Haul line....

[avkid]

As my summer of Stageline gigs has come to an end I find myself actually needing to pull points.

Since I don't like depending on anyone else I've been gearing up to become self sufficient.

I've been considering one of the lines on Tools For Stagecraft but can't decide what my best option is, and I'm not really sure about what length to get.
Rope, Rigging and Caribiners

The work is mostly sheds with occasional arena gigs.

Any help or insight is much appreciated.

 

[Footer]

Idealy, you double your trim height to get your rope length. Of course when that gets beyond 50' or 60', that gets a bit out of control. That at least allows you to use it through a sheave if need be.

There are better ropes out there. I personally prefer my rope to have a bit of roughness on it instead of the perfectly slick ropes. There are better places out there to get this type of rope then Tools for Stagecraft. I can't remember where we buy this type of rope... I'll look when I get in tomorrow morning.

 

[avkid]

Looking through the BMI catalog I found KM-II.

KM-III static kernmantle rope is a great handline but meets the rigorous requirements associated with rescue and rappelling operations. KM-III is a balanced construction consisting of a continuous filament polyester cover braided over a nylon core. The high tenacity filament polyester cover braid provides the most durable and abrasion resistant construction available. KM-III is torque-balanced to eliminate the spin typically induced in ropes during operation. KM-III is designed to equal or exceed the NFPA Standard for one and two-person rescue ropes, and has minimum UV degradation.

Looks good to me and at a 10:1 safety factor it has 570 lb WLL.

 

[mstaylor]

I use 5/8 rope from Lowe's, it has the roughness you want, plenty of strength for chains, and isn't hard on the pocketbook. Shop Blue Hawk 5/8"Dia. x 150'L Twisted Nylon Rope at Lowes.com I hate wearing gloves when I rig so I don't use bluewater rope like some guys. The link shows white but it comes in black,green/white,blue/white,red/white and purple/white. I second doubling your rope length for working with a sheave. My arena has a drop ceiling so many times you are out on walk boards where you can't have two riggers so I let the ground guy pull points when needed. Any carabiner you are using should be autolocks not screw gates, saves the groung guy forgeting to lock it. For speed I have gone to using 12" runners chocked on the chain and a biner on the haulline. Some show guys have questioned it because it isn't the normal way. Most tie long bowlines that can be untied once the point hangs. I do this sometimes because it works better in certain locations but most of the time my method is faster and less prone to a ground rigger screwing up a knot.

 

[porkchop]

For speed I have gone to using 12" runners chocked on the chain and a biner on the haulline.

That's a good way of doing things as long as it's a single chain motor and not one that's doubled over with a pulley in the hook (like your standard CM 8fpm 2 ton). I can't even tell you how many times I've seen that cause problems.

As for rope, I wouldn't order off line personally. The roughness and stretchiness of a rope is not something that's easily or consistently described on a webpage. And those two factors are going to be two major factors in actually rigging with the rope. Go to a hardware store or a climbing/outdoors store and spend some time looking at there ropes and see what you're going to want to grab onto.

 

[mstaylor]

Agreed Brett about the double hungs. It works fine if the chains are ballanced, but if not then the long bowline is the only answer. The other part about my ceiling is I have 25 ft above it so bridles are all above the tiles. This means I have to pull the steel, build the bridle above the ceiling, hang it and then pull the chain. It makes rigging in my building a pain.