I was always partial to either as a power source. On the same note an air powered device is also illegal as it is classified as an air rifle.

 

[Tree09]

As far as legality goes, building a cannon that sends spuds into low orbit is illegal as hell, but iirc i even did one for a physics project. We also built an adjustable rate of fire trigger mechanism, to make a paintball gun fully automatic. We had to make it adjustable because it cycled so fast that it was shearing the paintballs in half. Columbine had just happened so we had it film it rather than bringing it in, and the teacher just laughed hysterically when he saw it .

If that is your product dude, get rid of that clear barrel immediately. Clear plastic is brittle as hell, and threaded clear plastic is asking to kill someone. There's a reason why no piping system on earth uses it.