GRCS hints and tips

[Paul Smith]

Got mine from Honeys, think they do spares as well?

[RopeKnight]

watch when tensioning the strap if the bar isn't pushed all the way thru. I have broken the weld on that bit that except the tensioning bar.

We always set a block redirect so the rigging rope fair leads to the fair lead.

I will call out take up the slack, shoe string and guitar string so things are not over or under tensioned some times its hard to read the tension with out tapping the line and always have them call it when they go low gear.

Find some heavy rubber or heavey vinyl tarps to put on trees that are being preserved or it can cause significant damage.

I have on a few occassions placed the winch below the bollard secured with a limb. when we need to go from lowering to winching and back again. Its not recommended so be careful not overload the winch because 1/2 the base is not anchored in the harness.

I had the driver bit welded onto socket to increase levering for one person and to utilize the ratchet so you do not have to go in circles.

I also welded a socket to the base of securing strap tie down when those weld snapped.

On smaller diameter trees install the bollard or winch first before tightening it down the deflection in the back plate may not allow its installation.

There you go 10 yrs with the GRCS and only one serious accident well two its crazy how much effort that thing will save you. I wish I had two on some removals.

Cheers

[Pat Ferrett]

Always have a method of cutting the rope with in arms reach of any lowering device IMO

[Danavan]

Brilliant thread:thumbup1:

 

Look forward to reading more findings & info.

[Timbermcpherson]

I made my last 4, and Im about to make version 5

 

when doing dead trees, cut into the tree to bed it in, nothing quite like the winch traveling up the tree when the bark gives way.

[John Shutler]

great tip with bucket for the rope

[combined tree services]

John , any chance of some pics ? been looking at getting a GRCS myself but not sure just how much i would use it , not sure if we would still be using smaller lowring divices of whether or not the GRCS will be overkill on smaller jobs

[bob]

on long extending branches go half way

then half hitch half hitch sink cut half hitch half hitch

lower the end then come back in gob on top and lift up and it all folds up.

Hope that made sense

cheers

[softbankhawks]

Bob, that sounds interesting but I can't get my head around the explanation, could you draw a picture or something please?

John, congrats on the purchase, you will find a mass of new rigging ideas forming as you get to know the grcs better.*

Now that you have your bucket and visor plate, your rigging line has been re-directed into the top fairlead and have chosen a suitable rigging point and have a game plan you need to master getting the rope out of the jaw's and into the pig's tail. It is where I see things go wrong the most.*

When lowering wood over aprox. 400 kilo's I try to use the double whip tackle technique, not for the added power in the lift but more for the ease of getting the rope out of the jaw's, away from the winch fairlead and into the pig's tail.*

I have watched with horror as ropes have been snagged into the fairlead, hockled around the drum and hands being pulled into the drum, all of which is not very nice and could leave you messing around for any amount of time sorting stuff right.*

The jaw's are strong but any amount of factors lead me to tie of the rope around the additional steel hook bits if I don't need to lower straight away.

This weekend the ratchet part of mine is at a fitters getting a steel tube welded along the bottom as I bent it when over tensioning on a funky shaped birch. I guess the visor helps stop this, I dunno for sure though because I haven't got one. Also getting lost rubber bits replaced.

I had an interesting day with mine yesterday and will upload a video as soon as it gets to me. *

Hope this helps my friend.*

Paul

[softbankhawks]

Always have a method of cutting the rope with in arms reach of any lowering device IMO

 

What do you mean?