Lowering Device Project

[Tully]

Thats a nice bit of kit.

[Mozza]

That looks like a quality bit of kit, Id love to have a day grounding for you using that, The first time i used a Hobbs i was massively impressed but IMO that looks better.

 

Good work mate!!

[Robert_S]

Looks a great device and as always the videos master class.

[Joe]

Looks a great device and as always the videos master class.

 

good work

[timtree81]

such a simple pice of kit ,when do these come on sale ?

[RC0]

Thankyou all for the kind words of encouragement, they are much appreciated.

 

Combined tree: I’m pretty sure they will retail around £500.

 

Timtree: I don’t have an exact date but will have a better idea by the end of the week.

 

Atree: I’ll try to elaborate a little on what Ben said earlier.

 

Wrapping around both barrels ensures less rope twisting, better heat dissipation and overall control. For reasons unknown to myself, the technique also allows the operator to draw much of the slack out of the system that incurs when folding over a log….the technique obviously requires practice and specific routing of the rope….and for heavy chunks is more achievable with 2 persons pulling out the slack (see falling pine log late in the video). I would like to take credit myself with the facility but that’d be dishonest….so its just an added bonus which was discovered by chance.

 

Utilizing two ropes at the same time is really down to the task at hand and the preferences of the workers involved. FWIW, I’ll give you my incentives and try to explain them as best as I can:

 

Easy balancing option needs no explanation really.

 

Speedlining is another obvious one where both the load-line and control-line are tended by a grounds-person at the bottom of the tree.

 

Load transfer between adjacent trees or rigging points.

 

Holding the butt close to during and after a cut is made may also be desirable where limbs are being cut in there entirety i.e. if you have chosen a rigging point that is way out from the limb that’s being cut, it might be the case you cant can’t afford to let it free-swing towards and past that point due to the risk of a collision with an adjacent property, cable of whatever other damageable within the pendulum-swing….so the second rigging line is used; also, opposite scenario is where you desire the to bring a horizontal to the floor while maintaining its original alignment but the rigging point is in-line with the climber position….here you run the risk of having the butt shoot back at you if the limb is balanced….so the 2 nd rigging line is again utilised to hold the butt in position and stop this from occurring. Good examples of the latter start from 3:00 in the video….although one must always remember that the second rigging point must be set up as close to each cut as possible, so the amount of movement afforded to the butt is minimal, so it may be necessary to re-position the rigging after each cut.

 

Further still, the same set-up can be used to isolate and draw large horizontals through the middle of a crown and out the opposite side….where traditional a climber might look to systematically start low down in the tree and bend balanced horizontals round in a wide arc. In most cases this standard practice works just fine….however there can also be adjacent obstructions such as neighbouring trees etc which can render the system impractical. However, the double rope technique I describe means you can pretty much start anywhere in the tree (within reason), and draw the limbs out of the crown while maintaining their original alignment so to avoid snagging.

 

In the last three examples one could argue “why not just cut the branches smaller?” Well, if you could fall a tree in its entirety you would right….9 times out of 10 there’s is nothing to gain by climbing up there to dismantle instead. Same principle applies here, assuming sufficient manpower is at hand of course.

 

What more can I say, when the option is at hand you do start to recognize possibilities to make the job easier.

 

Moving away from that device from a moment, here are some photos of the smallest in the range....although not so small in reality. The sequence of photos show the mounting and rope-routing. You'll notice that the device utilizes two ropes (although you can stick to one if so desired) for the convenience of the groundsperson. The top rope is not load bearing so it need not be an expensive sling like the one in the photos.

Edited June 22, 2009 by RC0

[atree]

thanks for the reply reg,i totally understand now after see the video again (beech tree over street)

Since we can get your blockdriver here when will this be avaible in nz???

[RC0]

when will this be avaible in nz???

 

Not my department I'm afraid....although Stein are an ambitious, relatively young company who dont do things half heartedly.

[Andy Collins]

Excellent products once again Reg, love the look of the little ptw seems a much-needed and common sense advancement. See you at the show.

[High Scale]

Oh yeah I like it!

 

I must remember to leave my check book at home on Friday.