Invention for retrieving throwbag from distance

I want to share a solution I invented for retrieving a throwbag from a great distance (say when going from one tree to the next). It is a rather simple device made of wood with a bit of wire that can easily be carried aloft with other common gear. You can learn all about this invention from a movie I posted to YouTube.



Enjoy!

Elliot

Elliot nice Job
Looks like a great invention.
Many people will be using and copying your nice creation
Easy to use, simple to build and over all a nice gizmo.
look forward to try it myself

Now let,s work a cool name for it. The \"DTBR\" (Distance Throwbag Retriever\"
I am not sure if you are familiar with the \"Icabod Snagg\". It works on the same idea and with more gear but it does a similar job for retrieving a rope.
Nice work and hope to meet you one of these days.

So, I got a couple of comments on the TCC board that may or may not have any value.
Bulkiness and the safety of the tip on the next branch over.

I agree that the wire sticking in out the front may be a little bulky and may get on the way but for park trees like the ones shown in your video I think it would work great.
To the issue of the tip on the next branch I assume this was done just to show and make the point of how easy it is to retrieve the throwbag from a far away distance and not to show proper climbing techniques!

I assume that every climber should consider the safety of the next tip before fully loading it and before releasing the connection to the initial TIP while making the transfer. So that is not a valid concern in my view.

I still have not made one but I definitely think It can be made with the simple tools and scrap wood in my garage at a very reasonable cost.
I paid a lot more than that for my \"Retreever\" from Sherrills and now I do not even use it! Ouch!

So, I still think it is a good idea and I look forward to make one and give it a test in the field to see if it works as well as the one in the video. How about the name I came up with? it kind of rhymes with the other acronyms we use SRT, DRT, DbRT, DTBR!

Thanks for your optimism regarding the usefulness of my little invention. I think it has potential and hope others will get busy in their workshops and make their own versions. Perhaps I will shorten the name to the BLG!

As far as climbing safety, the branch in question had been fully loaded in previous climbs and deemed perfectly safe. The toss made for this video was not the best placement, but was a good choice for filming!

Cheers,

EB

That's a very clever tool! There aren't a lot of times when a traverse is done but when it comes to setting and retrieving the line it can take a lot of time. Having a tool like this will make the traverse quicker to setup.

My concern with the video is that you've shown a TIP that is away from the trunk of the tree. Right now I have a good friend who is recovering from having three vertabrae fused and his ankle rebuilt because a TIP broke. He didn't have his rope up tight in the branch union. My concern, and I know that I have to uphold my wet blanket reputation...hahahah...is that someone with less knowledge will see a TIP away from the tree and think that it is proper. Adding a footnote/disclaimer/annotation to the video would be helpful.

There are a couple of easy ways to get the rope rolled back to the trunk.

After you've set and retrieved the throwline, tie on your rope saver with the stopper knots but leave about 3-5' of extra rope. Tie a double fisherman's knot about 18\" from the end. Now, pull the rope over the limb. Just as the DF hits the limb give a little jerk and flip the rope. The DF will act a bit like a wagon wheel and roll the rope along the limb. You may have to saw it back and forth a few times to get it set. You'll be surprised how far you can skip the rope with this trick.

Another thing that I'ved done is to tie on double tapered fishing bobbers/floats to the throwline. Same concept. About anything that will get the line to jump and move towards the tree will work. Do you still have that cork from the champagne bottle?

*As far as safty, the branch in question had been fully loaded in previous climbs and deemed perfectly safe* Did i really just read that???...An anchor point can only be deemed *safe* apon physical inspection imediatly before it is set!!! This is one of the main reasons i do not condone the use of sling shots as a means to setting your high point or for arborist use,as a means of setting a lowering point... as a qualified arborist my self even i would not atempt truly identify advanticious suckering from more than a few feet away at best!!! Let alone decay, damage or poor branch attachments...

monkey wrote:

as a qualified arborist my self even i would not atempt truly identify advanticious suckering from more than a few feet away at best!!! Let alone decay, damage or poor branch attachments...

I myself have thought about creating a device like this one -- not for traverses -- but for just what you describe. I'd like to be able to get the line over the TIP and also around the spar.

yeah, i know what your saying, it can often be very time and energy consuming and also very frustrating setting an anchor *safely* especialy when when climbing a larger tree with lots of change overs on the way up to setting a nice high point and or lowering point, i usualy cut off a smallish branch when possible to use in the same way and have oten thought of modifing a telescopic fishing rod with a hook on it.

Quote:"as a qualified arborist my self even i would not atempt truly identify advanticious suckering from more than a few feet away at best!!! Let alone decay, damage or poor branch attachments... end of Quote.

If you are not able to "closely" inspect a branch then we will never climb a tree because it is almost impossible to "inspect" a branch from the ground 60 to 100 feet away even with binoculars.

That is why you select most large branches six plus inches diameter, tie close to the tree trunk, weight test (Bounce test) prior to climb if possible with two climbers hanging from the rope and know your trees species ( weak branches versus strong branches).

Yes, we take a chance every time you climb but that is part of the tree climbing fun - Making educated calculations about what you are doing safely.

oldtimer wrote:

That is why you select most large branches six plus inches diameter, tie close to the tree trunk, weight test (Bounce test) prior to climb if possible with two climbers hanging from the rope and know your trees species (weak branches versus strong branches).

I suppose when you are in the tree you might even be able to set up a pulley with mechanical advantage to test load a new TIP. However I don't know if this could be done in a way that would be both practical and safe.