DIY GRCS

[Paddy1000111]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm curious as to if anyone has made their own GRCS system? I have been looking at the GRCS system and it is, for me anyway, restrictive on a cost front and apart from the steel and the cost of the winch from a sailing supplier (all of which you could get for under £1000) there's nothing "special" in a sense. If it was welded by a trained and certified welder and made from the correct steel there's no reason I can't design my own is there?

[doobin]

17 minutes ago, Paddy1000111 said:

Hi everyone,

 

I'm curious as to if anyone has made their own GRCS system? I have been looking at the GRCS system and it is, for me anyway, restrictive on a cost front and apart from the steel and the cost of the winch from a sailing supplier (all of which you could get for under £1000) there's nothing "special" in a sense. If it was welded by a trained and certified welder and made from the correct steel there's no reason I can't design my own is there?

One word- liability. Anything goes wrong there's no fallback.

 

But this is coming from the guy who builds his own digger attachments. I'd crack on.

[Paddy1000111]

14 minutes ago, doobin said:

One word- liability. Anything goes wrong there's no fallback.

 

But this is coming from the guy who builds his own digger attachments. I'd crack on.

Well I was trying to work out if the GRCS is rated or the winch? The only thing to go wrong is the welding which would be certified or the strap/ratchet  which would be pre-made? All of the components would theoretically be rated? 

[Will C]

I think it is tested as a complete unit. You might struggle to get it loler tested if you make it yourself. No one will ever question it until something goes wrong and your insurance walk away from helping you, followed by hse shafting you for  the privilege. 
It’s a real shame tho as those with the skill to build stuff are being held back by red tape in favour of big companies, as a country we will lose innovation and all the skill that goes with it if we’re not careful.

[openspaceman]

37 minutes ago, Will C said:

It’s a real shame tho as those with the skill to build stuff are being held back by red tape in favour of big companies, as a country we will lose innovation and all the skill that goes with it if we’re not careful.

This is spot on as an observation. One of the first thing taught me in economics was the financial benefit benefit of a monopoly and how in the absence of this to create a false monopoly.

 

It also makes me think back to the time of guilds and how that they suppressed innovation.

 

I experienced some of this from the 70s when I could approach a landowner, get a felling licence, buy timber and sell it to a sawmill, then Forest thinnings came along and negotiated exclusive rights to supply mills, then H&SaW bit and we had to pay money to the into the NPTC pyramid scheme, then FSC...

 

Just layers of middlemen feasting at the table whilst contractors grovelled at their feet licking up the crumbs they dropped.

[Paddy1000111]

I guess my next question is having single units approved. I've done work for aircraft/marine companies and councils etc as an engineer. There's all sorts of specialist lifting equipment and tooling that's all made in house. I wonder how they get that approved? 

[Dan Maynard]

You can get proof load testing done on lifting equipment, there are companies that specialise in it.

I have no idea of the cost though, but may make buying the genuine item cheaper.

[Paddy1000111]

8 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

You can get proof load testing done on lifting equipment, there are companies that specialise in it.

I have no idea of the cost though, but may make buying the genuine item cheaper.

Well, I can build the unit and get it powedercoated for sub £1000 including the harken winch. The GRCS system is around £2800 with the VAT so unless single testing costs £1800 then I'm quids in! 

[billpierce]

Be keen to know how you get on

[Khriss]

*Mate bought boat capstan, had frame made to carry it and ratchet strap it on to a tree, think it came in at under 800squids,  just do it. K

Edited September 26, 2020 by Khriss
( *Paul Poynter knows a few things about rigging by the way)