Hi,
I made my own gin pole. An article describing it will probably
appear in one the next two issues of NCJ (not the Sept/Oct issue just out).
I also made my own block and tackle by going to a couple of well stocked
local hardware stores and purchasing:
1 each - heavy duty single pulley
1 each - heavy duty double pulley
320 feet of 3/8" hemp type rope
The double pulley goes at the top of the gin pole, the single
pulley rides on the rope (...the rope loops through it...) where it is
secured to the item being lifted. When using an arrangement such as this,
you need 3 times the amount of rope as the height which you are raising
the item. Thus you do a lot more pulling, but the work per foot pulled is
considerably less. (It is like pulling an object of half the actual
weight.)
A word of caution - I purchased this type of rope because it is
cheap. The biggest drawback is that it will rot if left for a period
of time in moist conditions. Another alternative is nylon rope, but it is
considerably more expensive. Don't use any of the polyethylene type ropes
because, after a period of time in sunlight, small jagged pieces will
flake off. These pieces are incredibly sharp and will become embedded in
your hand as you are using the rope.
73, Dave Clemons K1VUT
|