Tightening Mainline

[Maplewalnut]

What is the best way to tighten mainline? Do you just tie it to your guide wire and tighten the two at the same time with ratchets and side ties?

Same question for laterals? I plan to use an end forks at the top tree and a end line hook followed by hook connector on the bottom tree to take tension off the mainline. Don't tell me there's another 'special' tool I need other than the two handed tool to make this tubing work!

I promise to take pics and post to show everyone my progress.

[ennismaple]

After the steel is up we pull out the mainline and tie it off at one end using half hitches so there won't be any tension on the mainline fitting. Then we pull as tight as we can by hand and tie it off at the other end. No need for any fancy tools.

[maplwrks]

After you run your laterals and have your end forks and hook connectors attached, cut in drops. Open your tool all the way open and clamp onto the tubing. The amount between your grips is the amount you remove! After putting in 5-6 drops, you will find your line is pretty tight. For every drop you cut in, you are removing approx. 2" of line!

[ennismaple]

I may re-tighten the laterals after cutting in my droplines with the 2-handed tubing tool depending on how much it sags. This is why I prefer the slide fittings instead of the cut-in coupler with the hook to attach to the mainline.

I try to stretch the lateral line extremely tight when I pull it from the head tree back to the mainline. The 1" or so you lose cutting in the droplines doesn't make too much difference if there aren't many trees on the lateral line.

[maple flats]

On my mainline I loop it around the end trees and string it as tight as I can. Then When I get to the other end I loop around the end tree but before I connect I hook a ratcheting strap to the line and pull as tight as I can, then I use my fence puller (like a mechanical jack made to pull). Then I use a crimp tool to attach the final loop. Following this I pull side tension to further tighten and at the same time I support the main as often as a support tree etc is present. Occasionally I add support in between long spaces.