Maasdam Rope Caveat

[VintageHusky]

Dear Colleagues:
I’m new here, but I wondered whether anyone here has noticed that when using your Maasdam rope puller you really need a two man job to use it safely. Reason? I found that without someone applying constant tension on the tool, the tree feller could be in danger since I noticed when using it by myself that it goes limp and doesn’t keep the tree tight without someone else applying constant tension on the tool end. I don’t think I’m misusing it either. I’ve seen a couple YouTube videos about this. So, when I felled a five story dead ash with my neighbors shed behind it, I had to keep running back and forth from cutting and wedging the tree and putting more tension on the rope. I ended up felling the tree per my felling plan, but I didn’t like the fact I had to run back and forth while I had a large tree face cut and wedged. Any comments? Help?

 

[Del_]

I can help!

Once you tighten up the rope on the Maasdam, and sometimes you have to pull on the tail of the rope to keep it from slipping, you can put a half hitch on the protruding metal right at the bollard to keep the tension that you gained. It will not slip with this half hitch. I do this quite often when felling solo using the Maasdam.

I just went out to the shop to take this photo. Of course the tail of the rope would be much longer than in my hastily taken demo photo.

You are going to love how it solves your dilemma.

 

[northmanlogging]

Dear Colleagues:
I’m new here, but I wondered whether anyone here has noticed that when using your Maasdam rope puller you really need a two man job to use it safely. Reason? I found that without someone applying constant tension on the tool, the tree feller could be in danger since I noticed when using it by myself that it goes limp and doesn’t keep the tree tight without someone else applying constant tension on the tool end. I don’t think I’m misusing it either. I’ve seen a couple YouTube videos about this. So, when I felled a five story dead ash with my neighbors shed behind it, I had to keep running back and forth from cutting and wedging the tree and putting more tension on the rope. I ended up felling the tree per my felling plan, but I didn’t like the fact I had to run back and forth while I had a large tree face cut and wedged. Any comments? Help?

They can slip, if over loaded or using the wrong type of rope, they are supposed to use 3 strand twisted 1/2" rope like arborplex. If said tool is slipping, and not doing the what you want it to... yer gonna need a bigger boat... or you can get away with a 2-1 block system, if that slips... pray

But whats more likely to be be happening is that yer tree is moving, and causing slack in the line, it don't take much. The fix for solo work is to use a redirect and anchor a short way from the tree you are falling, so you can cut a little, wench a little, and then never have to cross in front of a crippled tree, Ideally your anchor point for solo winching should be behind and to the side of desired fall, outside the danger zone but near enough to get to it in a hurry.

Its also not a terrible idea to use a progress capture separate from the maasdam, a prusik or mechanical (rated of course) so winch a bit, pull the slack, pound wedges (you are using wedges right?) maybe saw some more, rinse repeat as necessary

 

[Del_]

The Maasdam is known to slip if it is not tailed.

Good sailing rope winches like the Harken have self tailing features, but there are none on the Maasdam.

What I do is crank the Maasdam handle with one arm as I'm tailing the Maasdam with my other hand. This technique worked good for me for decades.

And when you have to leave the Maasdam, the half hitch I showed stops all slip.

 

[VintageHusky]

Gentlemen: all great advice. Thanks. I’m scrupulous about staying out f line of the fall. I’m using the correct 1/2” rope which Maasdam recommended for the tool I have. I’ve used snatch blocks to try to keep the slack out. I have also bought an extended rope so I can reel in the slack. I would ask northmanloggin what the redirect and anchor set up he has in mind? Another tree stump? And for Del, where is this bollard set up? Del, can you give me a bit of schooling on the “half hitch”.? Are you talking about just knotting the slack around the tool so the slack can’t go anywhere? I appreciate all your advice. I’ve been using 1/2” Right Rope “Arborist Bull Rope.” I’ve got three strand rope with a double overhand stopper knot. I took the hook off the end and put a beener on there rated for the load I’m using.

 

[pdqdl]

I’m scrupulous about staying out of line of the fall.

You could always use a pully and redirect to a safe zone to operate the hand winch.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

You said it with the first sentence... yes, you need two men to do it safely...

 

[robo nixon]

Here are some examples of sentences containing ‘Notwithstanding’. It can give you a better view of understanding prepositions that start with ‘N’ using ‘Notwithstanding’. You have to take care of its proper and perfect use.