X Rigging Rings, thoughts

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Top answer to the non believes in innovative David.

The THT is looking good and it'll be interesting to see the reaction of the masses once a few people get hold and start using them in more situations with different skill and experience levels.

Keep up the good work and I'm sure you'll get to where you want to be.

 

Best book early, there's a bit of a run on them at TreeKit!

 

Just ordered mine, hoping it will be here by the weekend - thank you Max!

[bigtreedon]

Just ordered some myself looking forward to getting them out on some beech removals I have to do :-)

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Just had a call back from Max at TreeKit. I'd asked a number of questions about CE / CoC tickets for a spliced retrievable strop.

 

Here might be the problem - maybe some knowledgable LOLER types or David (Xman) might have some info / help?

 

If I understand correctly, the rings are manufactured in Italy, branded and shipped Stateside then re shipped to UK? Propriety brand rope (various according to need) is then spliced around the rings.

 

So where does that leave the end user in terms of presenting for next LOLER check and what might be the implications for the splicer / supplier? There is no CE for the piece of apparatus because it's a combo of different pieces. The rope may have original date / batch of manufacture, WLL, lifex, etc from the manufacturer, that is then compromised by splicing.

 

It's ordered, it's on it's way, it'll be put to use this weekend. Making the paperwork match up might not be so easy though?

[mistahbenn]

I like you a little bit more after seeing you playing with that pussy cat Dave. The THT does look like a good idea for sure, but I bet you'll never see Graeme using it.

[Rupe]

Just had a look at the beggining of the video, will watch the rest later.

 

First small point re spiderjack, has anyone tried one using a harken hexaratchet pulley as a friction saver? That might be the best of both worlds, friction on descent, no friction on ascent. Anyway, moving on to rings............

 

 

I like the simplicity of the rings, lightweight, smaller pack size and I'm guessing cheaper than a bag full of ISC/DMM blocks. I also like any innovation in the industry and will do my best to keep up, even though I have less and less time to spend on arbtalk these days, being an international pro triathlete is time consuming, I'm also fund raising to help save my local pub which appears to be going out of business!!

 

I see where spreading some friction around is a good thing and can make less friction at the base which gives greater control to the ground crew, but Tim is right in that it puts more weight into a smaller section of the rope. My concern is why would you want less control at the base? With the right friction bollard and operator you should have complete control, and if friction is spread around the tree then the ground worker has some of the control taken away from him?

 

One of the limitations of the GRCS is that the pigs tail is on oneside. (I would prefer both sides) meaning you only have 1,2 or 3 wraps rather than 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 etc. which would give greater control. Not that you can mkae any adjustments when the load is on the move, but neither can you when using rings. So that adjustment of friction, from one turn or two, is done by the groundie with communication from the climber. It would be difficult for the climber to try and explain how much friction has been put into the sytem by the rings or an addition of an extra re direct, but with practice this shouldn't be a problem.

 

But anyway, the difference in friction between 1,2 and 3 wraps on a GRCS is taken up with the groundie and a decent pair of gloves. We ensure gloves are part of the system, with them you have variable friction between 1 and 2 wraps and between 2 and 3 wraps, making a totally controllable friction system, with friction being added or removed (to a degree) while the load is in motion, something that will be a lot harder if soem friction is used up in the tree.

 

So I even though this might be usefull occasionally, and useful if using a smaller diameter bollard or flying capstan, or with a less experienced operator, I dont see that this is an overall benefit of the rings. Also I like multi point rigging and the whole point of that is specifically to dissipate load throughout a much longer piece of rope.

 

I'd better go and watch the rest of the vid..................

[Rupe]

Just had a call back from Max at TreeKit. I'd asked a number of questions about CE / CoC tickets for a spliced retrievable strop.

 

Here might be the problem - maybe some knowledgable LOLER types or David (Xman) might have some info / help?

 

If I understand correctly, the rings are manufactured in Italy, branded and shipped Stateside then re shipped to UK? Propriety brand rope (various according to need) is then spliced around the rings.

 

So where does that leave the end user in terms of presenting for next LOLER check and what might be the implications for the splicer / supplier? There is no CE for the piece of apparatus because it's a combo of different pieces. The rope may have original date / batch of manufacture, WLL, lifex, etc from the manufacturer, that is then compromised by splicing.

 

It's ordered, it's on it's way, it'll be put to use this weekend. Making the paperwork match up might not be so easy though?

 

Show the loler guy some good condition blocks and leave it at that!

[Paul Smith]

My GRCS has pigs tails on both sides.

[Rupe]

My GRCS has pigs tails on both sides.

 

Is that a new thing then? Mine has a fairlead on the opposite side but thats not quite as good as a pigtail.

[Rupe]

Watched the rest of the video. I thought reg was about to fall asleep at one point, cool as ever!

 

I can see that as a first piece of lowering kit they would be great, and as said already, cheaper,tougher, lighter and more compact is all good and reason enough to use them.

 

We did some branch removal on a large cedar the other day, not a full removal, and some retrievable riging points would have been great and carrying less kit to the job would be great too, but we managed well with what we have.

 

I guess I'm lucky in having the GRCS and the same groundie using it for many years, its his skill not mine that gets jobs done smoothly and he never messes up, so we have a good sytem that we trust and know very well.

 

If I had these rings I would definitely use them.

[Mark Bolam]

I may well get some, but will be remembering two points.

On compromised trees, I don't want friction on the skinny weak bit at the rigging point. I want it at the chunky bit at the bottom where the groundy can let it run and brake it slowly to minimise force at the top.

Also, pulling up the blank end to feed through must be a ballache on taller trees.

Definitely worth having in the bag though.

 

 

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