Rigging Wrench

[Ledburyjosh]

Hi,

 

Has anyone experience with the rigging wrench's? 

I'm wandering what real-world difference there is between the 2 models with increased friction with the locking bearing?

 

The use I see for it for myself is light hand held rigging of fiddly small bits over greenhouses etc or for lowering of bits from a reduction with the ability to pull up to untangle stuff as it gets snagged on its way down.

 

It makes me think that the lighter duty one with the non locking bearing would be best as if its heavy enough to require extra friction I would be using a capstan or started with rings.

 

Has any one any thoughts experience to share?

 

Thanks

[tim361]

I had one for a little while. Used it on a few jobs and didn’t really get on with it. Was always easier to throw a rope over a union if needed or put a pulley in. Ended up selling it as it was gathering dust in my kit bag. 

[MattyF]

Found it a handy bit of kit when I’ve used one.. I don’t own one mind but a subby I use has one, always surprises me what it will lift. 
can’t say it’s some thing I would use all the time though , as much as I’d like one if I want to lift small bits just use a pulley and then put on the capstan for the timber in most instances I could not justify the cost. 

[Tomthetree]

I have the locking one and you need a bigger than expected load to lower something easily. Small limbs often dont come down with the locking one.

 

I got it thinking id use it loads for small stuff but the stuff i was expecting to use it for is too light and then stuff that is ideal for it i have usually prefered to use a conventional system for.

 

It has a pretty narrow window where it is great. It is easier to lower lighter stuff from higher up the tree as there is less rope weight on the backside of the device so if the piece doesnt want to come down, you as the climber can take over and it will get it going. I use 12mm sirius

 

Also it is great if you want to lower from a mewp bucket. I have had my rope in a bag in the bucket of the mewp and you could lower by yourself or if there are 2 of you in the mewp they can help. This method is great as it minimises the clutter. Mewp + rigging + capstan + someone on the capstan can get abit cluterred

 

Overall I dont use it anywhere near as much as i thought. I wont get another one but its handy sometimes to have in my kit. If you do get one id say get the lighter pulley one

 

For small stuff to lower you can beat natural crotch or a rigging ring. Thats my experience anyway 🤘

Edited January 18, 2023 by Tomthetree
added what rope i use

[Dan Maynard]

I've got the lighter one, not used it a huge amount to be honest. It says it should be a 13mm line so I used old climbing rope, it was a bit stiff so was going to try 12mm Sirius next as that is nice and soft.

 

I have a rigging ring on spider sling that gets used a lot as it's so convenient, the disadvantage of that is it is quite hard to pull things back up.

 

Have a small spruce over a garage to do in a couple of weeks and I'm hoping the wrench finds its sweet spot there as lower limbs need pulling up, upper ones will come down in bunches and I can hold the line while they guide branches down safely.

[treevolution]

I've got both and use them loads, but probably because I normally work as a two man team so who ever climbs can lower the timber themselves. 

 

I find for smaller branches that a good trick is to use the 120kg wrench without the wench part engaged as you can easily pull up on the pulley but have the added friction of the pulley locking when you lower. Then as the loads get heavy just contact the wrench put up. 

 

Used then with the GRCS on a job where we winched timber over a wall but had to take the rope off the GRCS to walk around the wall and lower into the truck.  We only had to do this because we were working at a two man team but it work fine. 

 

[Dan Maynard]

10 hours ago, treevolution said:

use the 120kg wrench without the wench part engaged

Smart idea, like it.

 

I guess that is partly it, usually try to have 3 around when rigging as it makes everything easier.

[Ledburyjosh]

On 18/01/2023 at 21:35, Tomthetree said:

 

For small stuff to lower you can beat natural crotch or a rigging ring. Thats my experience anyway 🤘

This is what I currently use.

There is a handful of times lifting would be useful, for which natural crotch and rings aren't great for. 

 

It seems consensus is they are good for a niche scenario, so it comes down to how much of  your work is in that criteria.

 

 

Good point on the MEWP. I have done a fair bit of mewp work and can see it being great for this. MEWP's currently arent common for me atm.

[MattyF]

13 minutes ago, StephenMews said:

This is what I currently use.

There is a handful of times lifting would be useful, for which natural crotch and rings aren't great for. 

 

It seems consensus is they are good for a niche scenario, so it comes down to how much of  your work is in that criteria.

 

 

Good point on the MEWP. I have done a fair bit of mewp work and can see it being great for this. MEWP's currently arent common for me atm.

I think it would entirely depend on what kind of work you do … if it was a lot of private back gardens in  towns or tight areas it would come in to its own …  I don’t do this sort of work much anymore so it really has no use but would be bloody handy if I did … also I rigged up some thing years back before this came out and we could take kids rec climbing and literally pull them up very easily with a RW … you just had to make sure they where sure on how to use a hitch to get them selves down but they always loved it and you would have to hall them straight back up! 

[Dan Maynard]

Just to update, my conclusion it's still a bit of a niche thing but really good when you do hit that niche.

 

12mm Sirius is indeed the stuff to use. Much smoother, but you do still need a certain minimum weight to make it smooth.

 

The spruce went really well, one branch wasn't enough weight but I took half a dozen slings and sent them down in bunches. Very handy for the pulling up, and also me being able to take the load at times while people were moving stuff round on the ground.

 

Also used it on this overhanging oak reduction back to boundary. I didn't get involved in the neighbour discussion but they'd agreed the spot to cut. Rigging ring for the very light stuff then bigger branches and wood down on the wrench.

 

Nowhere to put a bollard in this case.