MnGCA

LucidOndine · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 9:46 am Post subject: Wood and Rope Ladder

Does anyone know where I could buy a really long rope ladder? Everything I saw online through a bit of searching wasn't long enough. I could build my own and make it to whatever length I wanted, but I'm a bit too lazy for this Cool

I'm looking specifically for a very narrow 40-50 foot wood & rope ladder which may or may not be used for caching purposes.

bflentje made a great ladder; it got me thinking of some fun things I could do with it. You can blame him now. Razz

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Pear Head · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 9:54 am Post subject:

To answer your question, no.

Remember if you do this, and it's left in an outdoor location, that many ropes will rot if not properly stored over time. You likely won't realize that it's being used past it's breaking point until after it breaks. Which isn't cool if you're at the 40' mark when it happens.

While doing tower work we had a rope break and drop a tower section about 70'. It landed where a guy was standing less than three seconds before (I don't think he hit the ground from leaping away when the section 'arrived'). He would have been killed without a doubt if he hadn't moved. That alone reminds me of rope and safety.
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Hmm...

LucidOndine · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 10:00 am Post subject:

The rope wouldn't be used for permanent placement and would most likely reside in my trunk.
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5savages · Geocacher Joined: 13 Feb 2005 Posts: 204

bflentje · Geocacher Joined: 29 May 2006 Posts: 3649

LucidOndine · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 2:23 pm Post subject:

I have decided over my lunch break to build my own. Here is how I envision it working:

Probably will be quite inexpensive. I had way too much fun drawing those pictures. Cool

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MN_Cavepeople · Geocacher Joined: 02 Feb 2005 Posts: 369

You'll probably want to make sure that whatever you build can support the weight of two people...ya know Wink

LucidOndine · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 2:36 pm Post subject:

Pfft-- one person ladder. Everyone else go build yer own! Laughing

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bflentje · Geocacher Joined: 29 May 2006 Posts: 3649

Make sure you get rope with the correct tensile strength for safe climbing. I chose to use real climbing rope rather than the $5/100' special at Home Depot. I wanted to make sure the rope wasn't the weak spot. That's where majority of my cost came from. Then, I assembled it in a way where I did not cut the entire 100' length so I can always take it apart and still keep the rope for future climbing (asperations).

My next ladder will be assembled of cable and aluminum rungs. Planning stages now. Although, the price of aluminum now, someone might steal the ladder just to recycle it. Sigh.

Marsha and Silent Bob · Past MnGCA President Joined: 02 Sep 2003 Posts: 6261

FlagFinder · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:43 pm Post subject: Re: Wood and Rope Ladder

bflentje · Geocacher Joined: 29 May 2006 Posts: 3649

EskoClimber · Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 9:14 am Post subject:

1 inch helically wound tublular webbing is almost indestructible and weathers quite well. I have seen anchors on Devil's Tower that have been there for years that are more than up to the job.
Webbing is rated at 4000 pounds, doesn't stretch and is extremely cut resistent. The cost is approx 35¢ per foot. I wouldn't build a rope ladder out of anything else.

onionpond · Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 12:12 pm Post subject:

TheGilby4 · Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 2:36 pm Post subject: