In a message dated 96-07-31 23:16:32 EDT, you write:
<< Do you climb with the waist belt looped
around the tower? >>
Do you mean that you don't? .... tsk, tsk, tsk.... what does your tower do
if the party is formal?
OK... all levity aside, I know that you were referring to the safety line
being looped around the tower (with the waist belt around your waist, but I
just could not resist)... I use two safety lines (you certainly can get by
with one).. one is adjusted in length so that I am leaning back at a
comfortable angle when working, with the line passing through the tower so
that I cannot slide down the tower if my feet slip off the rungs... the other
is adjusted a bit longer and is looped around the tower (most of the time)
when climbing... that climbing loop is held on one hand while climbing so I
can flip the line over the bolt heads (you did install them with the heads
out, hmmmm?) and prevent it from stopping me with a jerk, in mid step ...the
main function of this second loop is to keep me from pitching backwards off
the tower if I lose my grip for any reason... yes, if I do fall I may slide
down the tower until I hit a guy set - nothing's perfect... when climbing
past a guy set I unsnap and drop one end of the climbing loop until I'm
above the guy bracket and then reconnect (yeah, I know that I should use the
second line as a safety snatch above my head before doing it, but I don't)...
when I hit one of the ring rotors I unsnap the climbing loop and reach up and
snap it on the rung above the ring... then I do the drunken caterpillar
around the ring knowing I can't fall, catch my breath, and re-loop the
climbing line around the tower to continue... when I am ready to work I place
the working line around/through the tower and I'm ready... I may leave the
climbing line around the tower, but usually I will unloop it and resnap the
loose end on a rung out of the way, giving me a safety backup and keeping it
from tangling my feet...
I do need to come into the osha age and add climbing harness over my climbing
belt, but spending money on aluminum and tower sectons is more fun...
Denny
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