Zip Line

I work in a magical land, where people give me weird and wonderful items all day long. Today I was given a full size zip line. Its not a kids one, the wire is half inch thick, and its about 100 foot long. So naturally I couldn't let it go to waste.... Does any one know anything about zip lines and if the cable would be strong enough for the likes of vehicle recovery, or is it too weak? I have no idea about this sort of thing, so any advice welcome. Cheers!

i dont know anything about stuff like this but i imagine for steel cable to be used in both different cases there is either a british standard somewhere or a european standard measuring the safe level of flex and weight for its use. if you can find research stating the BS tolerance for zip wires is just as good if not better than that of winch cable it should be fine i imagine.

finding out its make will help aswell.

few useful sites a quick search threw up.
http://www.zip-
wires.co.uk/uk-safety-regulations.php

http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_wire_gauge

http://http://www.innovation-engineering.co.uk/EN14492-1-winch-regulations.htm

but unfortunately i cant give you a yes or no answer. youl get some which say its fine and some that say don't do it, its up to you to be honest is there any way you can test the strength.

Hmm, interesting reading but not much help. It never mentions on the zip line site what the max strain on the rope is. However they do say that most lift/pull cables have a nylon core to give some bounce rather than a jerk, so maybe this solid core is not good. I haven't even got a winch to put it on anyway, just it looked too pretty to throw! Cheers for the help though, lapider.

Put It on eBay if you don't want it! I have one in the garden for the kids (and yes, I do have a go after a few beers!) and it sounds like the kind you have. Mine was over £500 2 years ago! you should get a decent price for it at this time of year.

Hope_5 said:

Put It on eBay if you don't want it! I have one in the garden for the kids (and yes, I do have a go after a few beers!) and it sounds like the kind you have. Mine was over £500 2 years ago! you should get a decent price for it at this time of year.

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Unfortunately the box bit with the wheels in was stainless, so that had to go for scrap, but the rope is just steel so I could get my greasy fingers on it!

still worth sticking on fleabay, many different uses for a bit of steel cable, someone will want it.

Its good or a few tonne if its in good condition. IE no kinks or bends.

We hang Tonnes of stuff above popstars with similar steel.

What do you intend to do with it? A zip line wil be easily within safe limits. Trying to wind 1/2 inch think SWR onto a drum will be a pain in the ass though.

my experience of zip wires is they tend to be a bigger diameter than what is routinely used for 4x4 winches

BIG_GINGA_BEARD said:

Its good or a few tonne if its in good condition. IE no kinks or bends.

We hang Tonnes of stuff above popstars with similar steel.

What do you intend to do with it? A zip line wil be easily within safe limits. Trying to wind 1/2 inch think SWR onto a drum will be a pain in the ass though.

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Thats what I wanted to hear! Cheers! As I said I havent got a winch yet, just can't afford one. But I have got an endless hoist that'll lift 2 ton, so in my opinion should pull a good deal more. The wire would go from that to a tree, with a 10ft chain I got between the hoist and disco. I wouldn't try an wind it onto a drum, as you say, its too thick. I think this weekend I'll go find somewhere to try this all out.

How big is your garden, why not put the zip wire up and use it as intended, could be a laugh

Or if the neighbours are friendly, between two houses would be quite a scream. I've always wanted to come through a window like an actor in Mission Impossible.

Brown said:

Or if the neighbours are friendly, between two houses would be quite a scream. I've always wanted to come through a window like an actor in Mission Impossible.

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I guess tossing off through the kitchen window at next doors MILF is a bit suspect?

:censored:

BIG_GINGA_BEARD said:

Its good or a few tonne if its in good condition. IE no kinks or bends.

We hang Tonnes of stuff above popstars with similar steel.

What do you intend to do with it? A zip line wil be easily within safe limits. Trying to wind 1/2 inch think SWR onto a drum will be a pain in the ass though.

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bet you wish they failled once in a while if you're working with "popstars"

Bump said:

bet you wish they failled once in a while if you're working with "popstars"

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I wish this particular one would she's a knob of the highest order!

Only 4 load ins, 16 days, 21 hours, 7 minutes and 49 seconds to go though.