What is a good winch line for a chipper??

[NickfromWI]

Sorry I missed this thread until just now.

I would always push people toward a dyneema line, either single braid, or like Frans suggested- a double braid that is a tightly woven polyester cover.

Regarding the splice, I wouldn't make your decision based on how long the factory splice is going to last. I would decide based on how easy it will be for you to resplice later when the first one wears out. We have to be honest about what we are expecting of the rope at the end of a winch line, and it really does see some brutal abuse. No matter how they do the splice, it's gonna need to be replaced. Be ready to re do it.

There are a lot of people here that can talk you through this splice, online or over the phone, and it won't take you that long to learn it, and you don't need any fancy-shmancy tools.

So- if you get the single braid Amsteel (or Maxibraid is what Yale makes) you can do a locking brummell, or a simple bury. If you get the double braid, you'll slide the cover back, then splice the core, then snug the cover back up and lock stitch the cover down, leaving the eye itself exposed.

Here's a pic of a rope I spliced in a similar fashion for lumberjack, using parts from pantheraba!

love
nick

 

[Ax-Man]

Good post Nick and very informative.

Your giving me more credit than I have skills at rope splicing which I have never done. But I am willing to try as that day is going to come sooner or later. I'm all thumbs when it comes to detail work unless it is mechanical.

But I honestly don't think anything I do will look or be as good as what you showed in that pic especially with doing that lock stitching at the end.

You do excellent work. It shows

 

[Bodean]

We use Kermantle on the winch for abrasion resistance.

I want them to try black widow, How is the abrasion resistance on Black Widow or Amsteel?

 

[NickfromWI]

Here's another winch line might be worth considerin'..

http://www.gypoclimber.com/showthread.php?t=9592

Deva, regarding your question, dyneema fibers are very tough...not just strong, but also abrasion resistant. They will still get torn up while getting dragged through the dirt, but it will outlast a kernmantle.

Bishop sells Ultrex, which is a dyneema single braid.

love
nick

 

[lumberjack]

Nick that was one sick splice you did up there!


The gray is the cover of the line, the slice is in it's core, which is susceptible to UV degradation, so Nick took a piece of kernmantle cover from Gary and put it in to cover the sensitive core.

I haven't used the rope much, but when I do, I can't help but smile

It's the rope I used in the pine video I posted last week of a job I did last year

 

[rumination]

Why not just do a core to core splice?