Rigging Mid-line

[GoodFellers]

Does anyone know of a knot that would work to rig small branches with a bight of rope to lower gently. I've been playing with the idea to use when speed line isn't appropriate. Thinking to make the face cut, running bowline/half hitch, back cut and lower... then with still plenty of rope at my disposal, use some kind of midline knot to rig the next piece and get 2 (or more) branches/pieces down before hauling up the rope again. And of course you have to make sure you would have enough rope left over for the piece to make it to the ground.

Rope only would be ideal otherwise additional carabiners or something simple could be tossed in. Mostly interested in what kind of ideas people have to accomplish this or something similar.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Does anyone know of a knot that would work to rig small branches with a bight of rope to lower gently. I've been playing with the idea to use when speed line isn't appropriate. Thinking to make the face cut, running bowline/half hitch, back cut and lower... then with still plenty of rope at my disposal, use some kind of midline knot to rig the next piece and get 2 (or more) branches/pieces down before hauling up the rope again. And of course you have to make sure you would have enough rope left over for the piece to make it to the ground.

Rope only would be ideal otherwise additional carabiners or something simple could be tossed in. Mostly interested in what kind of ideas people have to accomplish this or something similar.

Alpine butterfly comes to mind... best all around midline knot

 

[pdqdl]

As I understand the question, you wish to have a midline knot that you can directly tie around a branch, and then subsequently lower it, right? Without using additional hardware, I can't think of a speedy, reliable method of doing that with a midline knot that will both choke down on a branch, untie easily, and also remain secure.

When all those knotted branches get to the bottom, I think you will see a general slowdown, rather than a time saving.

I would suggest a much faster and more versatile method. You obviously have speedline equipment. Just use it a bit differently. Rig one branch to the end of the rope, then daisy-chain any other branches to the same lowering line with additional loop runners. Cut them loose in the order of your preference, then have your groundies send up more loopies (previously set aside) with the returning rope. Then you can be rigging the next set of branches with some extra loop-runners you keep on your belt. By the time the groundies send up the rope with more loopies, you might be halfway ready for the next cuts.

While you are finishing your next set of tie-offs, the groundies should have all the loop runners and hardware collected and ready to send up after the next drop. At least in theory, the groundmen will be able to untie and collect the hardware much faster than they can untie a collection of midline knots.

When I am doing that, I try to keep 10-12 loopies of varying lengths, each with its own carabiner clipped to my rescue-8, hanging from my belt. Then it's easy to send a few down, use a few, and get them returned in a continuous pattern without ever running out. If you want, you can also use those loopies and the rescue-8 to lower your own branches if you have been burying the groundmen.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Ahhh, now it makes sense... timber hitch on a bight would work... but yeah just grab some loopies and beeners...

 

[pdqdl]

A timber hitch would be a decidedly bad call if installed mid-line. Putting a marl in front of it would prevent it from peeling out, but what a tangled mess to tie!

By the way: a timber hitch is my go-to method of securing a branch for lowering by rope. I only use a running bowline if I am tying it off out of reach or fighting a tangle of branches. I generally back it up by a half-hitch or full marl if it is a heavy limb or a short section of log. If the log is very short, I'll put a stillson hitch on it.

It took me a while to figure out the question, also. I think I had mentally taken out several trees before I figured out the question. As far as that goes, we still might not have the right scenario figured out.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

It just hit me... he's climbing solo without a groundie...

 

[GoodFellers]

Good call! The scenario sprouting the idea is with a lift and drop zone free of any major targets. Or if there is risk of hitting the lift itself. I put money down w the rental and something came up with go to groundie. Hoping a back up groundie comes through and the rental place is pretty solid and may be willing to waive there policy and let me reschedule... but it got me thinking non the less.

Sounds like not a lot of good options for a rope only approach.

Seems like a loopie to an alpine butterfly and lowered with a figure 8 or porta wrap anchored to the tree could be one approach that would get the job done safely and reduce trips up and down.

 

[ZinTrees]

bundle and deliver, running bowline around the lowest limb, then speedline slings around each one above it, cut the lowest first and work your way up with the rope pre-tensioned, once say all 5 or all 10 limbs are cut off, then lower it to the ground in one big bundle, bonus points for keeping the butts together to
make grabbing them with a machine easier

 

[GoodFellers]

Good call! The scenario sprouting the idea is with a lift and drop zone free of any major targets. Or if there is risk of hitting the lift itself. I put money down w the rental and something came up with go to groundie. Hoping a back up groundie comes through and the rental place is pretty solid and may be willing to waive there policy and let me reschedule... but it got me thinking non the less.

Sounds like not a lot of good options for a rope only approach.

Seems like a loopie to an alpine butterfly and lowered with a figure 8 or porta wrap anchored to the tree could be one approach that would get the job done safely and reduce trips up and down.

bundle and deliver, running bowline around the lowest limb, then speedline slings around each one above it, cut the lowest first and work your way up with the rope pre-tensioned, once say all 5 or all 10 limbs are cut off, then lower it to the ground in one big bundle, bonus points for keeping the butts together to
make grabbing them with a machine easier

That seems like a good workflow! I did end up having a guy. I should have tried out your technique even though I didn’t NEED to. I guess I just got caught up in getting the job done but I’ll definitely try that out at some point.

 

[ZinTrees]

I dont use it a whole lot, we just do things a little different sometimes but when I need, that bundle and deliver is great, you can also half hitch limbs but ive had them come undone and fall before
often a "vertical speedline" is the ticket, tie rope to top, and have the rope tensioned at the bottom, speedling lands butts right at the stump

 

[GoodFellers]

This is especially enticing bc I’m just learning to be more efficient with a mini skid w grapple bucket as well!

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

bundle and deliver, running bowline around the lowest limb, then speedline slings around each one above it, cut the lowest first and work your way up with the rope pre-tensioned, once say all 5 or all 10 limbs are cut off, then lower it to the ground in one big bundle, bonus points for keeping the butts together to
make grabbing them with a machine easier

Bouquets Mr. Tom Dunlap would say/preach.
Can also try small prussics if need spaced
Orchestrated correctly, could have the terminal Running Bowl as stated, cut first for force, then next in line held only by force of tension line from each side to Half Hitch in-between.
Rope is fantastic material as so easily aligns to needed geometries to task;
knowing it well and a few principles, sometimes finds imagination as only limit.
.
To this end, the greatest single change made was committing to taking baby sling and carabineer sets up with me, opened a whole new world.....

 

[Howsitgoineh]

It just hit me... he's climbing solo without a groundie...

I second the note on alpine butterfly. I like to use a clove hitch on small and medium limbs, backed up with 2 half hitches.

Biners and loopies are a quick effective way to attach a limb and easily removed.

For the OP - have a look at some self-rigging or solo rigging teqniques.
Old school climbers will even rig solo on their climbing line if the tail is long enough. This is done by making a Marlin hitch or half hitch around the trunk at a branch union, and tying the tail end to the limb to be lowered. Make the cut, and then give slack to the hitch to lower the limb

Your speed line kit would be a great tool for self rigging too if you have a solid anchor point out of the way from obstacles