Lowering device alternative

[elesar]

Has anyone a suggestion as to an alternative to a lowering device, not having money or time for a capstan or port a wrap purchase. It'll need to be more secure and precise than just wrapping the rope round the stem or an italian hitch.

 

Cheers

[tree_beard]

get a heavier groundy?

 

 

i dont think there is a middle ground between wrapping around a device and wrapping around the tree....

[Robert_S]

figure 8?

[Ian Flatters]

Has anyone a suggestion as to an alternative to a lowering device, not having money or time for a capstan or port a wrap purchase. It'll need to be more secure and precise than just wrapping the rope round the stem or an italian hitch.

 

Cheers

 

Umm not really a lot left to pick through other than a fig8 (10-15 quid). I guess it might pay to save up some money and buy a lowering bollard. Theres are a few around. Do you not like a portawrap? there only about 120-150 quid.

[combined tree services]

yes , you could alays see if anyone has a second hand device at half the price of a new one , just an idea tho , if i had one i would offer it

[morten]

figure 8?

 

Steel figure-8 for rigging. It has a drawback to the bollard, though: It has a tendency to twist the rope.

[western]

hiya mate, what i have done in the past is use an old length of climbing rope big enough to go around the base of the tree, use a timber hitch to fix to the tree, on one end of the rope use a double fishermans knot to attach a steel krab, then get your groundie to tie a munter hitch in the rigging line and then clip your krab into the hitch when your ready to rig a bit out. the beauty of the munter hitch is that it's free running one way but when you pull it up it locks and vice-versa.

[morten]

hiya mate, what i have done in the past is use an old length of climbing rope big enough to go around the base of the tree, use a timber hitch to fix to the tree, on one end of the rope use a double fishermans knot to attach a steel krab, then get your groundie to tie a munter hitch in the rigging line and then clip your krab into the hitch when your ready to rig a bit out. the beauty of the munter hitch is that it's free running one way but when you pull it up it locks and vice-versa.

 

Italian hitch, Munter hitch, HMS hitch - same thing.

 

See Munter hitch - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for details.

 

It may be tied single or doubled, and tied off, but is twists the rope, see

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRYkca9xEjc]YouTube - Climbing Tools: Munter Hitch / tyed off Munter[/ame]

 

and

 

[ame]

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You should use a "HMS" marked carabiner which has a large radius, symmetrically rounded side.

Edited February 27, 2011 by morten

[Shane]

If you really don't want to spend much, not too worrired about CE marks, have a welder... why not make your own.

Cur a 6inch length of 5inch diam. pipe (min 4mm thick wall) to become the friction drum.

Weld it to a back-plate which rests on the tree trunk.

Weld 2 10mm bars to the outer edge of the drum - top and bottom -with 90 degree bend to allow the rope to be locked off and prevent it slipping off.

Then drill a couple of big holes in the back plate to take shackles (to attach ratchet strap) and hey presto a ##kin heavy, dirt cheap, don't tell the loler blokes solution.

Not being sarky - I've seen one working, no moving parts and little cost. Just beware that if it does fail your insurers will not be interested.

Theres always an option - and the choice is always yours

Go for the best solution you can afford.

[Mark Bolam]

I don't get it.

 

You could buy a decent LD with the money from one job, easily.