[TowerTalk] Winch mounting bracket

[FireBrick]

I was never happy with the stock Wilson Rotatable tower winch mount.
It was flimsy and just looked like a accident going to happen.
So I had the torches and welder out for another project and decided to fix it right.
here's the critter I built.
What you can't see it the 4" channel between that big plate and the tower.
sort of like this |[O  that's |=1/4" plate [ is 4" channel and O is the tower lowest
section tube.
The winch is bolted through the plate and channel with 4 1/2" bolts.
Channel and plate were tack welded to maintain alignment during drilling.

In addition to those big threaded clamps, the channel is also welded to the tower tube.
(yes I wear belts AND suspenders)
It was important to maintain the winch in a perfectly level position which insures even
cable winding.
That arm that supports the drill handle is just so I don't have to hold it during raising.
That drill has mega torque but is not difficult to hold.
And yes I still have the hand crank in case of power failure.
It's just that the winch has a ratio that takes forever to raise/lower.
Winch is that kind of gear that holds it's position.
(someone please tell me the name of that gearing type, I can never remember but think it's
Hypoid?)

That is a Thern 2000# winch that I had a machine shop make an adapter from the shaft to
fit the chuck on the drill. The Drill is a Milwaukee Hole Hawg.
(that's a heavy plastic bag that came from a blanket covering the drill. they last about 1
year)
The tower is a old Wilson 55' with rotator at the bottom.
You guys with sharp eyes may notice that the cable is heavier than stock. When I recabled
and resheaved, I upped each length and sheave one size.
http://www.qsl.net/w9ol/bracket1.jpg

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"A liberal is someone too poor to be a capitalist, and too rich to be a communist."
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Bill H. in Chicagoland