tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post8753247715762484373..comments2024-03-27T08:40:31.785-06:00Comments on Clayton Cramer.: Not Quite A Rube Goldberg DeviceClayton Cramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03258083387204776812noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-22581904206907588362012-12-10T20:15:59.728-07:002012-12-10T20:15:59.728-07:00Since your wife has limited strength, might not a ...Since your wife has limited strength, might not a cheap electric winch serve well here? A cheap 1-ton winch will run you <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Northern-Industrial-Tools-Utility-Winch/dp/B002VMKWU8/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1355195555&sr=1-1" rel="nofollow">$60 at Amazon, for example.</a> That would eliminate most of the risk of things falling and there won't be problems of grip strength or shoulder fatigue.PhaseMarginhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16631941929380901353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-37470326596265960912012-12-10T17:37:05.224-07:002012-12-10T17:37:05.224-07:00I'm with the Unknown commenter above; a more c...I'm with the Unknown commenter above; a more complicated block and tackle arrangement would increase the length of the ropes pulled to install and uninstall the blade, but it would reduce the weight of any counterweight and reduce the strength needed to pull on the ropes. And some kind of brake or camlock might be necessary.Windy Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01951254236693386401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-15014958472712007162012-12-10T16:55:47.755-07:002012-12-10T16:55:47.755-07:00How much can your wife comfortably pull?
If the b...How much can your wife comfortably pull?<br /><br />If the blade weighs 60 pounds, can she handle a pull of just over 15?<br /><br />Try starting a single length of line at a fixed anchor on the roof, down through a block attached to the blade, back up to a fixed block on the roof, back down through a block on the other handle of the blade, back around one final fixed block on the roof, then lead it to a cleat of some sort.<br /><br />This should result in the blade going up and down in a pretty controlled fashion (if it tips a little, just cleat the line and it would be easy to straighten out).<br /><br />If you have a wall available, you might try something like <a href="http://www.duckworksbbs.com/hardware/cleats/fairleadclam/index.htm" rel="nofollow">this</a>, as it would make it quick and simple to secure and release the line.<br /><br />If this is still too much weight, you can bring the pull down to about 8-10 pounds by using a double/fiddle block on each blade handle, with a correspondingly longer length of line and more blocks on the roof.<br /><br />The counterweight does look like an accident waiting to happen.<br /><br />WayneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-39245806911794512772012-12-10T15:56:49.752-07:002012-12-10T15:56:49.752-07:00Harbor Freight has several electric hoists, starti...Harbor Freight has several electric hoists, starting at $99.00. That one is listed "store only", but they show one for $149.99 that's rated at 1100#. Or, you can get a deer hoist from Cabela's for 20 bucks that's essentially a block & tackle, rated for 500#.<br /><br />That rig you show scares me.jdunmyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09304517693383396419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-70245143015253784582012-12-10T11:58:57.529-07:002012-12-10T11:58:57.529-07:00I think the simplest solution is to find some big ...I think the simplest solution is to find some big ugly piece of furniture that is about 5-6 feet tall, put casters under it, and when the blade is on the frame, push the furniture under the ammo can so that it is an inch or two below the top of the furniture, push up (which is easy because the blade is still counterbalancing the ammo) until the furniture slides under the ammo can. Unhook the blade. <br /><br />When it comes times to reattach, the rope with the hooks doesn't have any load on it. Attach, push up the ammo can, roll away the furniture, and everything is counterbalanced again!Clayton Cramerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03258083387204776812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-46356958163253621062012-12-10T11:52:26.148-07:002012-12-10T11:52:26.148-07:00or - replace your counterweight with a come-a-long...or - replace your counterweight with a come-a-long that connects from the blade to the ropes coming down from your pullys. <br /><br />Keep your dual rope/pulley points on the blade and ceiling to reduce the thing swinging. Add a cross bar between your plow mounting points to attach the come-a-long to.<br /><br />If a straight pully arrangement like you have set-up still is too much for her shoulder to crank the come-a-long, then replace your pullys with block and tackle. <br /><br />Best of all - nothing falls, uncontrolably. If you stop cranking up or down, it just stops and hangs there waiting for what you want to do next.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10544740492673411817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-54025115674595780812012-12-10T10:06:56.450-07:002012-12-10T10:06:56.450-07:00Since you're using block and tackle anyway, wh...Since you're using block and tackle anyway, why use a counterweight? Just double or triple the blocks to get sufficient mechanical advantage.CCubedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09857086025354354185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-9342137966385419842012-12-10T06:27:13.216-07:002012-12-10T06:27:13.216-07:00Good point, and perhaps it makes more sense to hav...Good point, and perhaps it makes more sense to have the ammo can land on a solid surface in the up position.Clayton Cramerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03258083387204776812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-81002124295681834502012-12-10T05:07:05.459-07:002012-12-10T05:07:05.459-07:00Hmm....I'm assuming you've already investi...Hmm....I'm assuming you've already investigated the idea of an inexpensive chain hoist or cable come-along. Why didn't those work?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-35173712571719594422012-12-09T20:57:10.090-07:002012-12-09T20:57:10.090-07:00I have to say, the "move the hook to the stee...I have to say, the "move the hook to the steel scrap" step fills me with foreboding, particularly since the person performing the step has reduced strength and control to begin with.<br /><br />If I understand the setup correctly, it sounds like she's going to be hanging on to 30 pounds of ammo can while she transfers the hook.<br /><br />There should either be a brake on the line, or something under the ammo can, so that the line is slack while transferring the hook.<br /><br />Excuse me if I've missed something obvious, but I thought it worth pointing out since it's a safety issue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com