Well, this isn't really "power equipment ", unless you count manual crank power....... I've cut trees before using a standard cabled come along and chains. Saw this one day and when I could get it on sale/discount, decided to pull the trigger. I want to add a snatch block in case I want to change pull angles. Having a bit of a time finding one for 1/2 inch rope that isn't too bad $ wise. And I think I need to get some strong caribeners. If anyone has a lead on some that aren't crazy $$, please advise. I got the puller kit from treestuff, but their blocks and caribeners seem a bit pricey to me....
I bought that same kit a number of years ago. It's worked well for what I've used it for. I got 150 and 50 ft of rope for it.
I went on and got the 200. Only used chains with the old comealong....not used to rope at all. I figure I'll use a small strap wrapped around whatever I'm pulling and attach pull rope to that. I'm thinking a caribener is what I need to tie to the end for attaching it to that strap?
Want to suggest Atwood Rope. I don't really have reference, but their prices at the Bunyan Show are always very reasonable. I've just bought their Utility rope for general whatevers and a couple spools of their microcordage. Seems to be of great quality, especially for what I paid. Atwood Rope Manufacturing - Rope made in the USA – Atwood Rope MFG
I since I got the combo with the rope, I don't know if I need anymore rope. Unless maybe if I need to have some around for backup? This is just for giving somewhat leaners some persuasion.... I am definitely not going to get into the tree climbing/rigging bizness....
In my rope bag is that green loop. Also got a tow rope. Either can be used at either end. A tautline hitch should suffice.
Had to do some tree tipping the other day my self. About 40 acres of company mine site land littered with honey locust, willow and cotton wood. I chose the easy way out though.
Proper rigging rope that doesn't spiral up isn't cheap. I have two maasdam pullers that don't get used often but when they do, they are handy. We do quite a bit of pulling by tying a midline alpine butterfly knot and ring and a whoopie sling at the pull point, wrapping the rope from the pull point back theough thr midline butterfly, making the pull end a 3-to-1 advantage. Makes a big difference. That being said, I use alot of three strand bull line for pulling and rigging, but as I said it likes to spiral up under load.....I do like it because it doesn't stretch so much, but it also doesn't react the same to shock load as other smoother rigging/pulling ropes.
I know pretty much nothing about rope in regards to what you're talking about, as I'm sure you can tell. Is the Samson rope in the pic the kind that spirals? And that alpine butterfly thingy sounds grand! But other than that it also sounds Greek!
Scott you will want to watch that alpine butterfly. Eventually you’ll put too much pull on it and then have a real b!tch of a time untying it. Especially using mechanical advantage like a 3:1, 5:1 or a rope puller. Ask me how I know. You can use a marlin spike (re. A stick) in the center of an alpine to keep that from happening, but at that point it’s better to just use a better knot. A bowline on a bight or circus bowline would be a better knot. It will untie even after a big load. Both the alpine and bowline compromise the line strength. My preference is to ditch the rope puller and use a simple truckers hitch to set up a poor man’s come along. No extra gear required beyond just the rope. Since there aren’t any real knots in this setup you retain more of the rope strength. Similar to this setup from my friend Patrick: When I need a midline “knot” to put a really big pull on something I currently use a cinch knot I learned from Joe Haden at an arborist conference years ago. It’s really just a modified figure of 8. Or just use the first part of a truckers hitch setup to attach your block. note not my video:
