mainline wire right angle

[wkies]

I am installing a mainline wire (12.5 HT) and would like to have almost a 90 degree turn. I'm using end rackets to tighten the line. How do I pull tension?

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Try to make your turn somewhat gentle... a long curve rather than a sharp bend. Pull the wire out for the entire length needed. Fasten side ties at the corner area before you pull the mainline tight from the ends. When you attach the side tie wires to the mainline wire, put a spreader between the 2 points where the side tie wire attaches to the mainline wire so the stress point is spread out. Tighten from the end. Draw it up semi tight and go check the corner. Make sure things are going right before you really put a lot of tension on it. If it is going ok, tighten as much as you can from the end. Go back and do rest of side ties so you have "banjo string tight" mainline wire.

[red maples]

do exactly what he said but I recommend put more tension with the side ties and just use the rachet to basically take out slack. I use 12.5 high tensile wire and it will snap it happened to me I had the slightest kink put too much pressure at the rachet ...pop...then you have to fix and re tighten. just my 2 pennies

[wkies]

Thompson's Tree Farm - What do you mean by a "spreader"?

[danno]

"spreader" - anything to keep the two ends of the side wire tie from sliding together. Keeping the side tie spread where they connect to the mainline will reduce the bend of the mainline. So spread them with anything rigid - metal bar, branch - really, anything will work, just some things will break down sooner than others.

[Dennis H.]

You ask how to pull tension, you do have the handle to use with the ratchet ends right? they are sold at the same place you buy the ratchet tightener.

I do just like they all said but once my side ties are in I will go back and give a ratchet 1 or 2 clicks to make it nice and tight. I never have had a wire break or a ratchet fail. The key to the wire not breaking is to be sure not to have ANY kinks in the wire.

[wkies]

So if I understand correctly, I put something rigid in between the two wires so they do not come together. Should it go close to the mainline or close to the tree?

[danno]

So if I understand correctly, I put something rigid in between the two wires so they do not come together. Should it go close to the mainline or close to the tree?

Close to the mainline

[Dennis H.]

Here is pic to sort of show what they are talking about.
I do not use the spreader method I just make sure that I have a wiretie oonce I hang the mainline to keep the sidetie wire form moving, but until then it can move so I agree that the spreader method is a good idea.

[sapman]

So far this year I've had 4 strainers (ratchets) fail. When repairing, I'm trying the heavy duty ones from TSC and see if they are any better. But anymore when running wire, I'm going to leave the strainer out and get all my tension with side ties when possible.

[red maples]

I don't use any spreaders I only have 1 point that is a tad sharp it probably about 115-125 degrees. I eased the degree of 2 other turns to create a better flow. but I like the spreader idea. never thought of that.

[Maplewalnut]

Guys-

What is failing with the strainers? I had one fail but the culprit was a combination of a kink in the stariner wheel while winding it up and a fat #ss bear that evidently couldn't limbo as low as he thought based on the hair a couple clamps scrapped off.

Just wondering if there is a common part. I do like the 'heavy duty' ones from TSC better specifically the spring and wheel stop.

Mike

[jason grossman]

when i do my installations i use just a stick to spread the wire, usually a inch and a half or so. put it by the mainline wire where you have tied the sidetie ends off. only as wide or less than the diameter of the tree if it is wider there will added pressure causing the side ties to slide back together easier. when the mainline is on i wire tie on both sides of the sidetie and it will then stay in place. most important DO NOT stand on the inside of the wire if you are attempting to move a side tie wire if it has tension on it. we are using wire in ways it was not designined to be used. it will break.

[red maples]

jason...impressive sugarhouse....just looked at your photos...landscaped and all!!!! nice job!!!

[maple flats]

I no longer use tensioners. I've had the heavy duty and regular's break, but most common was the HT wire broke where it bent too sharp going around the center spool of the tensioner. I just hand tighten the ends and all other tension is by side ties. Doing this I can get much tighter than was ever possible with tensioners. My side tie wire is 14 ga galv. , with each piece tying to the HT wire, around an anchor (usually non maple tree) and back to the HT wire. I spread slightly but do not use spreaders. I just tie another sidetie a few feet away to make a sweeping curve. The idea of sidetie tension is that if a big limb falls on the wire, it will break and release the tension. Then to repair, remove the limb (or tree) and install a new side tie. Usually little damage is done and repair is quick. Before side ties were used, the mainline was tensioned from the end and when that heavy limb or tree fell it sometimes snapped the mainline and repair was a nightmare (especially during the season).

[kiegscustoms]

most important DO NOT stand on the inside of the wire if you are attempting to move a side tie wire if it has tension on it. we are using wire in ways it was not designined to be used. it will break.

10-4 Had a side tie wire break when I was on the inside of the h/t wire... Launched me about 15 feet and thought I broke some ribs. Don't do that. Nice to have someone to help pull the h/t wire while someone runs the side wire. That way you don't have to push the wire with your body weight and try to wrap the side wire. Depending on how drastic the 90 degree is try to do it with 2 side ties to make it a longer sweep so you don't get as much turbulance.

[sapman]

All my failed strainers appear to have broken on one of the "axles". It can be difficult to get the wire to end up pulling off the center of the spool, so I figured maybe that little side tension caused the problems. But not all the failures had wire off center. Just cheap, brittle, inferior steel.

[DrTimPerkins]

DO NOT stand on the inside of the wire if you are attempting to move a side tie wire if it has tension on it. we are using wire in ways it was not designed to be used. it will break.

Another caution....don't work with the wire when there are thunderstorms anywhere around. I was teaching some graduate students how to do vegetation surveys 6-7 yrs ago and they asked about the tubing system. It wasn't raining, and we hadn't heard any thunder at all. I was leaning on the wire talking when all of a sudden I got a shock that nearly knocked me down, then a split second later heard the thunderclap. Wasn't hurt, but it sure got my attention in a big way. Lightning must have hit a tree somwhere (it wasn't real close by though) and the electricity had followed the wire down. Needless to say, I don't lean against the mainline any more when I'm in the woods. A few years after that we got some pictures from a sugarmaker whose tubing system had gotten hit by lightning. It melted 20 ft of mainline right off the wire.

[halfast tapper]

What I do when I have a turn that sharp is to dead end the wire and start a new one . This accomplishes two things, one is to avoid having a turn that sharp with all that tension on the sideties, two it breaks the wire up so if a tree comes down it will only take down a short section not the whole thing. Gotta remember that if the wire is going to fail it's going to happen on that sharp of a bend.