finally some one metions what size cable they use to make a zip line huuuuuuum thank you finally check out the other video's on zip lines and you will be dumb founded how the so called experts never never never never mention that seemingly absoulaty important bit of info.
Dead tree as strong as it was 5 years ago. (I should clarify when i cut the tree 5 years ago it was mainly because emerald ash borers had ravaged the top. The trunk never had rot or anything so it's still pretty strong.)
do you not need a brake with this one because the way it is clamped together at the bottom? We want to build one, but it'll be about 200 feet long.... wondering if I"ll need an additional brake?
Much longer with greater pitch I would brake it somehow. This setup is only about 75ft and with extended legs you could run off the speed before hitting the end. I've had a couple kids take it to the end without braking and as long as you don't let go it's no big deal. I left a big enough gap between the clamps and tree for swing. I would recommend, as far as braking, is simply a very large compression spring that slides over your cable at the end to hit and absorb the shock. Or I've seen others utilize a "shock cord" setup that follows the rider down and tightens up when they near the end to slow them. That one obviously a bit more complicated. It'll all really depend on your pitch over 200' to how much speed you'll gain. Another simple one I've seen that i may adopt is a long ramp at the bottom that comes up to meet the riders feet so they can run off the speed gradually.
The brake there are 2 ways. first one is using a long compression spring on teh cable and a bumper on the trolley. But the spring must be very long, like 3-5 FT! 200 feet is very long, so you will probably won't get away with spring. For that, you would probably need to run a second cable from start point, and have set of rubber bands or stretch springs attached to brake block on the end of the course. This way when rider reaches the break block on the ride cable - the trolley will bump into it, and pull on the rubber bands or spring.
can you please tell me what that other cable is in front of the main cable. Did you have to cut the cable to make the anchoring shown for the take off end? I have a 50 foot cable with 40 feet zip length. I have the parts but very confused.
LAJ the other cable i think you're seeing is just slack from the main cable wrapped back. I had originally bought 75' and after wrapping through the eyehook and clamping off the extra was just wrapped back. It can just be cutoff but at the time of video, i was still making adjustments and didn't want to cut myself short on wire.
The ratings are good to 600lbs. But I've capped it at 250lbs for safety. Honestly, even at that though the sag on the cable is too much to enjoy. 140lbs over that distance, height and just "turn buckle tension" is a preferred max load for enjoyment.
I frequently ride it at 145lbs. My brother has been down it at 225lbs. Although the trolley didn't seem to mind, the cable itself slacked so bad he couldn't lift his feet from the ground. I imagine the steel bearings in the wheels of the trolley can support child weight fairly easily for an extended period of time.
IamTROLLIFIC The screen door wheels I used in the train/trolley were better matched for that size cable. Besides, the roll of cable on Amazon was like $28 shipped.
I've ridden it many times. Sort of looses lackluster as an adult after awhile and you really have to tuck feet up as the clearance to ground is low for kids.
I agree with the semi-"dangerous" installation & comments. I should attach a photo of two setups I've had (safely) for 10 years, but your cable clamps are on backwards (as in "don't saddle a dead horse - or loose end of cable). That flimsy rubber hose will NOT protect the tree, or allow for growth in diameter, so install accordingly. Your triangle frame & train / pulley assembly is too cheap for safety. You said, "2 yrs no accidents" well, God looks after kids and fools --so good luck with a cheap system.
KEVAN LARSEN I'm always looking for areas of improvement and have made a few improvements to this design since this video was taken. The clamps while not "safe" have always afforded me the luxury of easy removal of cable at end of season and have never slipped the line an inch when installed. The hose is a mere buffer to the tree as the top end is tied to only one of many forks in that trunkline. If it did strangle that branch in the tree it would be of little concern to the tree as a whole. (It has since been changed to a ring of 2x4's around branch). And the train, while cheaply made, would have to have 2 pressed bearing wheels with 1/4" bolts through the centers somehow simultaneously seperate from the angle iron to fail catastrophically for injury. It's a pretty slim to none chance. Bear in mind this setup is 75' and 5' off the ground with no ground obstacles. I make no claim to a professional setup, just functional for others to get working ideas from and build upon.
The cable clamps ARE installed correctly. The saddle is the part of the clamp that is not the u-bolt. Therefore , if you install these clamps as you stated. you are doing it wrong! Just sayin!
Dave Horan Well flawless operation for 5 years and regular maintenance, I will kindly disagree with your "most dangerous" thing you've ever seen. 40lb children going 75' over grass 5' in the air, I'll take my chances.
Glad you haven't had an issue. The distance, height and weight on your zip line may not be what people watching this and using it as a guide will have. I'm not as concerned about your zip line as I am about the people mimicking you.
We use a larger diameter wire rope, minimum of 3/8". For a zip this size, 5/16" may be ok, but we need to follow a standard that calls for a 5 to 1 safety factor, under max load which is 500 to 600 pounds depending on your engineer. (participant and rescue load). Apply that weight to the middle of the cable and the forces exerted on either end can easily be four to five times that, and the style of termination at the bottom weakens the breaking strength by 20%, the termination at the top weakens the strength by 20 to 40%. The dead tree will eventually fall over, probably with no warning. A boy in Massachusetts was killed this way. The wire rope clips (clamps) look like they're malleable, not drop forged, which can't be tightened to the manufacturer's recommended torque. The turnbuckle doesn't have forged eyes, so they could peel open. It probably has a working load limit of less than a few hundred pounds and you can't tell how many threads you have left inside the sleeve. The termination at the top significantly weakens the strength of the cable and appears to only have one wire rope clip. The hose, while the intention is good, does more harm as it holds moisture and makes it impossible to see the wire rope for a visual inspection. This tree will eventually die if the cable is left on as it cuts off the flow of sap. The trolley, while crafty, is not load rated, probably the same with the rapid links (screw gate carabiners). This zip line isn't that high or fast, if it broke while someone was on it, they'll probably just get scraped up. But people watching this and trying to do 300 or 1,000 feet or having two people ride at the same time are asking for an accident. Just google backyard zipline accident. And ask your insurance broker if he's going to cover the accident your neighbor kid has on it while you're away, or any accident you might have.
It's really not that much more expensive to get rated equipment. Can you really put a price on your children's safety? Attaching to a dead tree? That's a ticking time bomb.
I would say it's much more likely that tree will gently fall over someday when the trunk rots out lowering the children 2 ft to the ground. Even if that tree randomly explodes someday while they are coasting down the line, I think I'll still sleep ok knowing they will only have 2 ft to the ground to fall and at a speed still slow enough to catch themselves running. So, yes, there was a factor of price vs safety built into this rig. The working strength of all the gear here is 4X the limit of adults that have ridden this for the past 5 years. There's no 30mph ride over a 50ft gorge here.
Nicely done 👍
nice job man. Good dad
Cool vid
Shaka brah! 🤙
Wowww I wanna make this
finally some one metions what size cable they use to make a zip line huuuuuuum thank you finally check out the other video's on zip lines and you will be dumb founded how the so called experts never never never never mention that seemingly absoulaty important bit of info.
I really need you too set this up at my sisters house
This setup isn't really too far above your pay grade buddy.
Please tell me what that other cable is in front of the main cable? I have all the parts but I'm confused.
Sweet thanks
I like the turnbuckle tensioning system. :)
Pulled that dead tree over yet?
Dead tree as strong as it was 5 years ago. (I should clarify when i cut the tree 5 years ago it was mainly because emerald ash borers had ravaged the top. The trunk never had rot or anything so it's still pretty strong.)
Oh my Goodness......
do you not need a brake with this one because the way it is clamped together at the bottom? We want to build one, but it'll be about 200 feet long.... wondering if I"ll need an additional brake?
Much longer with greater pitch I would brake it somehow. This setup is only about 75ft and with extended legs you could run off the speed before hitting the end. I've had a couple kids take it to the end without braking and as long as you don't let go it's no big deal. I left a big enough gap between the clamps and tree for swing. I would recommend, as far as braking, is simply a very large compression spring that slides over your cable at the end to hit and absorb the shock. Or I've seen others utilize a "shock cord" setup that follows the rider down and tightens up when they near the end to slow them. That one obviously a bit more complicated. It'll all really depend on your pitch over 200' to how much speed you'll gain. Another simple one I've seen that i may adopt is a long ramp at the bottom that comes up to meet the riders feet so they can run off the speed gradually.
The brake there are 2 ways. first one is using a long compression spring on teh cable and a bumper on the trolley. But the spring must be very long, like 3-5 FT! 200 feet is very long, so you will probably won't get away with spring. For that, you would probably need to run a second cable from start point, and have set of rubber bands or stretch springs attached to brake block on the end of the course. This way when rider reaches the break block on the ride cable - the trolley will bump into it, and pull on the rubber bands or spring.
can you provide the lists of the tools from this video? Maybe I will try to make it too, .... if the budget is affordable enough
No brake? You got some tough kids.
can you please tell me what that other cable is in front of the main cable. Did you have to cut the cable to make the anchoring shown for the take off end? I have a 50 foot cable with 40 feet zip length. I have the parts but very confused.
LAJ the other cable i think you're seeing is just slack from the main cable wrapped back. I had originally bought 75' and after wrapping through the eyehook and clamping off the extra was just wrapped back. It can just be cutoff but at the time of video, i was still making adjustments and didn't want to cut myself short on wire.
Hey great idea,how much load it can take
The ratings are good to 600lbs. But I've capped it at 250lbs for safety. Honestly, even at that though the sag on the cable is too much to enjoy. 140lbs over that distance, height and just "turn buckle tension" is a preferred max load for enjoyment.
@@Cibervirus83 do you have a link to the door trolley bearing
That sure is an old ass tree.
Wire needs to be 10 percent longer than the distance traversed.
What weight would the trolly support would you say?
I frequently ride it at 145lbs. My brother has been down it at 225lbs. Although the trolley didn't seem to mind, the cable itself slacked so bad he couldn't lift his feet from the ground. I imagine the steel bearings in the wheels of the trolley can support child weight fairly easily for an extended period of time.
No brake??????????
How do you make it stop
The ground comes up quick enough at the end to put your feet down and run it out to a stop.
Hi
3/16 cable has a 4000lb working load rating, why not use it and save money?
IamTROLLIFIC The screen door wheels I used in the train/trolley were better matched for that size cable. Besides, the roll of cable on Amazon was like $28 shipped.
Why didn’t u ride it
I've ridden it many times. Sort of looses lackluster as an adult after awhile and you really have to tuck feet up as the clearance to ground is low for kids.
Cibervirus83 oh I just wanted a demonstration
I agree with the semi-"dangerous" installation & comments. I should attach a photo of two setups I've had (safely) for 10 years, but your cable clamps are on backwards (as in "don't saddle a dead horse - or loose end of cable). That flimsy rubber hose will NOT protect the tree, or allow for growth in diameter, so install accordingly. Your triangle frame & train / pulley assembly is too cheap for safety. You said, "2 yrs no accidents" well, God looks after kids and fools --so good luck with a cheap system.
KEVAN LARSEN I'm always looking for areas of improvement and have made a few improvements to this design since this video was taken. The clamps while not "safe" have always afforded me the luxury of easy removal of cable at end of season and have never slipped the line an inch when installed. The hose is a mere buffer to the tree as the top end is tied to only one of many forks in that trunkline. If it did strangle that branch in the tree it would be of little concern to the tree as a whole. (It has since been changed to a ring of 2x4's around branch). And the train, while cheaply made, would have to have 2 pressed bearing wheels with 1/4" bolts through the centers somehow simultaneously seperate from the angle iron to fail catastrophically for injury. It's a pretty slim to none chance. Bear in mind this setup is 75' and 5' off the ground with no ground obstacles. I make no claim to a professional setup, just functional for others to get working ideas from and build upon.
The clamps are on correctly. The saddle is always on the live end, just like in the video...
The cable clamps ARE installed correctly. The saddle is the part of the clamp that is not the u-bolt. Therefore , if you install these clamps as you stated. you are doing it wrong! Just sayin!
You need to make a follow up video of all the injuries from your backyard death trap.
Man I would love to except after 5 years of the entire neighborhood of children and adults riding it there has yet been an injury to speak of.
@@Cibervirus83you mean there’s no victims left alive to speak?
Good plan!
I've been building zip lines and ropes courses professionally for 12 years. Please take this video down. I've never seen a more dangerous set up.
Dave Horan Well flawless operation for 5 years and regular maintenance, I will kindly disagree with your "most dangerous" thing you've ever seen. 40lb children going 75' over grass 5' in the air, I'll take my chances.
Glad you haven't had an issue. The distance, height and weight on your zip line may not be what people watching this and using it as a guide will have. I'm not as concerned about your zip line as I am about the people mimicking you.
Dave Horan it's called natural selection
Dave Horan what's wrong with this set up?
We use a larger diameter wire rope, minimum of 3/8". For a zip this size, 5/16" may be ok, but we need to follow a standard that calls for a 5 to 1 safety factor, under max load which is 500 to 600 pounds depending on your engineer. (participant and rescue load). Apply that weight to the middle of the cable and the forces exerted on either end can easily be four to five times that, and the style of termination at the bottom weakens the breaking strength by 20%, the termination at the top weakens the strength by 20 to 40%. The dead tree will eventually fall over, probably with no warning. A boy in Massachusetts was killed this way. The wire rope clips (clamps) look like they're malleable, not drop forged, which can't be tightened to the manufacturer's recommended torque. The turnbuckle doesn't have forged eyes, so they could peel open. It probably has a working load limit of less than a few hundred pounds and you can't tell how many threads you have left inside the sleeve. The termination at the top significantly weakens the strength of the cable and appears to only have one wire rope clip. The hose, while the intention is good, does more harm as it holds moisture and makes it impossible to see the wire rope for a visual inspection. This tree will eventually die if the cable is left on as it cuts off the flow of sap. The trolley, while crafty, is not load rated, probably the same with the rapid links (screw gate carabiners). This zip line isn't that high or fast, if it broke while someone was on it, they'll probably just get scraped up. But people watching this and trying to do 300 or 1,000 feet or having two people ride at the same time are asking for an accident. Just google backyard zipline accident. And ask your insurance broker if he's going to cover the accident your neighbor kid has on it while you're away, or any accident you might have.
I just give my kids tablets and let them zombie out, seems safer to me.
It's really not that much more expensive to get rated equipment. Can you really put a price on your children's safety? Attaching to a dead tree? That's a ticking time bomb.
I would say it's much more likely that tree will gently fall over someday when the trunk rots out lowering the children 2 ft to the ground. Even if that tree randomly explodes someday while they are coasting down the line, I think I'll still sleep ok knowing they will only have 2 ft to the ground to fall and at a speed still slow enough to catch themselves running. So, yes, there was a factor of price vs safety built into this rig. The working strength of all the gear here is 4X the limit of adults that have ridden this for the past 5 years. There's no 30mph ride over a 50ft gorge here.
Just because something isnt as pricey doesn't make it less safe