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Detail your projects or pose your questions here on anything from installing a zipline to building a treehouse.

Have all the necessary parts to build a 250 foot zipline near my pond and will be starting construction soon. Anyone have any experience with this sort of project? I will provide updates as I get the project going.

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthread...true#Post163684

Try this link...or try and advanced search, use 200 weeks back, and enter "zipline". I've seen kits online for $250-$600 IIRC. They look like a blast.

glfranks, keep us posted on your zip line, would like to make one for the grand kids, and maybe me.

Lusk has or had one and everyone seemed to enjoy it.

Dave....are you a zip-liner?

Since seeing the pictures of Bob's zipline, I will definitely be putting one up on my pond when it's done.

Naw, I'm more like a rope on a limb type.

I want to put in two on my place to also use them as inexpensive bridges so I can access the far shore when I want to. Think installing one of these things is within our capabilities? Maybe we should get Scott to take another trip down to supervise our efforts. Whaddaya say, Esshup?

So crazy it just might work. I could totally see you Indiana Jonesing your way across your pond with your rod and reel strapped to your back.

Um...or Nebraska Hudsoning with treble hook in my ear and going headfirst into the riprap. Don't underestimate my ability to completely endanger myself and those around me no matter how harmless the recreational activity might appear.

If you can get all the supplies and equipment, I'm game for a road trip. It's only slightly less than 9 hr one way. Hopefully the place will have dried out, methinks you will need concrete for anchors.

Thanks Scott. I think you're right about the concrete. Bob sank his 42" deep IIRC. Wonder if a telephone pole would suffice? I have a line on those for free.

I think a telephone pole would work, as long as it's still pretty strong. I wonder how deep they sink them? Since all the weight would be pulling one way, it'd help to counteract it with a cable angling down to the ground like you see on the last telephone pole in a line.

Absolutely, and make sure to string the wire from the very tops of the poles.

see above plan; you're covered

Where were you planning on putting the zipline TJ?

I can just see him now shinnying up the pole to clip a line on, then trying to grab onto the next pole to unclip the line.

OR, not figuring out how much the cable will stretch and stopping in the middle, between the poles.

Remember, no poles between the beginning and end.

Natester on Bob Lusk's zip line...



Misson Control, we have splash down!

Zipline is complete and functional. Did a 250 foot run starting from a deer stand at the edge of my woods and terminating near the edge of my pond. As this was my first project I kept the pitch and height pretty mellow plus I have two young kids and I want them to enjoy it. I made it from 250 feet 1/4" 7x19 galvinized cable, 2 18" x 5/8" eyebolts, 2 18" x 3/4" turnbuckles, a 16' deerstand, a Petzel climbing harness and trolley, an adjustable nylon sling and 3 old lawnmower tires for a stopping system. Most materials purchased at Fehr Brothers rigging and Karst Sports. Hope to build couple more now that I have the technique down. Video links follow(sorry for the sideways orientation).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2Pc2Hqf5iI My 4 year old daughter giving it a try from about 2/3 up the cable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JheAquTHF8w&feature=channel Me giving it a try.

Hey Gary that looks great, I'll bet the kids like that more than video games, I've been thinking about building one for 3 years.
What is the difference in elevation from the start to finish?

Ok we have debated about this, so can I can email questions I have if we pull the tirgger on setup of zipline? Yes what is height difference? What do you think you have spent total on the project?

Dave -- you are one serious Texas dude!

Total cost for everything was a bit over $400 with a breakdown as follows: Hardware $148 (cable, eyebolts, cable clamps, thimbles and turnbuckles) Harness, Trolley, Strap and Carabiners $174, Deer Stand $93. Used Lawnmower Tires $0. I had all the tools required except for an 18 inch long 5/8" auger bit to drill through the trees. It set me back may $30 or $40.

I had a hard time finding any info on the proper slope of the line and ended up roughly following a formula someone had posted that sounded good. It called for setting the low end 30 inches higher than the height of the rider and the high end one foot higher than that for the first 40 feet and six inches for each additional 10 feet. My low end is about 8.5 feet and my high end is about 18 feet plus my land drops off about 3 or 4 feet over the run of the cable so I have a drop of roughly 13 feet over a little over 250 feet.

When I set up my next one I think I'll use wire rope slings around the trees (with some treated 2x4 blocks under them to protect the bark) so that I can adjust the height more easily.

Sources were karstsports.com, fehr.com, and sportsmansguide.com. There is a guy that has some video instruction on the setup as well at http://www.briangreenstone.com/zipline/index.html.

-Gary

Gary thanks so much for the info. I think this will be a project for late winter, early spring.