hollow core rope

[cur dog]

Does anyone here use hollow core rope for the end of their laterals? If so, how has it worked for you? Trying to get away from the annoying loop around the end of of the last tree.

[mountain man maple]

I used it on one tubing installation but am now concerned about it weathering and breaking before tubing is changed. On my last woods I used 14 ga wire since I had it for side ties anyways. Put it through a piece of 5/16 tubing to protect tree and hook lateral directly to it. I liked this better since it should last a long time but its also a lot slower than just running a lateral line around the last tree.

[nymapleguy607]

I think CDL has fittings that allow the end drop line to flow straight through, then there are 2 barbed plugs to hook the tubing into. I use these and I have had good luck with them holding up. As said before the hollow core rope weathers and starts to break down in a couple of years
.

[regor0]

I do, It works great. I use 3/8, I take a pen and shove it in the tubing, then feed it through the rope abut a foot. I found if you keep the tubing a little short on the end tree you don't get a dip in it. Fast, easy, cheap.

[TheMapleMoose]

We used to. It does work pretty good as far as enabling you to tighten or loosen the tubing. Our new stuff is all on the slide fittings (lapeirre?), I use them on both ends. The rope will get rotten out after 3 years or so and start breaking. To early to tell how the slide fittings will work out, but we made out fine with the rope also.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I think CDL has fittings that allow the end drop line to flow straight through, then there are 2 barbed plugs to hook the tubing into. I use these and I have had good luck with them holding up. As said before the hollow core rope weathers and starts to break down in a couple of years
.

I think what Jeff is referring to are "Y" forks. I like the ones Leader sells the best and they are the cheapest. I have used them for years and really like them a lot!

[CharlieVT]

I've been using hollow core rope as a "tension grip" on my tubing for a while now.
Works well, allows tensioning laterals easily.
I've bought the stuff at Walmart, Agway, Tractor supply, and hardware stores.
Some brands of 1/4" are too small in diameter, some brands of 3/8" are kind of loose and will slip unless a long length is used. So it isn't all the same. The type of tubing used will also influence the grip and thus the length needed to prevent slipping. It seems to me that the more rigid the tubing the more likely it is to slip, so more rigid tubing needs a longer length of rope to prevent slipping.

I used to use the pen method to feed the tubing through the rope, but now I cut the tubing at an angle so the tubing has a point which makes threading the rope easier; it hangs up less when threading the hollow core of the rope. I then cut off the angled end of the tubing before intalling the fitting. Downside to this method: I end up with a bunch of 1 inch pieces of angled tubing to throw away.

Here's Tractor Supply's:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/koch-industries-polypropylene-hollow-braid-rope-yellow-12-3-8-in-x-50-ft-bag

On the road up to Bascom's there is some black hollow core rope in use on their tubing system. They sell it at Basom's, it is in their catalog under product code "ROPE12".
I just realized that Bascom's is cheaper by a couple cents per foot:
http://www.bascommaple.com/search/rope12/

[brookledge]

I have been using it for over 5 yrs. It works great and the nice thing about it is it can be tied to anything, the mainline, a tree etc.
I use the tapered tip off a caulking tube. If you cut it right it will fit nicely on the tubing
Keith

[maple2]

i have been using the rope for almost 10yrs.We cut it in 2ft lengths with a torch to keep the ends from fraying. Never had problems with roting




n

[CharlieVT]

Keith, I really like the caulking tube tip suggestion, gonna try that.

Agree with cutting with a torch, prevents fraying. Also cutting with a torch creates a little bump at the end which prevents a simple half hitch from slipping apart. For terminating laterals, I often use a loop of old tubing and old fitting around the tree, then tie the free end of the hollow rope "tension grip" to the loop of tubing with a half-hitch. Without a little melted bump at the end of the rope, it would pull out of the knot.

Yeah, the polypropelene kind of hollow rope isn't going to rot and will last for years.

[DoubleBrookMaple]

Like most things, the details are so important...
I used hollow braid rope on many of my laterals this year.
I wish I had done more research beforehand (again?), as I see there is three materials available. Usually the UV rays are the culprit in deterioration of materials.
1. Nylon
2.5 X stronger than Manila
Superior shock absorbency
Excellent rope
Good abrasion
Mildew resistant
2. Polypropylene
1.75 times stronger than Manila
Lightest weight rope; floats
Minimum stretch
Highly flexible
Loading resistance
Good abrasion
Chemical resistance
3. Polyester
2.5 X stronger than Manila
Lowest elongation
Good handling
Close control
Good rot, mildew, &
ultra-violet ray resistance

You see "Poly" rope all over, and that is Polypropylene, which Tractor Supply, and the rest have. I got two 100' bags from TSC and Job Lot. Both are "Poly", and in fine print polypropylene. I am going to paint mine to shield it from the sun. In my deep woods the sun is not much of an issue, but I will do it anyway.

For future use, it will always be POLYESTER. I think this is best suited for our needs, although, mind you, I have not tried it. Oh... and it doesn't float!

[TunbridgeDave]

Been using it for 5 years now as a tensioner at the main line (the way Bascom's does it). I cut 2 foot lengths of the black rope that they sell, I think it's 12 cents a foot. I make sure I have about half of it on the tubing, and torch the ends to keep them from fraying. Never used it at the end tree though, as I like the hook method on vacuum.