Hillside tool elevator ideas ?

[bcarwell]

I'm needing to get maybe 200 pounds at a time up and down a hillside where I'll be doing work at the bottom- hauling hand tools, generator, bags of cement, etc. Its maybe 100 feet and down an angle of maybe 30 degrees. Does anybody have any sources of ideas to consider ? Its too difficult to lay tracks like the typical hillside tramways, etc. but a few support poles midway is doable if necessary. I was thinking of some sort of wire rope with basket attached suspended at the ends and maybe one or two support poles in the middle and then pulling or lowering the rope/basket with an inexpensive Harbor Fright winch, etc. But it would sure be helpful if someone has worked through some of the details for a homebrew setup like clever ways to attach the basket and how to get it to pass over the support poles with garage door pulleys or whatever, dealing with friction/wear of the rope over the support poles, larger support wheels at the end (like salvaged motorcyle or trailer axles and wheels, etc., etc. Any and all ideas are welcome as hauling that stuff up and down is out of the question. Thanks.

Bob

 

[bcp]

Is it too rough for a cable-operated sled? Less chance of a runaway going downhill.

Bruce

 

[k0ua]

A winch is very slow, a rope Capstan is pretty fast, either a cable tram like you are thinking, or maybe a cart of somekind with big bicycle wheels? and the cart portion below the axle line so it does not want to turn over? just thinking out loud, I havent done this, but I saw a capstan used to pull up kids on a snow slope, and it is fast and you have good control. Google it.

James K0UA

 

[k0ua]

Here is a little video to get the idea.

YouTube - ‪PCW5000 Portable Capstan Winch used by R.A.T. International‬‏

James K0UA

 

[inveresk]

How about this? A shingle elevator.

http://roofinginvancouver.org/?p=146

 

[bcarwell]

Thanks for the replies !
The capstan might be a possibility but may be $$$. I was thinking of gearing up a cheapo Harbor Freight winch a little to solve the speed problem but haven't looked at the numbers yet. The shingle elevator looks cool and I'd like to know more details of what drives it. But I still have the guide problem up/down the hill. The ladder seems to provide this but I'm having to go up more like 120 feet at a 45 degree angle. My latest thought was to put hand rails in of cheap drill stem pipe or whatever in anticipation of steps later and until I get around to the steps, using the hand rails as the rails for the cart. Would not be planning on investing a lot in the steps however as 45 degrees is pretty steep without some landings and the steps would be just temporary for work purposes in getting access to the river- maybe just some cedar with a couple pieces of rebar driven into the hillside until I can make a more meandering side-to-side path down.
Anyway, keep the ideas coming !

Bob

 

[leonz]

I'm needing to get maybe 200 pounds at a time up and down a hillside where I'll be doing work at the bottom- hauling hand tools, generator, bags of cement, etc. Its maybe 100 feet and down an angle of maybe 30 degrees. Does anybody have any sources of ideas to consider ? Its too difficult to lay tracks like the typical hillside tramways, etc. but a few support poles midway is doable if necessary. I was thinking of some sort of wire rope with basket attached suspended at the ends and maybe one or two support poles in the middle and then pulling or lowering the rope/basket with an inexpensive Harbor Fright winch, etc. But it would sure be helpful if someone has worked through some of the details for a homebrew setup like clever ways to attach the basket and how to get it to pass over the support poles with garage door pulleys or whatever, dealing with friction/wear of the rope over the support poles, larger support wheels at the end (like salvaged motorcyle or trailer axles and wheels, etc., etc. Any and all ideas are welcome as hauling that stuff up and down is out of the question. Thanks.

Bob

Hello Farmer Bob,

Is this for your water project?


Short of creating a hang basket tram you do not have many options as you have to have substantial foundations for the trolley poles and the idlers and carrier cable as the stressses will be very large.


The ideal installation is a DOUBLE DRUM WINCH OR TUGGER HOIST;
this is also referred as a slusher hoist.


Using a sled and a 12 volt truck winch is an option but you still need to pull the sled back down to the starting point.


You could simply create a trough or guide way with six by sixes and use very large wheeled cart from tractor supply for lowerring the tools and tug it back up which would allow you a slow descent with the loads and a slow ascent with the tools and supplies when done.

 

[wedge40]

Golf cart?

 

[Western]

Just a thought.
Small trailer, rope/chain/ cable and a electric winch mounted on your truck. Then you can load it up and leave when ready.

 

[davedj1]

take a tire off your truck and use the bare rim as a capstain winch.

 

[foggy1111]

Too steep for a 4-wheeler with a good winch on the front? Load the wares on the wheeler.

 

[bcarwell]

Thanks again for the suggestions. Its looking like an overhead tramcart is not going to cut it due to the weight and stress at the end poles as someone suggested. So I'm thinking now it will have to be a big wheeled cart and I'll have to clear a path as best I can or have it run on handrail poles. As for power, I'm thinking now maybe until I have time to rig something better I'll just pull it up with my tractor. Its about a 45 degree incline of 120 feet, so it should be interesting....

Bob

 

[aczlan]

Thanks again for the suggestions. Its looking like an overhead tramcart is not going to cut it due to the weight and stress at the end poles as someone suggested. So I'm thinking now it will have to be a big wheeled cart and I'll have to clear a path as best I can or have it run on handrail poles. As for power, I'm thinking now maybe until I have time to rig something better I'll just pull it up with my tractor. Its about a 45 degree incline of 120 feet, so it should be interesting....

I would make a cart with 4 wheelbarrow/ATV tires, put a guide on the bottom (A) and a ring on the front (B). I would then use the guide with a cable below the cart to keep it going where you want it to go and the eye/winch to raise/lower it.

I would also add a "Leash" at the top so that if the winch doesn't hold, you don't have a cart freewheeling down the slope.


Aaron Z

 

[aczlan]

How I see the system working:



Aaron Z

 

[boggen]

personally like aczlan idea. seems a little more robust than below ideas. *shrugs*

only thing i can think of is a "slide" taking some cheap double wall culverts, and a saw zaw. and cut them half to, make U shapes. and then combining them. the hard smooth surface of double wall. i would think would hold up for a descent amount of time. though some fussing here and there to keep things in tact and not falling apart. and you may have to go down every so often and give some things a push, and hope that nothing becomes to slick and ends up shooting out and off a side. ((hope nothing gets damage when it lands on the ground))

other idea, 2x4's doubled so you can over lap them. and make like train tracks down the hill. then use some old car / truck tire rims for a 4 wheeled cart. and using a winch or like to pull things up / lower things down.

i don't know if you could find one cheap enough for that length, but a grain auger, to lift grain up into a grain bin / silo. but used in reverse to lower concrete that is dumped down into it.

if you have trees going the entire route. i remember seeing on discovery channel. of various harnesses and like used in jungles. so folks could go from tree top to tree top without having climb up and down 100 plus feet each way. and tugging along there research equipment and themselves on the same cables.

as far as you personally getting up and down the more steeper areas. tie off extension ladders so you can climb up / get some foot hold. along with a hand rail. *shrugs* never done this might be rather dangerous if ladder is not snug and held tight to the ground.

 

[forgeblast]

The Mini-Skyline: A Homemade Yarder to Bring Firewood up a draw by James F. Deaton. Published 0601
A yarder is a device that uses an overhead cable, some pulleys, and a tow rope or main-line rope to move the logs up the hill.

They have a great article on a home made yarder, using an old tiller. Might work for you.