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Mendip Rocks, Earth Science Lecture Day
Mendip Rocks are holding a number of presentations on Saturday 17th October as part of the Earth Science Week. Talks will include:-
Anjana Khatwa, award winning presenter and writer: "The Whispers of Rock: Stories from the Earth". Vince Simmonds, archeologist and cave explorer: "Echoes of the Ice Age: A Pleistocene Record from Mendip Cave Deposits" Of particular interest will be the recent find, the Woolly Rhino Skull that is now in Wells Museum. Owen Dukes - Geologist (Tarmac) "Mendip Mineral Resources"
Digging in Alabama
- Thread starter Amy
- Start date
rhychydwr1
Active member
Nice video. I like the American rappelling technique ware you put the rope alongside the rope protecter 
Alex
Well-known member
We take rope rub more seriously as we have thinner ropes so rope protectors are used both up and down. Your right its less while going down but if you think about it and the person moves horizontally while descending it could slice horizontally on a sharp rock or something.
(Not seen video yet).
(Not seen video yet).
andrewmcleod
Well-known member
Alex said:
This wasn't the video I was looking for but still pretty scary...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmIhi7FiaKw
The rope will also rub and and down (admittedly not a lot on static) if you unload the rope for a non--free-hanging abseil (e.g. if you have to keep pushing off stuff).
The first drop with the lower it didnt go were we planned hence line being off after all tight squeezy hole. Not much rub though and over smooth rock nothing sharp. Fixed before continuing on the second after the ledge. Second drop with the velcro pad - conversation "want me to put it on?" "Naw it is pretty smooth and a pita to do, ill put it on before i rappel". Did and done.
To get her down the 3rd drop i lowered her on webbing munter through a carabiner in my harness as a meat anchor. Lol your point? First in exploration isnt always neat and tidy. Where the rope wants to lay isnt known for sure and there are no bolts in place yet. I thought ya all knew this shit. Or do you just leave passage until you go back home and get bolts another day?!? Lol.
To get her down the 3rd drop i lowered her on webbing munter through a carabiner in my harness as a meat anchor. Lol your point? First in exploration isnt always neat and tidy. Where the rope wants to lay isnt known for sure and there are no bolts in place yet. I thought ya all knew this shit. Or do you just leave passage until you go back home and get bolts another day?!? Lol.
Alex
Well-known member
On expeditions we generally have a drill for bolts, failing that for a quick look down a new hole an electron ladder or two (rub does not really matter if you use ladders). Failing that can always put bolts in by hand-bolting. But I have been guilty of myself once on expo, having once descended a tight hole I realised I did not want to go back up. I presumed from looking at our surveys earlier that this hole would connect to the known system below me, which I could exit by. So I took a risk and kept going down despite rub this was creating (Although I had a drill it was not working that day). I had pinned my hopes on the connection being passible and the survey being right. Thankfully they were and I got all the way down by three pitches, dropping some 30m or so on the same rope with a few rocks and stals used as anchors I was out at the bottom made my way back round via the outside world back to the upper cave to reach my bemused companions.
Organized expeds sure.
We have a hand drill. And were working on digging the thing open still. We are well aware of our ropes abilities and we dont freak the f*** out at rope touching rock like you do. Deal.
I shall apend this I guess:
PSA: NO ROPES WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS VIDEO
happy now? Sheesh!
I realize ya all are just jealous you cant find things in your proverbial backyard less than 10/15 min from your house by the hundreds of feet there anymore and measure in inches...i mean...centimeters. :tease:
We have a hand drill. And were working on digging the thing open still. We are well aware of our ropes abilities and we dont freak the f*** out at rope touching rock like you do. Deal.
I shall apend this I guess:
PSA: NO ROPES WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS VIDEO
happy now? Sheesh!
I realize ya all are just jealous you cant find things in your proverbial backyard less than 10/15 min from your house by the hundreds of feet there anymore and measure in inches...i mean...centimeters. :tease:
paul
Moderator
They do, but call it micro-shaving. See http://www.onrope1.com/MicroShaving.htmAlex said:
Kenilworth
New member
A lot of US cavers are moving from "microshaving" with hilti caps, to "straws" or "muzzmining" or whatever term they choose to describe their homemade propellent/drinking straw/stemming/remotely sparked "passage modification". Safer, with bigger results.paul said:
microshaving - poping blanks
Straws - loading up straws (McDonald ones work great) with powder
Microblasting - stacking as many as needed to pop the rock
It is a 6 ft drop free, no need for a Y hang. Also more rock removal needs to happen. Also the other wall is coated in flowstone and is shit for a bolt. Also wtf two bolts when one will do? We hand drill. I aint making a Y hang for an almost freeclimb drop
Yes, "capping" is the next step that "flake not a flake" has to go.
Straws - loading up straws (McDonald ones work great) with powder
Microblasting - stacking as many as needed to pop the rock
It is a 6 ft drop free, no need for a Y hang. Also more rock removal needs to happen. Also the other wall is coated in flowstone and is shit for a bolt. Also wtf two bolts when one will do? We hand drill. I aint making a Y hang for an almost freeclimb drop
Yes, "capping" is the next step that "flake not a flake" has to go.
Leclused
Well-known member
Hmm, handdrilling a bolt is indeed harder than placing one with a drill. When we are exploring (PSM - Anialarra system) we always have a drill with us. Placing a bolt with a drill takes a minute or so 
We have several drills in our club: two hilti's tea6, a heavy Bosch and a lightweight Bosch. The ligthweight Bosch is especially bought for bolting, a typical -400m cave on the psm requires 40-60 bolts.
But if you start capping you will have a drill with you and then an extra bolt is quickly set even for a 6 foot drop If the opposite wall is not ok then a 2nd bolt on the same side as where you already placed one is also usefull and saver.
BR
We have several drills in our club: two hilti's tea6, a heavy Bosch and a lightweight Bosch. The ligthweight Bosch is especially bought for bolting, a typical -400m cave on the psm requires 40-60 bolts. But if you start capping you will have a drill with you and then an extra bolt is quickly set even for a 6 foot drop
If the opposite wall is not ok then a 2nd bolt on the same side as where you already placed one is also usefull and saver.BR
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