DIY Treesuit user. Tree Climbing method

[Sheldon]

Sorry looks like you are getting to that as I was typing....will continue to watch!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[BobinTN]

Next Step is to cut out the plywood seat.

 

[BobinTN]

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Question on the bridge, does it attach to the plywood or does the fabric “contain” it
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I have built them both ways (I have built 4 over the years). The one I have been mostly using for the past 10 years is not connected to the plywood on the bottom (actually I thought is was until I took it apart). I have cut slits in the plywood near the edges and ran the webbing through the board. I think on one, I put shallow screws with wide washers in the bottom.

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transport
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The original treesuit that was sold had a lot of webbing that you wrapped around your waist and board to keep it in the small of your back. This design does not have all that webbing. But, I think the linesman belt, if the board was slid underneath it (in the small of the back) and the linesman belt was long enough, this would work. I have a video coming up and you can tell that I have cut the linesman belt to short (for my oversize waist at least).

 

[BobinTN]

Use the plywood as your pattern for forming the plywood pocket on your canvas. Cut out the traced pattern.

 

[BobinTN]

Take that pattern and align it to the canvas that it was cut from; this will get sewn onto the canvas that it was cut from. Note that it is inside out. After sewing it will be turned right-side-out again. Before sewing cut canvas to fit pattern end (curved for the 3/4 plywood).

 

[BobinTN]

after sewing together.



With plywood laid on top.

 

[BobinTN]

Pocket turned right-side-out, with the plywood ready to slide in.

 

[BobinTN]

Making the 'slot' that the linesman belt slides through.

Measure up from the plywood pocket 10.5" (this is the bottom of the slot). Then measure up another 3"(this is the top of the slot {and top of treesuit}); fold over the canvas at the top of this 3" line.


See folder over and slot in reference to the linesman belt.


You can trim off the excess canvas from underneath the slot (you can leave about a 1/2" then turn that under and sew another line to finish the canvas edge and add strength.


After trim and turn-under.


Plywood inserted.

 

[BobinTN]

Treesuit Super Structure (what should prevent us from dying when the unexpected happens).


Note the connecting webbing. This is what I have added that has not been there in the past. The original Treesuit company had a lawsuit about somebody who fell out. I don't know anything about that. But I can imagine an event where lets say you are standing straight up on your platform, you are just attached with your tether., the platform suddenly fails and you drop straight down. Your butt would not land on the plywood as you fell. You would essentially be sliding out of your seat and underneath your tether. So the only thing to arrest your fall would be the canvas of the treesuit and your sewing thread holding it together. I could see the treesuit stitching ripping out and you falling to the ground. The webbing connecting the tether (underneath the plywood) and then attaching to the linesmans belt, I think, will prevent this. You may get jerked around somewhat, but you will not go all the way to ground.

 

[BobinTN]

Bridge Strap Construction


Finished length is 70". Need ~74" of tow strap to begin. This is a soft 2" webbing got at harbor freight years ago.
Plastic Buckle you can get from Strap Works.


Used the speedy stitcher for this. My sewing machine could not handle with of webbing nor size of thread I wanted to use. Since the webbing is a loose/soft weave, I was afraid that the nylon thread might cut the webbing. For thread I used B50 that is used to make bowstrings. Note the box stitch pattern I drew with a sharpie as a guide.



Finished.

 

[BobinTN]

Connecting Strap


I do not have any more pictures of making the Connecting Strap. But this picture shows how to get the length correct. The same speedy stitcher and thread used (B50). Note that to run the webbing through the canvas, I just cut a slit with a razor blade. The canvas appears to be ripstop. The slits/slots on my 10 year old treesuit have not unravelled and/or have gotten bigger.

 

[BobinTN]

Linesman Belt

Riggers Belt. 2 adjustable D-rings. 6mm prusik rope, 7/8mm linesman rope (~10'). 1 Carribiner(type mentioned somewhere above).



This rig works like a ropeman (there is somebody on this website who demonstrated this. That person is on my hero list, but I cannot find his post to give him the credit for this. Hey, my hero, if you read this please post on this thread, you need to be recognized). the hook device is not specific (I have already changed to something different). You just need a thick ring that your rope goes through, spaced out the right distance from the D-ring work. Walla!(?) you have one handed prussik use.


WARNING: Possible safety issue.
This eye is held together by using the speedy stitcher and the B50 thread, then wrapped in electrical tape. I have been using this exact one for ~10 years. No sign of any stress on eye. You can Google eye stitching done by the professionals. I cannot do what they do justice, but I stitched the eye to what I thought was sufficient (still alive).

 

[BobinTN]

Alternate to the prussik method. Whoopie-hollow-braid-Friction against Kernmantle rope.
WARNING: Possible safety issue.

The above takes matching up the right diameter kernmantle rope and hollow braid rope. I have found you should have a minimum of 12" of bury to avoid slippage. Slippage can mean friction, heat, and possible melting/burn through failure.

 

[BobinTN]

Treesuit Pockets.


I forgot to take pictures of this process. But, if you are following and/or building, it should be pretty self explanatory. There is a 1/2" elastic band running accros the top (Google sewing with elastic). There is a stitch at the top to seperate the pockets into 2 pockets. This stitch is offset to either side of the webbing loop. This works well if the smaller pocket is on the side of your linesman rope (smaller diameter than the tether rope (7/8mm)). The larger pocket will accept the 10ft of 11mm tether rope.

 

[deerdhunter]

BobnTN - enjoying your build explanation - Thanks! Do you know what the strength rating is on the bridge buckle?

 

[BobinTN]

I remember it being around 400 lbs. I think the rating is different than say breaking strength of climbing rope ( I sure hope so).
It does not look like strapworks.com gives it a rating. I have seen these buckles used. Matter of fact, the origianal commercial treesuit had similar plastic buckles. Keep in mind, I am just a TN boy playing at being smart.

 

[BobinTN]

This is a video of assembling all of the pieces.

 

[BobinTN]

Trying out the newly made Treesuit:

Trying out the new treesuit.

 

[BobinTN]

The video that started this showed me climbing with an old lone-wolf v-bar seat. That v-bar seat really cannot be found anymore. I did have a modern lone wolf climbing seat. I decided to give that a try again. I video taped it. It also shows the setup for the built treesuit.

 

[Heydeerman]

The old Lone Wolf V-Bars seem to have gone the way of the dodo bird. I cannot find even used ones. The new 'strap based' lone wolfs don't climb as well in this method (my opinion. .

True dat. I had a v bar LW and bought the conversion kit to change it to straps. Sucker weighed 10-12 pounds with the bar. Took a little longer to get set up to climb but you could make that up climbing. Fast up and down.