Hayloft Pulley System

[ShenandoahJoe]

The top floor of the old barn I'm renovating still has an old pulley system running on a rail from the roofline. It's rusted in place. I like the way it looks, so I'd like to leave it up there. I'd like it even better if it could move.

Any suggestions for a way to get rid of all the rust? How about a way to get it down, first?

(The new nylon rope is there from the day the boys decided to rappel down the outside wall. I don't know how they got it up there, and if I asked, I know I wouldn't like the answer.)

 

[whistlepig]

People are still using this to put square bales in the lofts.

 

[JDgreen227]

The top floor of the old barn I'm renovating still has an old pulley system running on a rail from the roofline. It's rusted in place. I like the way it looks, so I'd like to leave it up there. I'd like it even better if it could move.

Any suggestions for a way to get rid of all the rust? How about a way to get it down, first?

(The new nylon rope is there from the day the boys decided to rappel down the outside wall. I don't know how they got it up there, and if I asked, I know I wouldn't like the answer.)

I have one almost exactly like that that came out of a 60 year old barn...they are called a hay trolley and many people collect them, there are many for sale on Ebay. Mine came down because the barn itself was half blown down in a windstorm...

The only way to get them down is to remove part of the track and that is probably hard to do because it's high up. Most people installed those tracks and trolleys while the barn was going up and the roof wasn't installed.

 

[Craig Clayton]

It looks like the ceiling has wall board on it so it must be accessiable from the floor. It appears to be a cast metal trolley with a nickel coating. I think it might be made from 2 halfs and bolted together( I could be wrong) but in any case the wheels will have a pin that should be able to be tapped out. When you get it down be gentle with the nickel coating ie NO SAND BLASTING. Use the least strong method clean cloth and mild soap.
Craig Clayton

 

[chucko]

Electrolytic Rust Removal

 

[crash325]

Electrolytic Rust Removal

Hot cooking oil with a lot of salt in will wipe most rust right off. Have used this on old stove tops, grills, cast iron skillitts and pipe stair railing. Keep it real hot, just be careful not to burn yourself.

 

[looknlearn]

We had one at our old place that had a wooden track. I got it off by removing the bolt stop on the end of the track. I see yours is steel but it may have a removable stop at one end.

Our peak was about 36 ft ? high and the barn was 100ft long and had no cross bracing to interfere with the trolley. The bracing they had wasn't keeping the barn walls in good enough so we had the put chains across to hold the walls in.

We had platforms at each end of the track and pulleys out the corners of the barn which would have hooked to the horses outside. The trolley weighed about 50 - 70 #. When I pulled that thing off the end of the track I was not expecting that much weight. I then dropped it down to the ground floor onto a stack of bales. It went though the bales to the floor and made quite a noise but didn't break. I got it working and put it back. I can't remember exactly how I got it back up but I think I carried it up the ladder on one set of flimsy boards nailed to the wall. I was the only one who dared to clime up to those platforms. I did get it back up and then made a hay fork for it and used it to put some loose hay into the loft.

I did all that when I was about 11 or 12.

When we moved to that place dad sold all the rope and hay stuff to a guy who wanted it. I always wished he hadn't.

 

[DonnieP]

It looks like a Myers O.K. Unloader

Hay Carrier and Lift Pulley Display Clears Confusion

Donnie

 

[gwjd]

The top floor of the old barn I'm renovating still has an old pulley system running on a rail from the roofline. It's rusted in place. I like the way it looks, so I'd like to leave it up there. I'd like it even better if it could move.

Any suggestions for a way to get rid of all the rust? How about a way to get it down, first?

(The new nylon rope is there from the day the boys decided to rappel down the outside wall. I don't know how they got it up there, and if I asked, I know I wouldn't like the answer.)

im sure the got a fishing line and a washer threw the hole and then pulled the rope threw ....

 

[ShenandoahJoe]

Another win for the TBN brain trust. I think I see which end of the track it'll come off of. Unfortunately, it looks like the center pulley is long gone. Thanks!