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I fell down a rabbit hole this weekend and figured I might as well ask here.
Background: My partner and I volunteer doing trail management/maintenance and we do chainsaw work to clear downed (or hung-up) trees from trails. Most of what we work on is dead, but some of it is storm-damaged.
For instance, we had planned to clear a section of the AT yesterday from stuff that came down from recent ice storms (not really storm damage, we have a ton of dead oak, pine and ash). We cancelled the trip due to weather.
If we know we have something that rigging will make safer (or do-able vs chainsaws alone), then we bring the maasdam (with our round slings, shackles, snatch block, 1/2" arborist rope, throwline, etc... enough to get a line up in what needs it and to run a redirect or increase MA if needed).
Shock loading: We don't climb. We are never lowering anything from being sawn up in the tree. Main use of the maasdam when sawing is to help pull a (dead) tree that fell into another tree, usually in conjunction with some saw work, to get it out from over the trail. So, we put tension on the line and, unless the thing is just stuck beyond what we can do, it comes free and is on the ground.
We hike our gear in. It could be a 1/4 mile, could be 3+ miles. So, between bringing the saw(s), PPE, fuel, oil, chain, files, lunch, whatever else we need for the day, bringing the rigging gear is, um, not a light decision.
New item: I was given a new set of fiddleblocks (the basic kit with two beaners and the 1/2" rope threaded through the blocks) - which is super awesome. The person giving them figured they would be light enough for me to carry for smaller tasks, but they didn't realize how set setup works (i.e. you need more than what comes in the kit).
This has sparked a bet of sorts between my partner and me: Can I set up a light rig that is useful enough to justify hiking out with, yet is lighter than the maasdam set-up?
Oh. And I'm 130 lbs. So that maasdam 10:1 is pretty nice vs fiddle block 5:1.
I'm convinced I can still put together a useful set-up that will be handier than having nothing.
I might be overly optimistic.
So I've been obsessing over it for the last few days. Google, youtube, forums... last Monday I could not tell you what a portawrap was...
Pretending weight trumps cost (which isn't true, but we have plenty of heavy gear already) and ease of setup (sometimes it's just me and a volunteer whom I am teaching rigging basics at the site - easier setup is better - yes I check entire rig before we pull), here is what I have so far:
Notch medium stainless steel portawrap
rope logic ultra sling 3/4" (for the portawrap - setup looks easy for volunteers)
CMI RP 162 (1/2" mini block) (for redirect or MA when needed)
OR ISC 1/2" mini aluminum block
Rope logic ultra rigging block 5/8" sling (for the little block, tho seems the 1/2" sling would be ok)
Unclear to me what rope would be most reasonable and light.
That Amsteel 1/4" micro rigging line is so tempting with the weight. I think I've dug up most posts from most the forums the last few days, sounds like the WLL goes way down if I knot it at all and the low melting point is not so hot using it with a portawrap.
Then trying to figure out a small enough diameter but strong enough prusik seems to be a dead end.
Does that lead next to 3/8 rope?
Question 1: What are some reasonable light rope options for use with the portawrap and fiddle blocks? Could I use the amsteel micro - could I do it with a different setup with the fiddleblocks?
Question 2: Prusik options for said rope.
Question 3: What setup with the fiddle blocks would you use?
Background: My partner and I volunteer doing trail management/maintenance and we do chainsaw work to clear downed (or hung-up) trees from trails. Most of what we work on is dead, but some of it is storm-damaged.
For instance, we had planned to clear a section of the AT yesterday from stuff that came down from recent ice storms (not really storm damage, we have a ton of dead oak, pine and ash). We cancelled the trip due to weather.
If we know we have something that rigging will make safer (or do-able vs chainsaws alone), then we bring the maasdam (with our round slings, shackles, snatch block, 1/2" arborist rope, throwline, etc... enough to get a line up in what needs it and to run a redirect or increase MA if needed).
Shock loading: We don't climb. We are never lowering anything from being sawn up in the tree. Main use of the maasdam when sawing is to help pull a (dead) tree that fell into another tree, usually in conjunction with some saw work, to get it out from over the trail. So, we put tension on the line and, unless the thing is just stuck beyond what we can do, it comes free and is on the ground.
We hike our gear in. It could be a 1/4 mile, could be 3+ miles. So, between bringing the saw(s), PPE, fuel, oil, chain, files, lunch, whatever else we need for the day, bringing the rigging gear is, um, not a light decision.
New item: I was given a new set of fiddleblocks (the basic kit with two beaners and the 1/2" rope threaded through the blocks) - which is super awesome. The person giving them figured they would be light enough for me to carry for smaller tasks, but they didn't realize how set setup works (i.e. you need more than what comes in the kit).
This has sparked a bet of sorts between my partner and me: Can I set up a light rig that is useful enough to justify hiking out with, yet is lighter than the maasdam set-up?
Oh. And I'm 130 lbs. So that maasdam 10:1 is pretty nice vs fiddle block 5:1.
I'm convinced I can still put together a useful set-up that will be handier than having nothing.
I might be overly optimistic.
So I've been obsessing over it for the last few days. Google, youtube, forums... last Monday I could not tell you what a portawrap was...
Pretending weight trumps cost (which isn't true, but we have plenty of heavy gear already) and ease of setup (sometimes it's just me and a volunteer whom I am teaching rigging basics at the site - easier setup is better - yes I check entire rig before we pull), here is what I have so far:
Notch medium stainless steel portawrap
rope logic ultra sling 3/4" (for the portawrap - setup looks easy for volunteers)
CMI RP 162 (1/2" mini block) (for redirect or MA when needed)
OR ISC 1/2" mini aluminum block
Rope logic ultra rigging block 5/8" sling (for the little block, tho seems the 1/2" sling would be ok)
Unclear to me what rope would be most reasonable and light.
That Amsteel 1/4" micro rigging line is so tempting with the weight. I think I've dug up most posts from most the forums the last few days, sounds like the WLL goes way down if I knot it at all and the low melting point is not so hot using it with a portawrap.
Then trying to figure out a small enough diameter but strong enough prusik seems to be a dead end.
Does that lead next to 3/8 rope?
Question 1: What are some reasonable light rope options for use with the portawrap and fiddle blocks? Could I use the amsteel micro - could I do it with a different setup with the fiddleblocks?
Question 2: Prusik options for said rope.
Question 3: What setup with the fiddle blocks would you use?