TreeStuff - APTA - Wow!

[pantheraba]

Cool, Nick.thx for heads up.

Sean...DMc and I have both got lasers installed. His is with a real rail mount, I think...not screwed to barrel bit cable tied.

I have a small cardboard tube taped to barrel...I have a TreeStuff green laser I use. I slide laser into tube, set the hair bungee from my wife to give me a "constant on" beam, do a 2 second zeroing and fire away...it works well. Weak spot is firing smoothly...can't squeeze the trigger without a trigger. Nicks up coming mods should take care of that. Even as is with the slide valve it is a superior piece of kit.

 

[DMc]

I am one of the ones that has switched to a butterfly valve, WOW! So much better and my ball valve was an easy to twist one too. It is so much easier to get a clean, full power release that any thoughts I had on making a trigger have been shelved.
I also have a targeting lazer on mine and find it indispensable. I shoot mine from a hip braced hold so the fact that I don't have to line it up with my eye is a real asset. It allows me to thread the needle on some otherwise impossible shots. The string weight seems to stabilise the bag like the feathers on an arrow. It is very accurate.
Mine will reach about one foot of height per pound of air pressure with a 12oz bag. I do not try to lob the shot over the crotch like you would with a hand toss. Instead I keep the power up and slow things down if need be by grabbing the line. Works great but you will need gloves.
Really, anyone that sets lines should have an APTA, it is that good.

 

[pantheraba]

Correction...the housing for the laser is a piece of bamboo...old school linked with new school. And my ramrods that stays with the APTA is bamboo, too..marked on both ends to let you know worn the bag is completely down barrel. Ill get pictures soon.

 

[bstewert]

Has anyone tried the sprinkler valve trigger? Parts on my workbench ready to build.

 

[pantheraba]

Here are some pictures of how mine is set up.

 

[pantheraba]

Nick....I have an order ready to send for some TreeStuff...hitch cord, rake gauge, throwline, etc. Is the butterfly valve something I can add to the order? What is the status of those valves?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

The redneck side of me is disappointed that a golf ball doesn't fit.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Grab a hammer!

 

[bonner1040]

Email me Gary. nick @ tree stuff . com

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Grabbing a throwline can be dangerous to your fingers.

A burn is no big deal.

A weight coming to a near-dead stop when the throw line half-hitches you finger, big deal. Probably three months before it stopped hurting. Possibly long term damage I may feel later in life.

 

[DMc]

Ha! Duly noted but it does work great. If you wear gloves and use some common sense, like not trying to grab the throw line as the bag is leaving the barrel but instead waiting until it has lost most of its energy, the perceived risk is greatly diminished. I have accidentally grabbed too hard at times bringing the bag to a sudden stop without much effort. I guess I should also say to not put 200' of air in if you are only needing 60'.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

One little wrap and one bit of finger tip in the wrong spot...OWWW. This was actually, as I think more, right- hand throwning, and left hand "fairleading" the throwline. Just my way of throwing, don't know if others do similarly to keep the standing end of the line out of the way when hand-throwing. The moving throwline snagged my L ring finger.

 

[pantheraba]

I am always very aware of the throw line when I shoot the APTA...I am sure it could break a finger if the line caught it...maybe even snap/cut it off. Throw line is like a garotte when the ball leaves the APTA.

Once the line is up in the tree and running down the other side I will grab the line to slow the throw...but I don't mess with it on the uphill leg.

Might be interesting to wrap a round turn of throw line around a cucumber or hot dog or banana then shoot the APTA...see what happens.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

See what you can work up to!!! Video it!

 

[treebilly]

Maybe a slightly frozen hot dog. All done in the name of science

 

[woodslinger]

Please please, PLEASE get that experiment on video!!

 

[Stevo]

I have done extensive research on all these principles.....i have found, that, diaphragm valves, albeit INSTANTANEOUS, is non-warranted in these applications. When a projectile with such a high weight and density (shot-filled throw-bag) is subjected to such an immediate dump of high pressure air, most is LOST out the end of barrel due to density-weight-circumfrence-.....blah blah blahzie bu-blah.....Not to mention the shear bullet-proof-ness/commercial-use-durabilty of an all ALLOY tool, as compared to one being made of PLASTIC. (diaphragm/sprinkler valve)
Don't get me wrong.....every thing has an "application", and "sprinkler" valves have their little niche in life, but in my opinion, its NOT in the arsenal of an ARBORIST, who's gear's life span, due to wear and tear, is less than a 12 pack in my garage fridge.

The old adage "chain is only as strong as its weakest link" comes to play here.

I for one, would NOT want to load, air-up, shoulder, aim, and then think to myself, Man, i hope this valve don't blow up in my hand.

Basically, diaphragm valve is either shut or open....
Ball valve is shut, and pressure is released as FAST as you can twist the wick...and at 12# of torque, throwing open quickly GREATLY reduces accuracy of said projectile .....

Now the Butterfly valve operates the exact same way as ball valve, except the torque needed to throw open is around 2-3 #, which DRAMATICALLY reduces movement incurred if using ball valve, AND one would have the option to experiment with handle throw speed, resulting in finding that "sweet-spot" somewhere in-between "as fast as one can", (losing air escaping around throw bag), and a few milliseconds slower, (so to get optimal use of psi in chamber you had to pump up forever to achieve)
Be smart-stay safe-have fun.

V.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

 

[Stevo]

The butterfly valve is so much better I can't believe Treestuff is still selling it with the regular valve!

https://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?item=11138#

 

[treebilly]

Well hell. Less than a week after I got mine. Oh well. Still love it. Hit an 80' target crotch the other day on the first try. I'll be happy with what I got for a while.

 

[Reddog]

Used mine on all weekend in the cold and rain setting lines to pull windthrown trees on a steep hill side.
Works so much better than a BS in the cold, and in general.

 

[mistahbenn]

I nailed a tip first shot today in 'The Queens Giant', oldest living organism in NYC, 450 years young.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Hell yea.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Way to go, Benn, and Nick!

 

[mistahbenn]

Yeh APTA ROCKS!