Doing your own lowering.

[Marc Lewis]

I use this system alot using the tail of my climbing rope. So quick and easy when there is not loads to lower

[silky fox]

Same here marc....many times....light stuff..

[Merle Nelson]

To the original post, I have been using stubs and natural crotches to lower small/modest stuff for 20 plus years. For the last couple of years I have been carrying up a mini port a wrap with sling, arb block with sling, and 13 mm let down rope all in a small back pac and enjoying the smooth consistent control a lot more. Recently I read about a new product (X Rigging Rings) that in one three ring configuration will replace my steel arb block for modest lowering, and in another configuration will allow me to install a steel block and ring from the ground. Not sure if you will need to wait for these to one day be CE certified or if that doesn’t apply to rigging gear. If you want to take a look at those a Google search for X Rigging Rings should yeald a YouTube video entitled “ Early Versions “ (14+ min.) and a Tom Hoffman video entitled, “Arrival” also a post listed on another forum that has a lot of good info. from the developer.

[Rupe]

As long as you work well within the limits of what kit your using then of course its ok and can be very quick.

We should call it lowering (like you have called it) and not rigging. Rigging is a different thing really.

The main limitation of doing it your self is that your doing it from a point where you are in the tree, so if the wraps are on a peg next to you then that is where the load is so of course your only doing small stuff so no problem. Then of course rigging is where you distribute the load throughout the tree so you can do bigger stuff.

 

I think doing the lowering your self is perfect for reductions and stuff where there is lots of stuff to lower from different points and you may well only have two people on site. Taking a tree down is different, because everything is eventually going so you can clear a lowering space and rig everything into that space and you would now more likely have three on site so rigging is way more efficient.

 

The pulley on the piece being lowered is good. I use a sling and krab, and then just clip a bite of climbing line below my hitch into the krab. You can then lower using your climbing line, doubled, and never need to pull up the far end of your climbing line.

 

This of course is for even smaller pieces than you might do with seperate line, and this should be seen more as guiding stuff to the ground rather than lowering, but the doubled line halfs the load so its ok for small stuff, often the load is no more than lowering a big saw down for fueling.

[Le Sanglier]

Well, it's a big thumbs up for that then! I think the important thing when using your climbing line for lowering is that if it gets caught in the loop, or on peg. you could in a pinch pull it out yourself. (Guilty of ignoring that rule too often!)

I am sure I'm preaching to the choir anyway but I often lower instead of slam down (even if there's room) so that the groundie can stand it on its top and guide it straight to the chipper.

With wood like poplar and other brittle stuff you save youself a lot of clearing up.

[silky fox]

Excellent point...Why smash it down and take time and journeys to the chipper as well as a raking up over a larger area?...when lowering a limb means you are able to take control of it from the tree straight to the hopper:)

[markieg31]

whats all this talk about getting groundie??

i at times, when the mrs is unavailable, do the whole operation on me own- climbing/ lowering. can get a little complicated at times but needs must.

 

when i say one man band...

[crackoff]

In this type of scenario, how do you get your rope back? What knot do you tie to the lowering branches in order to release them once on the ground?

[treequip]

In this type of scenario, how do you get your rope back? What knot do you tie to the lowering branches in order to release them once on the ground?

 

Put a sling and a biner on the branch and lower it on a bight of rope, once the branch in on the deck you can throw the open end of your line down and pull it all back through the biner

 

Proper old school one man band

[crackoff]

Would this work as well? Meaning no staps/slings???