If you run out of Caps
- Thread starter darren
- Start date
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
A very unsafe way of doing it in my opinion.
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
I am not sure the mods allow discussion re this subject. Going by the image alone. A mat plus a properly constructed slide hammer with a shield just above the pin. Never hit the cap with a hammer and pin alone. I wont add photos.
I'm not sure of the rules of discussing capping on here, but I can't see why it shouldn't be discussed - education etc. This is pretty much my set up for capping, except i use a longer bar.
Now I'm intrigued as to what the problem is? And how I might improve my set up...
langcliffe
Well-known member
Ian is referencing this
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
I have posted items re capping in the past and have been told that the forum does not like to see the issue aired.
So please can a mod update us on that.
I make my own sets with certain safer use options. I have seen a cap exit a hole going passed the pin and embedding itself in my mates finger bone.
Yes the whole thing is inherantly unsafe. Certainly just hitting the pin with a hammer as the pin can fire back out. Really its safer to use plug and feathers in many situations. A shield between the pin and the slide hammer is a good option. With a slide hammer you can turn your head and body away from the action. I will say no more until the forums position has been updated.
So please can a mod update us on that.
I make my own sets with certain safer use options. I have seen a cap exit a hole going passed the pin and embedding itself in my mates finger bone.
Yes the whole thing is inherantly unsafe. Certainly just hitting the pin with a hammer as the pin can fire back out. Really its safer to use plug and feathers in many situations. A shield between the pin and the slide hammer is a good option. With a slide hammer you can turn your head and body away from the action. I will say no more until the forums position has been updated.
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
I note unsafe practice even with this. The operator has his head over the action ( maybe for the photo pose ) There is no shield beween the slide hammer and the pin. No heavy duty gloves. Not a good illustration of safer use at all so misleading in my opinion. Purely in the interest of safety here is a quick scribbled sketch of where the shield should be. If the forum required I could illustrate what materials are used etc for my kit.
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langcliffe
Well-known member
I note unsafe practice even with this. The operator has his head over the action ( maybe for the photo pose ) There is no shield beween the slide hammer and the pin. No heavy duty gloves. Not a good illustration of safer use at all so misleading in my opinion. Purely in the interest of safety here is a quick scribbled sketch of where the shield should be. If the forum required I could illustrate what materials are used etc for my kit.
You're absolutely right about the gloves. I have no idea of why they weren't being worn. It was probably a badly posed photograph.
The idea of a shield is a good one.
The reason for the position is that it was the only one available. The floor and the boulders on the photographer's side was likely to drop three or four metres. The gentleman in the photograph was standing on a couple of braced scaffold poles in the only place that was not thought to be susceptible to collapse when the boulder was demolished. As it happened, it was reduced without upsetting its neighbours.
aricooperdavis
Moderator
This has been discussed often by the mod team in the past, but there's no policy on it as far as I'm aware. It's generally agreed that enabling cavers to be safer is a good thing, but anything that risks causing a stir (that might call into question the practice as a whole, particularly outside the world of caving) is a bad thing.
So IMO feel free to share safety tips (i.e. "you should wear gloves"), but probably don't share instructions for how you do it. The BCRA's EUG would be a better place for those interested to discuss more explicit details.
To that end, I've removed the link to the "how to" video that we have acknowledged is problematic anyway, and I'll ask, TOR, that you don't share your "how I do it" on the forum.
