sticky sticky pine sap

[frashdog]

We're taking down a 85+foot white pine that was hit by lightning. The sap is running out down the scars/tears all down the sides. All most every piece of wood from this tree has to be lowered due to good lean over garage and proximity to other valuable trees and gardens benieth. The ropes being used are coming in contact with the trunk and getting coated with pitch.

I had the morning climbing shift on the tree. It became evedent quickly this tree was a bleeder together we've taken thousands of pines down and this is at the top with the amount of pitch getting all over everything. Should see the flip lines, sticky like a fly trap. The problem is our ropes, climbing and lowering lines are so sticky it is insane. So much extra effort is required to move around the ropes and every device minus the blocks/pulleys do not work as smooth as they should. The big concern came when the large wood started to come down. We pulled out a clean 9/16" for the top and rest of wood. One wrap on the porta wrap worked well for the top. Stopped it near the base, pretty smooth . The next piece was a bit more weight so I put two wraps on. My hands were not putting any hold on the rope when this piece went. The porta wrap locked the piece due to the friction from the fresh sap all over it from one use. The wood slammed into the trunk giving the climber a good ride. We called it a day after that, we'll be back monday, hoping the sap will harden on our gear. I did not like the way the ropes were working lowering the lighter stuff too. It was all herky jerky not smooth and one could see the ropes getting hot from all the friction.

What's one to do about the stickyness? Do other lowering devices not slow up with sticky ropes.

 

[Magnum783]

You can use acetone or some of that rope cleaner to take the sap off your ropes but other than that I am not sure there is much to be done. I deal with sap every day all day here in NC. I use blocks all the time just because I can avoid getting sap all over.
Jared

 

[RedlineIt]

frashdog,

Been there with the lowering rope locking up to itself on the port-a-wrap when the rope is rank with pitch. The porty is a great device, wouldn't want to be without one, but when things get sticky, go back in time and take a wrap on an adjacent tree or stout post.

I've even done the half-wrap on the porty supplemented with a half-wrap on the trunk of the target tree. A bit less predictable than nice clean rope on the porty alone, but better than a pitch induced lock-off and a rodeo ride for the man on the spar.


RedlineIt