Block and tackle

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smokinj

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Aug 11, 2008
15,980
Anderson, Indiana
Looking to build a block and tackle double pulleys needs to be strong anyone try this and what pulleys did you use? useing it to redirect tree felling.
 
smokinjay said:
Looking to build a block and tackle double pulleys needs to be strong anyone try this and what pulleys did you use? useing it to redirect tree felling.

Haven't done this myself, I think a come-a-long is a better solution, but bear in mind that you need to match the pulley sheave size to the diameter of the rope that you are using, and that the larger the pulley diameter the better it is for the rope.

Pay VERY close attention to the strength ratings on both the rope and pulleys, as well as any attaching hardware on each end, as a block and tackle can rapidly get to the point of exceeding strength ratings.

Gooserider
 
Gooserider said:
smokinjay said:
Looking to build a block and tackle double pulleys needs to be strong anyone try this and what pulleys did you use? useing it to redirect tree felling.

Haven't done this myself, I think a come-a-long is a better solution, but bear in mind that you need to match the pulley sheave size to the diameter of the rope that you are using, and that the larger the pulley diameter the better it is for the rope.

Pay VERY close attention to the strength ratings on both the rope and pulleys, as well as any attaching hardware on each end, as a block and tackle can rapidly get to the point of exceeding strength ratings.

Gooserider

That's where I am at. I hate the come-a-long haven't tried one with the rope instead of the cable.Thats another way I am looking at the two double pulleys and rope going to come in around 200.00 bucks..What I have is a tree leaning back towards a barn. I am looking to putting 2 lines in at a 45 degrees anchored on both and pull on one side and tip the tree over.With about a 6 in. henge
 
I had a couple close calls with rope.
I'm strictly a cable guy now.
Well, not really a "cable guy" but you know what I mean.
For me it was too hard to judge the amount of stretch in the rope in relation
to a proper amount of tension on the tree.
 
I don't know about doing that - my feeling is that I won't try to drop a "danger tree" (one that is positioned such that it's preferred fall direction is likely to endanger valuable property) - I will leave those to the pros with the cranes and bucket trucks to take down in pieces...

If I DID have to do something like that, I would probably put a line or two on the tree and winch it over w/ come-a-longs or some other sort of winch until I had a definite lean in the direction I wanted, and then cut it VERY gingerly while watching out for any signs that the trunk would want to kick back when the tree started to go... I wouldn't want to use a block that was relying on someone to hold tension on it, as they could let go at the wrong moment...

Gooserider
 
J check out Quadratec.com its a four wheel drive website, should have some strong cable block and tackles.
 
I'm a come-along kind of guy too. I am thinking of getting a come-along that uses a nylon strap instead of steel cable. Getting fed up with trying to spool the cable carefully so as not to tangle and fray it.

I use both rope and steel cable depending on the situation. I generally pull on a rope to get a tree to fall but for safety lines where I need to prevent a tree from falling in a particular direction, I put my faith in 1/2 inch steel cable and heavy chains. If I have to anchor to a live tree though, I use nylon chokers. I sometimes will screw in a guy anchor like what hydro utilities use.
 
LLigetfa said:
I'm a come-along kind of guy too. I am thinking of getting a come-along that uses a nylon strap instead of steel cable. Getting fed up with trying to spool the cable carefully so as not to tangle and fray it.

I use both rope and steel cable depending on the situation. I generally pull on a rope to get a tree to fall but for safety lines where I need to prevent a tree from falling in a particular direction, I put my faith in 1/2 inch steel cable and heavy chains. If I have to anchor to a live tree though, I use nylon chokers. I sometimes will screw in a guy anchor like what hydro utilities use.

here one that looks like what your talking about http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=21700&catID;=
 
Gooserider said:
I don't know about doing that - my feeling is that I won't try to drop a "danger tree" (one that is positioned such that it's preferred fall direction is likely to endanger valuable property) - I will leave those to the pros with the cranes and bucket trucks to take down in pieces...

If I DID have to do something like that, I would probably put a line or two on the tree and winch it over w/ come-a-longs or some other sort of winch until I had a definite lean in the direction I wanted, and then cut it VERY gingerly while watching out for any signs that the trunk would want to kick back when the tree started to go... I wouldn't want to use a block that was relying on someone to hold tension on it, as they could let go at the wrong moment...

Gooserider


plan on using a friction device on one side and a block and tackle on the other side it would grab slack if need be much faster
 
I like the Masdam rope puller because you are not limited to a short length of cable, though I would do as others suggested and set up two lines one as a safety. Personally if it is a sound tree without tremendous lean I like to make the face cut and establish the hinge after the ropes are all set and stretched tight. Once the hinge is established and a wedge or two placed all that is left is pulling. Also setting up a snatch block on an obstacle in wanted direction of felling allows you to get off to the side out of danger.
(broken link removed)
 
smokinjay said:
plan on using a friction device on one side and a block and tackle on the other side it would grab slack if need be much faster
Ja, I've thought about having the option to pull lots of line fast, something you can't really do with a come-along.
 
LLigetfa said:
[]Ja, I've thought about having the option to pull lots of line fast, something you can't really do with a come-along.


How about a winch or cable to tractor?
Lots of options.
 
smokinjay
You will probably want to use a 5:3 (head block with 5 pulleys and a fall w/ 3 pulleys)block and fall at least. You can eat up an incredible amount of rope really quickly. Even a 3:2 will go through a 100 ft rope quickly an only give about 30 ft of lift (read distance from the head block to the dead end of the line). That might no be enough distance to keep the rigging away from the tree as it falls. I myself have a couple of trees that I have thought about using the same method on.
I would also consider using a come-along, span sets(nylon slings), steel rigging cable with thimble eyes in each end and 5/8 shackles. Fortunately I have access to all of this equipment to borrow / use as I like. I have no idea what the cost to buy would be from Fehr but like most stuff in the rigging department ....... none of it is cheap.

Here is a link to CMI website they have all kinds of pulleys, climbing, rigging stuff
CMI Climbing / Rigging

Here is Fehr Brothers, Steel rigging, span sets etc...
Fehr Brothers

Blue Water Rope....all kinds of ropes check out the static line section
Blue Water Ropes

Be safe
Keep us posted
 
DMX_512 said:
smokinjay
You will probably want to use a 5:3 (head block with 5 pulleys and a fall w/ 3 pulleys)block and fall at least. You can eat up an incredible amount of rope really quickly. Even a 3:2 will go through a 100 ft rope quickly an only give about 30 ft of lift (read distance from the head block to the dead end of the line). That might no be enough distance to keep the rigging away from the tree as it falls. I myself have a couple of trees that I have thought about using the same method on.
I would also consider using a come-along, span sets(nylon slings), steel rigging cable with thimble eyes in each end and 5/8 shackles. Fortunately I have access to all of this equipment to borrow / use as I like. I have no idea what the cost to buy would be from Fehr but like most stuff in the rigging department ....... none of it is cheap.

Here is a link to CMI website they have all kinds of pulleys, climbing, rigging stuff
CMI Climbing / Rigging

Here is Fehr Brothers, Steel rigging, span sets etc...
Fehr Brothers

Blue Water Rope....all kinds of ropes check out the static line section
Blue Water Ropes

Be safe
Keep us posted


here the line I am using now http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=916DB+150&catID=295 11,800 tensil strength should be way more than needed,and the block and tackle that I make will use its owen line so it dont take up as much of the main line, and it will be a 5:1
 
kenny chaos said:
LLigetfa said:
[]Ja, I've thought about having the option to pull lots of line fast, something you can't really do with a come-along.


How about a winch or cable to tractor?
Lots of options.

yep done that big tractor will do it but you cant always get one in a tight job, truck wants to spin out on grass the block and tackle just seems like the safe way to do it because of the quick recover
 
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