[TowerTalk] Tram Pulley

[Scott Honaker]

Most hardware store pulleys are crap.  They're heavy, made of cheap metal
with poor load ratings. They're just a metal wheel in a housing with lots of
slop and a bad axle.  The slop allows the line to pinch between the wheel
and the housing if it isn't just the right size.  The metal is never really
designed to be left outside for an extended period.

I have a couple beautiful Harken blocks (pulleys) designed for sailboat
rigging.  They have HUGE load ratings for their size, have no slop and spin
with almost no friction.  They are also designed for constant exposure to a
corrosive environment.

They don't give them away but they weren't outrageous.  If you calculate
cost/load rating, they were significantly LESS money and you get a better
device.

Scott N7SS

-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jason Dugas
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 12:13 PM

I am looking for a pulley (available online?) that I could use for a tram.
I'm going to use it to raise a couple of medium-sized yagis up to the top of
my tower.  I haven't been able to find much around my house at the hardware
stores and was hoping someone could make a good suggestion based on their
experiences.
 
Thanks,
Jason