John,
I first saw this concept shown on Rick N6RK's
website (http://www.n6rk.com/drill_adapter_for_winch/drill_adapter_for_winch.html).After
I erected my US Tower TX-472, I realized I was not going to be manually
cranking it up and tilting it over. So, I emulated Rick's idea. I used the
gnarliest right-angle drill I could find, a factory-refurbished Milwaukee
"Super Hawg" (400 rpm, 13A) at a reasonable price from a seller on ebay. All
other RA drills I've seen are rated no higher than 7A at full load.
The winch is hex drive but, the nut that secures the handle is too short to
use. It is replaced with a "coupling nut", a hex nut that is very tall. A
box-end wrench is then slipped over the coupling nut and secured to the winch
handle. That prevents overtightening and loosening the nut when it is driven by
the drill. A square drive extension (with the female end removed) is chucked
into the drill and a socket matching the coupling nut is used to drive the
winch up/down.
If I don't stop, it takes only about a minute or so to drive the tower up. I do
it in short bursts because the clutches on the Fulton winches don't like
sustained operation, and I need to keep wires/cables under control.
Further, the chuck is threaded onto the drill's motor shaft (right-hand
threads) and secured using a left-hand thread screw. If you try to pull too
much torque in CCW direction, the chuck will unscrew, breaking the screw. But
apparently, you're OK when just running the winches up/down.
vy 73,
Bryan WA7PRC
Photos + text on my Flickr page: http://www.tinyurl.com/wa7prc-tower
Date: Sun, 08 May 2016 16:21:08 -0500
From: W5JMW
To: TowerTalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] drill drive ?
Hello to all. Sometime back I saw a post about a attachment to a 1/2
horse drill to raise a tower.I have a us tower hdx-455. It used a fulton
1550 winch I think, if memory is working. Is there a attachment
available? Thanks in advance... John W5JMW
****************************************
Date: Sun, 8 May 2016 21:41:11 -0500
From: Patrick NJ5G
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] drill drive ?
The attachment is an adapter that is hex on one end (goes in drill's
chuck) and is a socket style drive on the other end, preferably at least
a 3/8 inch drive. You select a socket of that drive size that fits the
hex nut on the winch. You may have to jam two nuts together to get the
assembly to take the torque without slippage.
Stand by for the real deal from those much more qualified than I.
Patrick NJ5G
****************************************
Date: Sun, 8 May 2016 20:08:56 -0700
From: Grant KZ1W
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] drill drive ?
Usually the winch is a square drive, so an 8 point socket is needed
rather than the usual 6/12 pt.. McMaster has them and the probably the
Proto etc. roving tool trucks. Depending on torque needed and 18v
battery drill vs a Hole-Hawg and the like, I might use a socket to drill
chuck adapter with larger than 1/4" hex shank. However, the Horror
Fright adapters are so cheap, break em and buy new (I've never broken one).
Grant KZ1W
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