Bulldog OAR ascender/descender

[surveyor]

Ben, yes, to remove the top arm, I use a plier and squeeze the retaining clip off the slotted pin (just remember to align the clip and the slots before squeezing it back on if you reinstall the top arm later). Then remove the side plate and aluminum arm on that same side and remove the single pin, top attach point, and the rest of the top arm. You will be left with a top attach point that has 5/16" holes, rather than the 9/16" hole, which means you will have to put a 5/16" shackle through the top attach point in order to have something to clip into there.

 

Thanks, Gordon

[BenR]

Thanks Gordon. I tried it today with 4 arms and it was ok but 3 would be better Im sure. I can just put a small loop of throwline through the holes as I only need it to tend it SRT, I wont be using it doubled rope again. I'll put it back to the way it was and give it back to Dan after Ive put it through its paces properly.

[onelab]

That's cool ben. You've got a much better idea of srtwp than I do. I'll give you Gordons address to send out back when you've had a good test of the bulldog.

 

I have to admit I struggled with it srt. I found it didn't like the smaller diameter climbing lines I have. It either creeped or slipped on my cougar blue, poison ivy, and km3. That was all with the full four arms.

 

My lack of srtwp experience probably didn't help with the fact it unnerved me.

 

Sent from my GT-S5360 using Tapatalk 2

[surveyor]

Creeping or slipping is no good. I have used it with the KMIII and it needed a larger dia. roller on the bottom arm to function properly.

 

I know that bing uses an O rig set up with it on a doubled rope (tachyon) with just two arms. Here is an idea for the O rig that is easily installed.

[onelab]

That's ingenious . I'm pretty sure you couldn't do that with any other climbing device.

 

How is he ruining 11.5mm rope? Does he have larger diameter rollers?

 

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[surveyor]

I sent it with the same size rollers (3/4") as the one you have.

[Bing!]

I use the same diameter rollers but as sheaves, they run very nicely but not noticeably better, I like it though. I did toy with a smaller diameter on the top arm only, about 1mm diameter smaller, but found that when I was tooled up with a big saw on my belt it started to creep. You can lock off the Bulldog but it was simpler to go back to the standard size.

Other climbers on the firm use 12.7-13mm ropes and have found the smaller rollers work well, thicker rope/smaller diameter to compensate. If you are using smaller diameter rope perhaps slightly bigger rollers would cure the creep? Try one on the top roller first then on both?

I use the Bulldog in place of a friction hitch/hitch climber Dbrt on day to day trees (lots of 30-40 ft street trees at the moment) but on the bigger trees I switch to an O rig, makes the "ups and downs" alot less effort. Instant progress capture and no slack tending.

 

Bing!

 

As mentioned in a previous post, I'm about 14 stone (88kg) and climbing on Tachyon/Teufelberger Tachyon 11.5mm, both about 1 year old and well used. 2 arms on the bulldog and Dbrt.

Edited November 7, 2012 by Bing!
additional info.

[BenR]

I took off an arm this morning but have not had a chance to try it off the ground yet. On the ground 3 works well with my weight and tends slack better too. I have noticed the bulldog cleaning the fluff off my rope too. Not sure if thats good or bad.

[surveyor]

Ben and Bing, I look forward to your review. You may try this also , as I have taken inspiration from the Hitch Hiker for SRT. Tie a 6mm hitch cord above the OAR and thread the tails down through the OAR between the arms and behind the rollers, then tie a stopper knot below the bottom arm. It then releases on a single line with the hitch as normal while the OAR provides the extra friction.

[BenR]

Interesting stuff, Im back to work tomorrow so I will give it spin with 3 arms. Thanks Gordon.