Basic Mainline Question- Is curved o.k. ?

[TerryEspo]

If I go ahead an attempt my 500ft mainline this year I want to be sure I do it proper.

Looking at my land (creek), and trees I can tap, I am seeing my mainline would not be a perfect straight line. I would have to curve the mainline at a couple points and then have a straight run for the last couple hundred feet. All the while it would be on a continual downward slope. Not saying 90 degree turns, smooth curves as we do with our laterals at times.

Thanks for your help.

Terry

[madmapler]

That's fine. It happens all the time. Your slope(pitch) is more important.

[maple flats]

That is good. In fact, there would be very few if any that are a straight line. Just run the main where it will have the proper slope and will be in the area you need it to go. Then pull tight and anchor each end to a solid tree. If you are using wire to attach it to, anchor the wire tight to the end trees. Then you tighten further by side tying (attach a lighter gauge wire, I use 14 ga.) to the heavy support wire, go around a nearby tree and back to the support wire. Then slide a scrap piece of 5/16 tubing onto the sidetie wire to protect the tree you go around and then pull good and tight and tie the side wire to the main wire. You repeat this several times over the distance the main will cover. If a line is rather straight, these side ties usually alternate sides, if you are in a large curve, you may need a series of side ties all on outside of the curve. Each time you pull the sidetie good and tight. This tightens the main support. I try to have a side tie or a post support every 20-25' on 3% slopes, closer on 2%, like 15-20'. Any time you don't have a tree to side tie to you want a post to support that section. Once the wire is supported, you start hanging the main with galvanized wire ties and a twisting tool. The main must be pulled tight before the ties go on. Since you are hanging 3/4" main, you need 6" tie wires and you want one every 12-16" along the length of the main.
I hang mine without the support wire (on 3/4" and 1" only, the only 3/4 I have is some older lines, I now only use 1" or larger) but to do that you must get the main even tighter.

[TerryEspo]

Thx both for your replies. Great explanation Dave, will us that info soon in the back.

My last concern is the creek I have, love it most times and curse it other times, lol. I will have a section of mainline crossing over the creek guessing 40ft-50ft, bank to bank unsupported or side tied.

I am told I will need a support wire (hoping 3/16 aircraft cable is sufficient), that section "in the air", I hope will be fine.

Think 3/16 cable is strong enough to support 500ft of 3/4 mainline?

Thanks.

Terry

[wiam]

I would use high tensile 12.5 gauge wire.

[maple flats]

I'd also use 12.5 ga. high tensile, but either will work. The issue is how tight you can get it. If you can have a little extra slope there it should help, if not, can you use a second support wire, and design a type of suspension support, similar to how a suspension bridge is built. That second wire would need to be 2-4' above the wire supporting the main, but it would only need to be moderately snug. Then run a suspension support maybe every 8-10 feet and make it adjustable so once done a helper can stand at one end and identify any sags while a second person makes adjustments. On the suspension wire you might need something to clamp to that wire to keep the support wire from sliding along the suspension wire.

[morningstarfarm]

I would highly suggest using the 12.5ga wire and the heavy duty ratchets..then double wire your main and double ties..it will really help your stream crossing and keep sags to a minimum

[BreezyHill]

Hey Terry,

Here is a 90 turn on a non supported mainline section. This is between ladders #6 and #5. I am going to add a support wire from this corner to #5 as it is close to the ground and the snow is messing with the slope. Packing the snow with a sled kept hitting the supports

12631

I used 2 tension grips and 1 J hook in the tree that splits the angle of the bend. I use an open grip to tension the mainline from#6 to the corner with a ratchet strap and then use the 2nd grip to hold a good ark for the corner then tighten the main to the base of ladder #5.

Over the brook my High Dry line is 12.5 HT supported for a 1" blk main. Rapid tied to trees on both sides of the bank and then flies to the dry line manifold. Has some droop but the slope is still enough to drain the line when the wet line in a different path to the sugarhouse freezes where it crosses the brook.

Cold air settles in the brook bed and freezes the wet line but the brook drops right after that line and the dry line is much higher in the air as well.
50' over the brook is where I find the cold air does not reach the mains as fast. 20' and less and they freeze much sooner than the bush. 30-45 minutes faster.

Ben

[TerryEspo]

Great pic Ben,,,thanks.

I am happy to announce I have a "Tapping Pro" coming over the my place this Saturday to give me guidance and input.

He taps many more trees than myself and knows a bunch more than I do. Cant wait to meet him in person and see what he says.

Great to know a mainline can have curves, that has to help me out.

Thanks to all !!

Terry

[adk1]

yup, cant not have bends here and there. One thing I would mention though is if you have allot of slope like I do, you really need to be careful to not have an area that it evens out. Meaning allot of slop followed by not allot of slope. On those heavy runs, you will get allot of turbulation in that spot. I have even had my saddles back up some..I have since fixed it