Just got the hang of the Big Shot

[defensiblespace]

I love my big shot, but I'm a pretty lousy hand tosser. I'll let the old lady take care of that for me. I'm pruning the dead wood out of an old growth incencse cedar tomorrow where the first decent branch to set a rope is close to 80' up. No way I could hit that by hand.

 

[imagineero]

I too prefer the sling shot method, but it does give me the willies sometimes. Last year we were doing storm damage work in good size trees, some had the first branches well above 100'. You could get a 10oz up there, but not down again because the bark was spongey. Ended up tying a 16oz and a 10oz together after we got a couple lines hung up already. To get it up there, we added an extra 4' section, tunring the pole into a 12 footer. It was a two man effort... one guy would put his foot at the base of the pole while the other loaded and started retracting. As it got more retracted, you'd stand it up, and then take over holding the pouch while the other guy stabilised the pole. You get down on your knees and keep going, by now you've got 8 or 9 feet of stretch on that puppy and you're really flinching in fear for your life. You'd be killed for sure if something let go. You fire it off and it goes forever! And bumps the trunk about 2 feet short. So you do it again....

I've thought about using the 'behind the pole' method just for safety, and it's true that once in a while the line doesn't clear the forks using it the way I do. I've gotten too used to it though, and my aim is awful when I do it the other way.

Shaun

 

[ATH]

I have always used it with pouch on the bottom, and have no problem aiming. Not saying I hit it every time, but when I miss that is usually because I haven't taken time to aim or because I didn't pull it back the right amount. You would probably get used to it after trying for a while and be just as good with your aim.

 

[pdqdl]

... To get it up there, we added an extra 4' section, tunring the pole into a 12 footer. It was a two man effort... one guy would put his foot at the base of the pole while the other loaded and started retracting. As it got more retracted, you'd stand it up, and then take over holding the pouch while the other guy stabilised the pole. You get down on your knees and keep going, by now you've got 8 or 9 feet of stretch on that puppy and you're really flinching in fear for your life. You'd be killed for sure if something let go. You fire it off and it goes forever! And bumps the trunk about 2 feet short. So you do it again....


Shaun

That is why everybody should have a retraction & trigger on their big shot. One man can stretch them out in relative safety all on the ground level, then just stand it up, take aim, and shoot.

 

[treemandan]

I too prefer the sling shot method, but it does give me the willies sometimes. Last year we were doing storm damage work in good size trees, some had the first branches well above 100'. You could get a 10oz up there, but not down again because the bark was spongey. Ended up tying a 16oz and a 10oz together after we got a couple lines hung up already. To get it up there, we added an extra 4' section, tunring the pole into a 12 footer. It was a two man effort... one guy would put his foot at the base of the pole while the other loaded and started retracting. As it got more retracted, you'd stand it up, and then take over holding the pouch while the other guy stabilised the pole. You get down on your knees and keep going, by now you've got 8 or 9 feet of stretch on that puppy and you're really flinching in fear for your life. You'd be killed for sure if something let go. You fire it off and it goes forever! And bumps the trunk about 2 feet short. So you do it again....

I've thought about using the 'behind the pole' method just for safety, and it's true that once in a while the line doesn't clear the forks using it the way I do. I've gotten too used to it though, and my aim is awful when I do it the other way.

Shaun

Sounds like a youtube moment I'm sure.:msp_biggrin:

Its seems to me they shoot pretty much the same regardless of which side the rubbers are. I shoot with them on the outside and rest my chin on the pole. Its safer this way and the line is not coming up then running back down on the inside where it could get snagged and rip the rubbers. Other than that, well, its pretty much self explanitory.

 

[Bermie]

I only just started using a big shot and I think its the absolute bee's knees.
The first thing we did was put a prussik and a release on it because no way could I pull it down far enough, hold and aim just on its own.
Mine's on a one piece 8' pole.
Tree Machine sent me the head unit a few years ago but until I brought it to Australia I didn't hook it all up...is he still on here? I've tried to send a PM with thanks, but he seems to have gone...