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800'!!!! What the hell are you climbing? Well, I weigh close to that, at 190, and I have climbed several hundred feet up and down and still had battery left with a 5ah battery. If you had one of their big 8ah or 10ah batts, you might do 800'? Hard to say exactly.

It varies widely depending on things like the weight of the climber and gear, and size of the battery. Also, the batteries last longer if it is warm weather. I get less battrery time if it is near freezing. I use 5ah DeWalt batteries and can easily climb up and down a sizeable 75 to 100 ft tree several times on one battery and still have plenty left. DeWalt also makes larger 20v batteries now and I am thinking of buying an 8ah. But in truth I usually climb on an afternoon repeatedly without needing to change batteries now, with the 5ah. Be sure and watch Part 3 of these videos, since I made some improvements to the gadget.

Well, as I stated, it was not my idea. They have been around for years. I saw one on a yacht and asked the owner about it. He paid over $500. for it! But I like making stuff myself so it was a fun project.

yes, the panther happy hooker@@stewartmarshall4112 the price is simply insane. much better to spend a few hours on making it. this thing could save so many people from injury...

Yes, exact same principle. Commercial versions of this are sold for hunting, trekking, and camping which cost hundreds of dollars. But it was just a few hours' work to make one from an old mountain bike.

A number of us out here have tried a Ronin and they are hard on the rope. Also have to only use certain ropes and the batteries are expensive to replace and only available from Ronin. I was not impressed with it.

@@stewartmarshall4112 in reality, put your Hooks on but your gear on get two core ropes and roll your rope up the tree mechanical device nonsense

@@Alfalfa420 It is not nonsense at age 71 if I want to keep climbing in the near future.

Sorry, I should have video'd the process as I did it, starting with the normal unmodded R500. Just did not think to at first and also did not actually know exactly what I wanted to do to it, but sort of figured it out as it went along. Adding the wheel that swings onto the output side of the rope shiv, with bungee tensioner, was key to keeping the rope from slipping and then I did not have to hold the tail of the rope at all. Another addition was that U-shaped rod, covered with fuel line to cushion it, to prevent the drill itself from trying to rotate and hurt my wrists. You can actually use the R500 just as it comes, with its factory captive rope and simply in parallel with a second, normal system, taking the slack up in your regular system as you ascend. And you would disconnect once at height and just move around on your regular system, only using the R500 to get up there the first time, or to get higher later. But these mods I added make it mid-line attachable and able to be used right on your usual system below your hitch, multi-scender, whatever. It comes on and off the quite quickly, and even faster than I show since I am more used to it now. It works fine with just about every rope I have shoved into it. Only time it ever slipped at all was when I had some chainsaw oil or something on the rope. Note: never use the R500 alone as life support!

Such a neat device. I can't sem to find any R500s in Aus and the 550s are crazy expensive. Given that there would be thousands of these used and retired from commercial rolls, its a shame they arent in the 2nd hand market.

@@NathanNostawAgreed! 3M has big NOT FOR YOU NORMAL HUMANS INDUSTRIAL USE ONLY warnings everywhere - wonder if they're doing something to deflate the second-hand market

The RollGliss comes with a flywheel and crank handle on a short shaft. You don't need this so after it is removed, you can clamp on this shaft with the drill chuck. This is one of the big advantages of this combo over the commercial power ascenders like Wraptor and Ronin. In seconds, with a quick twist of the chuck, you have a 1/2 inch cordless drill again.

@@stewartmarshall4112 hey thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I got a few questions so I'm assuming you chose the rollgliss model because you're able to install the rope quickly , do you think it's amust have?, I mean , it could be useful if you're able to take it off to give you some room to work because it's a little bulky and it's in front of you as you work , but then I'm thinking it's unlikely you've done that anyway , I mean took off the rig because it was so bulky,, so does it really benefit so much to be able to take off the rope , did you consider any other descenders? Originally my idea for a design was a little different I imagine the seat with the ascending mechanism under you so my idea you wouldn't have the need to take it off but also I understand it would be nice to separate the rope away from of the lifter.. yeah I guess I am just making excuses I think this would be the proper design it's just I can't find any affordable rollgliss 550s for sale so I'm probably just making excuses but that's also because my idea for the design changed after I saw your video. I myself was sitting around trying to figure out how to build a ascender for tree work that I think would be most useful and affordable to most people and after doing some research I found the HARKEN POWERSEAT ASCENDER which is pretty close to my idea except that cost like $15, 000k or something ridiculous like that and it's still a little bulkier than I would want it to be for moving around trees plus the specialty batteries . , Originally my concept was to built a compact seat with a sealing Capstan pulley with a gear reductor and a post for a drill chuck or 7/16" HEX CHUCK , so at first I stumbled onto a Amazon Landworks Electric Towing Capstan Hoist Portable Cordless Brushless Motor Li-Ion Battery Powered 1000-2000 1/2-1 Ton Max Pulling Force this might work but again it uses proprietary batteries and motors that could fail . My idea was to build the seat and then you would have pipe that comes up in front of you that you could hold on too the rope I would go through that pipe and then have a rope wrench or rope runner at about face level above that pipe . While I was researching possibilities and ideas I found your videos and started researching the emergency defenders and my design changed a little now I'm thinking maybe if this would be a better option a smaller package to use the emergency descender design , if I'm able to build something like this inexpensively maybe I could get it manufactured for under $500 bucks so that arborist can have something for under a thousand bucks . If there's no motor and you have to use a self-priven that power drill I think it would be possible , anyway I don't have the time of resources realistically to do right now it but I sure think that a most arborist would buy something like this if the price was right , myself included,,. :) .. do you have any suggestions of how to simplify the design what the features are necessary for to work well for tree work. For now it's all concepts and I haven't had the opportunity to use the stuff so any ideas you have I would be interested in hearing . I would appreciate any suggestions or hints that you could provide. I'm in Northern California by the way .

@@samsungtv4u Actually, the RollGliss must be modified to make it midline attachable. It comes with a captive rope and can be used that way, but it is much more useful if it can be installed and removed quickly on any climbing rope. To me, being quickly midline attachable on any common climbing rope is a must. An issue with commercial electric power ascenders like the Ronin is battery replacement. Expensive and proprietary, whereas with this modded RollGliss, the batteries for a heavy duty cordless drill of your choice are readily available and fairly cheap. As to the rope, again unlike the Ronin and other expensive commercial ascenders, the rope shiv in the RollGliss will grip almost any rope used with it, from 9mm rock climbing stuff, up to the largest common arborist rope like Vortex Hot or Cool. Final advantage of course is that the cordless drill itself is not modded at all, and is quickly removable for normal use as a drill, so this DIY power ascender is really two devices in one.

@@stewartmarshall4112 I agree proprietary unnecessary elements are unnecessary and are always overpriced . I use the akimbo and the rope runner because they are midline attachable even though I really like the petzil zigzag only for my flip line, exactly for the same reason because they are midline attachable . What are the chances of you making a more detailed video??

@@samsungtv4u Well, probably not til warmer weather! But, yes, I will try to do a more in-depth one. I see one of the RollGliss R500's on eBay right now for $500. The $199. for the drill and there you are!

Yeah, still works fine. I have used it regularly now on maybe eight different climbing ropes and only had it briefly slip once (in the rain). Still very pleased with battery life with the 4ah and 5ah batteries in the big DeWalt drill. Besides tree climbing, I have used my gear and this ascender for installing large windows and window trim in a three story house. I bring a second battery but seldom need it.

Hi Miles, there is a fairly complete discussion of these on that TreeBuzz forum I mentioned above. Do a search there on their archives. A number of us built these and there are several ways to do it. Google that forum. It is a great one for tree guys anyway. Tons of other discussion on there of every aspect of tree work and climbing. Also there are two more of these videos I did. Look for part 3. It shows some improvements.

There was quite a discussion on the TreeBuzz forum in recent years on making these. Lots of details. Do a search there in their archives.

Thanks for the kind words, Anthony! High praise indeed from another master tinkerer.

Thanks, Kate! Check out Part 3 for the latest mod so that I don't have to hold tension on the tail any longer.

Not a good idea to use an impact driver. They would work like a hammer, with a repeating shock delivered to the shaft. Very hard on the internal gearing of one of these devices. You need a steady rotating input like a heavy duty drill. I made two more of these videos with some further mods. Check out Number 3. It shows a mod where you don't have to hold tension on the output tail of the rope.

Hi Jordan, watch eBay for one of the RollGliss R500 units. They turn up from time to time and are usually in very good shape, often unused and still in new condition. Some guys have also used the newer R550 although I don't have any experience with those myself. By taking off the flywheel and substituting a heavy duty drill, you can use the device as-is with its own rope at first. Then compare to the footage here to see how the mods make it mid-line attachable and also to work with other ropes besides the one that comes with it. Good luck with it!

I am not personally familiar with the R550 but I understand several guys have used it the same way I did with the R500, as a powered ascender. Both of them will apparently work with a cordless drill just the way they come, with their own rope. But I am not sure if the R550 can be modded as far as I did with the R500, as far as using different rope and making it midline attachable.

@@stewartmarshall4112 just wondering what are your thoughts on the build quality of the new model, 550? i was about to buy one but am seeing now that people are breaking them, using them for winching or just overloading them. do you think the 500 could sustain the same misuse and be fine? as in just better build quality.ill only ever use the device for ascending and am really am in two minds now about getting a new one or just hold out for a 500 to turn up on ebay. as a climber im getting tired and this seems a god send, again thanks for the help

@@David-mv1bf I have no hands-on experience with the R550 model but from the photos it does not seem to be built to any different standard of quality than the R500. Basically it looks like they simply added a second shaft and brake assembly. I would think the issues are with how carefully one uses it, or how often. It is possible that these devices will not hold up to constant daily professional use unless treated very carefully. I only rec climb at semi-regular intervals, weather dependent, so have never subjected my device to what a pro arborist would put it through.

Yes, I credit Dan House in the above description, in case you missed that. The hiking stick mod is my idea.

@@stewartmarshall4112 I guess I just missed it in my tired haze. I know I looked. I like it, and I have never seen anyone using a little shot besides a quick demo in Wichita a couple of years ago. It just caught me off guard that anyone is making adaptations like that, especially as a recreational tool.

Well, I have almost three years semi-regular use on the device now with no real impact on any of my four ropes, aside from the normal minor wear and tear, same as we get with any of our multiscenders or hitches on the same rope. And the big DeWalt drill is just loafing at this duty. This is a heavy duty 1/2 inch drill and I use it a lot harder than this just in the machine shop on other work. The smaller regular 3/8 inch DeWalt and other brands will not hold up very long, it's true. You need a heavy duty 1/2 inch drill.

I bought my r500 on eBay. They turn up regularly, at varying prices. Not always cheap but still a LOT more affordable than a Wraptor or a Ronin power ascender.

Yeah, DIY rope wrench. Works great. It has a little bungee so that it always engages no problem.

I have no experience with that model but apparently some guys have gotten it to work OK with a drill.

No, unfortunately there is simply too much liability involved. Sorry.

@@stewartmarshall4112 you really need to get with a company that will be willing to take on the liability. I think this would be revolutionary and you can make a lot of money

Thanks for the kind words! Good luck with your conversion.

No, none of the mods had anything to do with the speed.

Another cool thing about using the drill as power is you have three speeds forward and reverse, to suit particular situations. I guess some drills just have two speeds, but still a pretty neat feature.

I am not familial with the eBike motor but it might be worth a try if it has enough power.

@@stewartmarshall4112 Thanks, its 48V, 1800 Watts. I should get around 600 in-lbs of torque after gear reduction. The plan is to have the rollgliss mounted on the ground and run the line up through a block.

Not sure how you would control a DeWalt cordless with BlueTooth but the device could be used from the ground with the rope leading thru a block up on the tower? I have used it as a winch this way and it will lift a lot more than 60 pounds.

The problem is that I work alone and if controlling it from the ground I would have to make a trip up the tower to rig the main line then back down to rig the hoist device, send it up then climb back up. What I'm having trouble figuring out is how to make the attachment that will hold the rope and pull itself up (as in the attachment/drum that the drill is powering. Is it a friction type drum or sprocket? I already have some 1/2 inch rope grabs that we use with our climbing harnesses. For remote control of the drill I will use a 4 channel wireless relay and wire it to the trigger and forward/reverse switch. Thank you for the help so far.

I'm reading your posts on TreeBuzz. Lot of great info! I guess my real question is what to use if I don't have the r500. The business end is what I need to source and maybe attach it to a reduction gearbox then to the drill. Remember this will not be used to lift people. The r500 does look like a nice compact piece of kit. All I have laying around is a big heavy emergency retrieval winch from our old tripod setup.

The r500 has no friction drive; it is direct geared 10:1 from the drill input. What I have done when I needed to lift a couple of heavy loads is I went up using the device on my main climbing line, with two more ropes temporarily hooked to my saddle that had the loads on them on the ground. Then I swapped the device off my saddle bridge and upside down over to a strap on a limb. Then I could insert the two ropes one after another and raise the two loads one after another without having to go back down and up again, and controlling the device normally with the trigger. I have also raised a single big load the same way by just having the load tied to the tail of my climbing line and reversing the hanging of the device once I got at height. These Rollgliss r500 devices turn up on eBay at various prices starting at about $400. right now, sometimes cheaper, but usually more expensive (new price is over $2000.) so you would just have to watch for one.