Dan Curtis

Tried it for what?! It's to add friction? Not main life support?! Large ring, revolver, 11.2mm teufelburger tachyon

Both nests are in old farm buildings, whose doors are permanently open. The first nest is not the easiest for the parents to access as it's on the middle of three internally joined rooms. Access is through doors at either end, then a precarious flight through the buildings. It's quite an impressive sight to see them navigate the building!

Two sets of swallow chicks. The first are approx one day hatched. The second are barely two weeks old but looking like they're ready to fledge!

Have a think about putting publicly what you're carrying day to day mate, especially with business names involved

Here you go mate. The ring and krab can be used with a bight to create a static redirect, useful when climbing from a base anchor into smaller TIPS. At the moment it's non retrievable, but I'm working on that. To tie it; just pass a bight through the ring then over your redirect, back through the ring and clip a krab into the bight. It holds against both legs (static) therefore you can take all loading off other TIPS should you feel the need. The last pic is with a revolver as a friction/heat sink for long descents. I use the ring often with a top tie in, it helps on retrieval as it reduces friction. I'm not into the mallion/butterfly stuff, so when I do this I normally aim to finish my climb at my anchor and then clip either my tail or a throwline to the ring as a retrieval line. Using the ring choked line on a pole is handy, clip a length of line the same length as the bits you're cutting off to the ring (I generally use whatever redirect slings I have on my harness). Cut your piece, climb down, pull the tug line to release your rope, it falls to you, choke it back up, cut, repeat. You can do this without a ring but there's so much less friction with the ring, you can do it all one handed. I also use the ring in base anchors along the same lines. Less rope on rope action. If doing this I usually tie a butterfly above the ring to reduce the "flop factor" and sagging. If you're leaving a semi-permenant redirect in and are unhappy leaving a remote krab/revolver, you can girth a sling onto the ring instead, however this requires threading the length through. Hope this all makes sense!

Here you go. It does take some retrieving so probably not the best for rough bark and large limbs but it's functional and safe. The knot is a bowline on a bight and the krab is a backup in the tail. I've got another static tip tie that I'm gonna put up but it's non retrievable.....at the moment. I'm working on that one:thumbup1:

A man I know once told me "only 18 year olds want to use an 88 all day" Quite true once you've spent a bit of time with one. Having said that, an 88 with a 25" bar is certainly a beast that takes a man to tame it! Quite a nice power to weight ratio when you take into account cutting speed. I run a 395 with 28" & 36" bars, that does the majority of the decent size stuff, after all, it's a 6ft cut from both sides with the 36" on. Only twice in the last year have I needed to step up to a 4ft bar and cut from both sides. One 7ft stem and one 8ft stem

No worries

To be fair, your transit is bigger than most:sneaky2:

One thing I'd add to the answers so far. If you're on a base anchor, then continuing up to a higher PSP, but don't want to load that with double forces; Take a bight to tie your psp, so that you're only tied in there, not loaded on the base side. Work the tree using single forces on your PSP, descend and retrieve your rope from the base anchor, simples. Retrievable double anchors with single loading:thumbup1:

I'll get some pics for you:thumbup:

When I made the transition that's how I found things. I also had strained forearms because I was trying to climb in a ddrt style and pull myself back in on limbs. Once I realised the issue I focused on changing my style, to aim to use the benefits of Srt, not fight against them. Hope it works out for you

Are you redirecting to high points above your work stations? If not, the problem could be using a relatively low line angle and not having the mechanical advantage of ddrt. You gotta think srt, maximise the potential of the tree

Generally; Hand ascender, big anchor ring (assorted uses), fig 8 (just incase), 1x crab (ddrt descents) 2x revolvers, one with 30 cm sling. If I need another clipped redirect I'll take off my chest loop (120cm sling). That's about it.

I'd agree with that. Much better for inexperienced or panicked rescuers

Nice one Matt. The disco in the fourth pic was featured in lro a few years back. Certainly a labour of love to make something like that!

1960's Stihl 07s. I've only had it a few months but never done anything other than fresh fuel. Starts and runs every time, and by God do you know it's running! I think I put pics of it on another thread recently

How do you store your rope? Flaking is best to reduce twist. If you coil it do it in 8's, don't try to wrap it in ovals. Do you use a figure 8 or Munter hitch? Both of them introduce twists to rope. Certain friction hitches have a habit of twisting rope too To remove a twist that's there, I've found if you clip one end to something solid, then walk the full length out and pull and hold the rope stretched for 10 seconds or so, release gently, don't let it recoil, repeat 5 or so times it'll reduce the twist

Yes, that would be virtually the same principle as a fate revolver:thumbup:

How does that lift take place Ewan? Are you talking a ddrt rescue system so as to have a MA? Yerp, grigri's aren't the best. But everything should be backed up with stoppers in the ideal situation, good habit to be in imo.

Food for thought indeed, essentially the same as a system I posted but with an 8 instead of the rw/hitch. Only issue I can see is that top crab wandering off up the tree. Imo it would be better tied or mallioned in.

Looks like mine is better than yours:001_tt2: Haha, Gareth said one of yours was with Spud being fixed

And another. Essentially making a hitch hiker type friction device with two rings. Simple, cheap, functional.

Another emergency setup involving two lines. Hard tie your main rope in your normal fashion, I like using a choked ring. Tie two mid line knots or your choice with a good distance between them. In the event of an emergency, clip a lowering system into the bottom knot, and tie or mallion into the top knot. Sever the main line mid way between the two knots. Obviously there are downsides to this method, using cutting equipment in close proximity to the system is never favourable. However, this is simple and uses no more than what should be in the most basic of climbing kits. The rw is non essential, a figure 8 or Munter could be used in it's place.

Fair enough. I think you've raised a very good point there. Two man team belay rescues could be something to think about.