Very cool way of winching your Alaskan up the log

[openboater]

I've just been asked to fit a trailer-type hand winch to a river outfall flap at work. It is worm drive and the handle turns in the horizontal plane, not the vertical. This may make instalation easier perhaps. The gearing is 30:1 . I'll measure the drum circumference later and let you know what the distance per revolution would be.

[Rob D]

Sounds good - I have a winch bought as well so will be mounting it over the weekend but I can't weld or fabricate things so I'm hoping I can just screw it onto the cross member.

 

 

 

[Forest2Furniture]

I'm going to mount mine on a piece of angle iron and bolt that to the jig.

Like I said it will have to be on it's side so I can turn the handle but can't foresee any problems (famous last words) doing that way.

 

Don't think I'll get it done over the weekend which is a shame as I've got another cedar to do on Monday as well as a Oak that has been done 2 years!

 

So I'll be concentrating on getting the chains nice and sharpe.

[Rob D]

Ordered a 600lb hand winch of ebay for £10.5, it arrived yesterday.

Can't mount it in the same way as in the photos shown on here as the handle is to long but that will be a nice challenge to sort out, will post pics when attached.

 

 

If you have the same one I got I have just mounted it - took all of 3 minutes!

 

 

I'll post some pics tom but not only does it slot on the mill perfectly you can slide it up and down! The handle is facing up - but I think it will work fine like that.

 

 

Have just threaded the rope through. Can't test until Tuesday though due to noise restrictions where my yard is

 

 

 

[Rob D]

Finally got a chance to try out the winch - only for one plank but was a good 40" across - in fact annoyingly too wide and had to keep backing off to nip the side down.

 

 

Result - I would say there is more work in holding the throttle open than winching the mill up the log - effortless, easy - a joy!

 

 

Going over the round handle holds the mill down. The winch could be better quality but overall - I am never pushing a mill up a log by hand again!

 

 

Still some refining to do as this was just a quick give it a go set up - but this really could be a way of saving those elbows.

 

 

It stows neatly on the mill as well. To fit - there is a long bolt through the middle of the winch, take out, slot the head in the rail - slide winch on.

 

 

Winch was this one - Manual Marine Hand Gear Hand Winch 600LBS Boat Trailer Caravan Crane No Cable | eBay

 

 

[Forest2Furniture]

I'm milling London Planes again in a couple of weeks so I'm going to try setting mine up at weekend, just got to find away of attaching the rope to the plank that's being milled.

 

Rob, did you attach the winch to the mill with 1 bolt or 2?

[Rob D]

It's attached with one bolt and then there's a little 'nub' that fits in the rail to hold it square.

 

 

I'm going to do a vid this morning showing how it works.

 

 

 

 

[Goaty]

Im a follower of this brilliant Idea, read it then went away fantasing. Didn't notice the waterski type rope comments and pictures, therefore went away thinking that steel cable was going to rough up the round bar on the mill.

 

Anyhow I have forgotten the size, but you can get that blue mains water pipe MDPE type in the right size that would slide over the top bar. Looking forwards to having a go, the winch should be here soon.

[Rob D]

I just got a cheap clothes line from the local surplus place for £3!

 

 

I have since used the winch 3 times - not had a chance to make vid yet but quite simply this will be a regular thing for all chainsaw mills in the near future.

 

 

Will try and get vid up soon

[Bob Slade]

Hi Rob just ordered one of the winches, should arrive Wednesday.