Rope Wrench feedback

[Old Mill Tree Care]

Good on you for having a bash and stick with it. Now i havent felt the need to set a RAD system up after the 3rd day of using it, i just remind myself to tend the hitch rather than pulling the line (it aint going to move). I do sometimes pull the hitch up using the slack as i move in like DRT tho.

 

Hope this helps,

 

 

Are you still on the LJ Ian?

 

I don't understand your last sentence, sorry. "I do sometimes pull the hitch up using the slack as i move in like DRT tho."

 

I'm struggling to understand how this is achieved if you are way out on a long limb and leaning hard against the rope.

[Paul Smith]

That makes sense. I had a revolver on the ascender and one on my bridge under the LJ.

I didn't think turning the rope out the LJ and up to the hand ascender would work. I'll try it.

 

Does this mean that the ascender has to be in place for very branch walk?

 

I rarely use the ascender for limb walking but I am using a unicender. To be honest I don't think about how I do it I just do! Does that make sense?

 

Thinking about it now I try to have my lanyard on a limb above me, it is 10 M long though! It's not always possible and I just pull on the tail and tend as we go,

 

Does this help?

[Ian Flatters]

Hey oldmilltrees,

 

so you pull your weight up onto the static line much like you would on the hitch end of a DRT line, as you lift your weight pull the static line below the hitch upwards to move the hitch up. Rather than remove the slack like in DRT see it as tending to the hitch not the line.

 

Yeah still on the LJ setup and managed a very fast decent on it whilst having a play. Porbably quicker than my SJ on DRT. I got to the ground as was like WOOOOOO! But didn't check how much heat was produced on the wrench but there was no signs of excessive heat transfer on my line so i guess its good for that too. Spiderjackery meets Wrenchery.

[Old Mill Tree Care]

Ok, thanks guys. So there is no magic secret that I don't know about, I just need to get stuck in and persevere.

 

The other thing I thought I had clear in my head is the process with which I would work through a tree systematically.

No probs with DRT as I've done it for years but after today's experience I can see that I have a lot to learn.

I like the challenge but I hate the learning process. I want to just do it straight away.

 

How's Taupotreeman getting on with his?

[Scottish]

the drop tests we did on the weekend showed that the wrench is really safe. The croll and hand ascender tore the rope on a 20cm drop, the RW took a 2m drop with no problems. The footlock prussic was welded to the rope on a 70cm drop. As Ian said, a doubled rope is still a single leg of line as opposed to a double rope system that has a seperate line for backup -ie rope access.

I can definetly feel a rapid change to SRT from friends that i climb with regularly

 

Out of curiosity, was this on static rope designed for toothed ascenders, or tree climbing ropes designed for hitches? If the former that's shocking. Very interesting to hear about all this breaking things testing you do.

[Taupotreeman]

Ok, thanks guys. So there is no magic secret that I don't know about, I just need to get stuck in and persevere.

 

The other thing I thought I had clear in my head is the process with which I would work through a tree systematically.

No probs with DRT as I've done it for years but after today's experience I can see that I have a lot to learn.

I like the challenge but I hate the learning process. I want to just do it straight away.

 

How's Taupotreeman getting on with his?

 

Oldmill, still haven't tried yet I'm afraid. We keep meaning to get out and spend a day training before letting loose in a tree for real but with a few urgent jobs coming in it's been put on the back burner. My colleague, Masonw, has taken to it like a duck to water but then he has some SRT background whereas I still struggle with ascending. The working side of it seems quite simple but I just struggle with not trying to pull the rope through the device rather than just climbing the rope. Hopefully next week we'll get to spend a few hours playing. I'm also keen to see how it operates with a spiderjack. Will let you know how I get on as we go.

[Old Mill Tree Care]

Taupo, I had another quick go today. I finished my big oak job DRT and went back up SRT after a cup of tea to get three hangers out.

With out the pressure of getting a big job done on new, strange gear, I was able to relax and try some gentle branch walks.

 

Ascending i find so so easy. An earlier post someone said make small steps. That certainly helps as it gives you time to pay attention to technique.

 

I'm usin the RW with a LJ and descending is super smooth. It's the branch walks I find tricky. Especially If they slope steeply upwards.

 

Practice practice I guess.

[Taupotreeman]

Oldmill, talking to my offsider today and we thought about using DRT for ascending and then changing over to the RW once in the tree. He was working on a very thick and matted Pin Oak and was finding it hard to get a rope anywhere so resorted to DRT just to get up and then swapped.

 

I'd be keen to see your set up with the LJ and RW. Tried to work it with the spiderjack today but just couldn't figure out how to do it. Everytime we got it set up it just looked dodgy and I sure wasn't going to put my trust in it so a few pointers would be appreciated Sometimes you can't quite see how it should all go together until someone shows you how it's done and only then does it all make sense.

[CraigD]

Wrench just arrived today! can't wait to try in out tomorrow!!

[Old Mill Tree Care]

Taupo, my set up is identical to Ian Flatters' and he posted photos earlier in this thread. I have a piece of cord as the tether where he has a mini sling.