[TowerTalk] Anyone Using a Fulton KW3000 Winch with Powerful 1/2 inch Pistol Drill for tower tilting ?

[Dennis Vernacchia]

John,

  Yes I am thinking the Hoel Hawg an option but will rent one before I buy
and have to bring back
if speed is not right for our system. Stores here are not fond of returning
electrical items especially tools !

73, Dennsi N6KI

On Sun, Sep 20, 2009 at 6:01 PM, John Ammeter <jammeter at cablespeed.com>wrote:

> I use a Milwaukee Hole Hawg drill to both lift and lower my TX472.  I
> replaced my original winch with a worm drive winch and use a socket adapter
> I made up with the right angle drill.  Using the 300 rpm speed it works just
> fine.
>
> The hole hawg has enormous torque.  Can't give you "numbers" but if you
> ever try drilling a large hole in a beam and the bit sticks you'd be best
> off to let off on the trigger instantly or you'll be spun in circles....
>
> John KE7JA
>
> Dennis Vernacchia wrote:
>
>> *Wondering if anyone has been thru this exercise before so I don't have to
>>
>> reinvent the wheel
>> and waste more valuable time ( Time that could be used for working MORE DX
>> or making MORE Contest QSOS !!! )
>>
>>
>> Our contest group has tower trailer with a 40 ft tubular crankup that has
>> the rotating base assembly
>> so entire tower rotates. This is a very heavy system especially when the
>> the
>> antenna and mast
>> are on the tower and we are tilting the tower and antennas up using Flip
>> /Tilt Brackets on antennas )
>> ( See  http://www.n6rk.com/monstilt/monstilt.html  or
>> http://www.nn4zz.com/tiltplate.htm or  if you are not familiar with
>> Antenna
>> Flip/Tilt Brackets )
>>
>> Originally there was a Fulton 1500 winch on the system, leftover from when
>> the tower
>> did not have rotating base fixture. With the extra weight of Rotating base
>> system we decided to switch
>> to a Fulton KW3000 winch . ( **borrowed - Try before we buy !  They are
>> around $145 at Grainger right now )*
>> *
>> Now with the KW3000 52 to 1 ratio winch ( worm gear type ) we need to use
>> a drill motor to turn the winch shaft or else crank forever with a hand
>> winch.
>>
>> I had a "drill-to-winch shaft"  adapter fabricated which works fine and
>> does not slip on shaft when
>> using **my venerable 50 year old THOR 1/2 inch chuck NON reversible D
>> handle
>> Drill*
>> *but I can not find MODERN*** 1/2 inch chuck Variable Speed and Reversible
>> drill that has enough torque to turn the winch
>> and not stall.
>>
>> I went to a local Tool Supply Store that handles every major brand of Hand
>> held Drills and after much discussion with some
>> very knowledgeable people in the Repair and Sales arenas, they could not
>> come up with a Variable Speed 1/2 inch chuck
>> Reversible drill motor that would have as much power and torque as my
>> ancient Thor drill !
>>
>> I even called Milwaukee, Mikita, Ridgid and a few more major drill
>> manufacturer headquarters and none of them could
>> supply me info on Low RPM VS Torque of their most powerful drills or come
>> up
>> with a drill
>> they would guarantee to do the job !
>>
>> Anyway my only thoughts at this time is either to modify the Old THOR
>> drill
>> I have to reverse field wires on it to get it
>> to reverse direction ( and hopefully enough room inside drill motor body
>> to
>> mount a DPDT HD Switch or possibly
>> rent ( before buying ) and try a Milwaukee 300 RPM ( NO Variable Speed )
>> Hole Hawg Drill and hope the speed isn't
>> too fast ( or too slow when under load )
>>
>> No, I do want to have to rig up a Pulley and gearbox system as I know that
>> I
>> already have a drill ( The Ol Thor ) that
>> works but just doesn't afford me a Reverse mode
>>
>> Yes, I can just use another 1/2 inch chuck drill to tilt it down, but very
>> awkward swapping out two drills  in during the
>> tilt Up/Down exercise.
>>
>> Advise appreciated especially if you have been down this road before.
>>
>> Budget is $250 to $300 to buy a drill that can outperform the old Thor and
>> no time to rig up
>> a Rube Goldberg system.
>>
>> 73, Dennis N6KI
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *
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