Hydraulic Capstan logging winch.

Brad_Blazer · Mar 30, 2014

Cool. Here's a link to the mfg. spare parts page with even more options.
Spare parts - Category

You can buy a motor with built-in 6:1 gear reduction. Of course you need more than that. 60RPM will give you 47fpm with a 3" capstan. It requires 60:1 to go from 3600rpm to 60.
reduction engine from Northern Tool + Equipment

Looking at gear boxes, it's hard to find one with high torque and load ratings. This one would be good for 1/2 ton with a 3" capstan. http://www.surpluscenter.com/Brands/Hub-City/10-1-HUBCITY-261-GEAR-REDUCER-13-1491.axd You wouldn't want to overpower it.

Maybe a rototiller could be converted. Add an extra bearing on the opposite shaft to improve the load capacity.

brokenot · Mar 30, 2014

I've got a short clip posted on YouTube of one I've been playing around with also. It's nothing but a used $10 3/4 hp electric motor belt-driving a late 70's GM power steering pump. The power steering pump drives a hydraulic motor I purchased off of eBay several years ago. There was a "lot" of four brand new hydraulic motors that nobody was bidding on, so I ended up getting them for something like $80 total for the lot.

This is all just an exercise, I haven't officially "used" the winch for anything practical yet, but i do plan on putting it to work pulling wiring harnesses and hydraulic hoses through the boom assemblies on aerial lifts. The hose and wire pulling can be done by hand, but it gets tiring on the big booms with individual hoses that are 150 feet long.

It's entertaining to watch this setup "work". My test loads so far have been a four cylinder Deutz diesel engine on a pallet and a pallet with some used industrial batteries...about 700 pounds worth. The motor/pump combination doesn't even break a sweat dragging that stuff across the floor. For my capstan drum, I welded a piece of steel pipe on to one of those weldable hubs you can buy at the farm supply store to use as the starting point for making your own sprockets or sheaves. On the outer end of the pipe, I welded a large nut to keep the pulling rope from sliding off. Once it was welded together and mounted to the hydraulic motor shaft, I just ran it and held an angle grinder against it as it turned to get the profile I wanted. Yes, it's a pretty redneck machining method....but it worked out okay. The line speed on this one will be a bit slow for log-skidding, but for what I want to use it for it will be perfect.

homemade capstan winch first test.... - YouTube

Rustyiron · Mar 30, 2014

Would a small trailer wheel work. As I understand a capstan winch, they are slow rpm's and with a wrap or 2 around it, hand tension or pull by the "operator" will cause it to "cinch up" and pull. Releasing the pull will let the rope loose it's grip and harmlessly slip on the spool. I can't really see why a small dia. wheel would not work. If the profile of the (tireless) wheel was too deep, to smoothly draw on, and let off the rope, a easy fix (rather than a bunch of lathe work) would be to weld in band of light (1/8) steel around the wheel. I have also been thinking of a capstan type winch for some firewood logs. I'd love to make a "farmi" type winch but the clutching part of the winch stops me dead. I have not given up on that idea yet, I'm thinking of a truck or car "rear" with a empty wheel for the spool, and rigging up a brake cyl. to operate the brake on the other (dummy) side. With a non locking rear, this braking action to the dummy side would in effect "clutch" the power to the winch side. Releasing the brake would send the power to the dummy side. This might require a built in friction or braking on the drum side so that the dummy side would get the power by default, and the winch side would not spin until you applied the brake. Right???:laughing: It seem's so simple, rig up a frame, pto shaft to the pinion, brake master cyl with a lever on it breaking the dummy side, put a little drag on the parking brake on the winch side, fasten cable to wheel and go! What am I missing?

CalG · Mar 31, 2014

Missing?

A frame, a drive coupling and a hundred hours or so.....

CNC Dan · Mar 31, 2014

Rustyiron said:
I'm thinking of a truck or car "rear" with a empty wheel for the spool, and rigging up a brake cyl. to operate the brake on the other (dummy) side. With a non locking rear, this braking action to the dummy side would in effect "clutch" the power to the winch side. Releasing the brake would send the power to the dummy side. This might require a built in friction or braking on the drum side so that the dummy side would get the power by default, and the winch side would not ...

I saw plans to this effect for a horse walker. The brake was set 'light' for safety. I think it was in a book of submitted plans from Lincoln Electric.

Cord · Mar 31, 2014

I have a Braden 20,000lb winch that I use for pulling. Used to have it on the back of my mini loader, but I want to adapt it to my skid steer. This winch has a capstain drum on it. I've never used the drum because I have a winch line right next to it. The problem that I have with the capstain winch is that they are really made for fiber rope. You are not skidding logs with hardware store rope! For my winch I have a 3,000 psi, 30gpm, 12cuin motor on it. Even at full throttle you can fall asleep waiting for the line to wind in. Should have gone with a two speed motor, but man, she pulls hard!

I don't like how the drum is above the receiver, this is sure to bend something. Also, these motors generally don't have the bearings to support the lateral loads a capstain drum will impose.
Capstan Winches

CalG · Mar 31, 2014

Has anyone made a homemade winch? - Page 10 - Shop Floor Talk

THe gearbox adds to the volume, but wouldn't that be sweet/ I'm wondering if a modern transaxle would hold all the parts in a compact package.

This thread is the talking part, I believe there is a similar thread here on TBN. couldn't find it though.

treatise:

http://books.google.com/books?id=Vr...page&q=differential made into a winch&f=false