Ok, neighbor wants a zipline.

[TheJollyLogger]

Any zipline pro's out there? Neighbor wants a 350' zipline installed, got a bid for 17k, gave me the chance to beat it. It doesn't seem like rocket science to me, but that's usually when I get into trouble. Any boys with experience or guidance on this one? Jeff

 

[Stayalert]

Any zipline pro's out there? Neighbor wants a 350' zipline installed, got a bid for 17k, gave me the chance to beat it. It doesn't seem like rocket science to me, but that's usually when I get into trouble. Any boys with experience or guidance on this one? Jeff

LOL! You need to go to ziplinesite.com and post that under the zipline 101 forum!! Sounds like a job for a pro! 350' is pretty darn long!!

 

[TheJollyLogger]

It's all a matter of scale, and I've got a groundie in mind for the test run, should be fine. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[k5alive]

Grab yer' helmet and colored pencils and meet me at the drawing board!!!

Proper anchors and anchor point, cable, angle, carriage and failsafe, and a stopping block should be all ya need

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Yeah, he got a bid for 17k from a high ropes guy, seemed way high to me. I told him I'd do some research and get back to him. I know we've got some members who've done a lot of this work, figured I'd let them chime in and see if I want to mess with it, or pass. JL

 

[Grace Tree]

I know it has to be higher on one end or else you get stuck in the middle and the fire department has to come rescue you.
Hope this helps,
Phil
Also, if it's not high enough, you get grass stains on your knees and your mom yells at you.

 

[monkeylove]

My first question in all seriousness would be liability. I am sure you can do the job but being in the manufacturing field sometimes the laywers fees afterwards aren't worth the money you made on the job. Just something you might not thougt of on this job.:msp_confused:

 

[TheJollyLogger]

My first question in all seriousness would be liability. I am sure you can do the job but being in the manufacturing field sometimes the laywers fees afterwards aren't worth the money you made on the job. Just something you might not thougt of on this job.:msp_confused:

I'm not worried about the overall safety, or liability of the structure. It will all be way over engineered. Mostly I'm just looking for anyone with insight or resources on figuring the best tension and glideslope calculations.

 

[monkeylove]

I have been zip lining once, thats about all the help or no help I have. Sorry.

 

[ATH]

I'm not worried about the overall safety, or liability of the structure. It will all be way over engineered. ...

that doesn't protect you if an idiot forgets to clip in properly and falls out. Or if a tree falls on it and they just drag it away without inspecting the line then it snaps while somebody is on it. Yeah...we would all hope you'd win the lawsuit (and you are certainly in a state that tends to be more logical than others to your NW...but that doesn't mean the legal process won't take all of your money just to defend it. Might double check with your insurance to see what they say. Maybe it would only be a small one-time addition onto your policy for a one-time project???

Having said that, for a neighbor, I'd still do it (as long as they let the kids and I ride it!). Like you said it is not rocket surgery.

Sherrill has 500' spools of cable for under a grand...only weights 230 lbs! You might contact them to ask if they have any resources.

Sorry, I have no other help

 

[futbalfantic]

Gotta put a WHOLE lot of tension on it. Guy wires on the back side.


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[woodchuck357]

350 feet for $17,000 seems mighty steep

Does that include building towers? I have done several, but only for family, at no charge. Tree to tree across a holler, 1000 feet of stainless cable, with two trolleys cost just over $3000 in materials and took about half a day to put up and test with two men and a boy just playing around. That was for a one way, next summer we plan to add another so they can zip over and then zip back. Three guys working hard could have done it in a couple of hours.

I usually just run the cable over a crotch then down to the base of another tree. But have put in large eye bolts or lags for anchors and in place of crotches. We set one up sometimes on the creek we play at, it's a rush to zip then drop 20 feet into the water! We put that one, about 400 feet of zip, up temporarily and take it down when we leave. Takes only about an hour to set it up and about 15 min to take down.

 

[RVALUE]

I have one, probably about 250 - 300 feet.

I was amazed at how 'level' it needs to be, so that you CAN stop at the other end. And I question the stop block ideas. IF you stop too quickly, you become a missile.

Ziplines can't hold a candle to video games, :hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:



Ours has been up about 10 years, and I have had to tighten it once.

It is probably 1/4 wire, and probably too small.

 

[woodchuck357]

I have done them several ways, but prefer to have plenty of drop with a cable not so tight so you get a lot of speed at the start and slow down at the end. Only problem is 50 pound kid and a 250 pound adult need different adjustment in tension or some one to catch the kids at the end. The smallest cable we have used is 3/8. The cross holler one is 7/16. We have quick change trolleys on that one. Two people can take a ride, then take the trolleys off, then ride a 4-wheeler back to the start. It will be nicer to just zip back when the other line is put up!

 

[2treeornot2tree]

I know from making them in the fire company duuring training classes that tension is very important. If you over tension you can make the forces on the anchors double. There has got to be a ton of info on the web about building one.

 

[sgreanbeans]

I know a Marine that set one up and was charging to ride, it was good until a kid got hurt. The kid now owns the Marine's.....everything. Marine was arrested for negligence, used some weird legal saying/definition in some case file, verbed the fact that he put people at risk for profit. They tore him to bits. Really, REALLY check that liability. Ass can be out in the wind on this. Cover your 6 and then post pics. Marine is a damn good guy and was sick that someone was hurt, kids family was friends with his, but came after him with a vengeance. Kid was like 10-12, dad was there, think he broke his hip and a leg and some ribs all on one side. I went to Somalia with him and I went to riggers/vehicle recovery, repelling, explosives and wrecker course's with the guy, he knew what he was doing. The kid screwed up and some how un-clipped himself, about 30ft up.

 

[RVALUE]

Ours is generic. You just hold on.