Looking to get a Winch

[Bill Keir]

I've had many experiences working with Chain Hoists (yes you can use them horizontally - not ideal) Lever hoists - single chain (my guys call them 'crankers') I also have quite a few 'Come alongs' bought whilst working in the USA in 1990s when they were not available here. They are also called Cable pullers. Come alongs can be pretty cheap and nasty, but versatile. Ive owned Tirfors and they are great but maybe a bit unwieldy to rig where space is tight. (as is a block and tackle) The things I've used the least are the winches on my Land-Rovers. My recommendation would be a Chain Lever Hoist, While getting one with spare lifting/pulling capacity seems sensible - the extra weight can be a real pain. You would be better off spending the money on a longer chain. I am going to be facing the same challenges. building my workshop and moving the machines - and have been considering using an engine hoist.

 

[ChaiLatte]

My recommendation would be a Chain Lever Hoist...

I think the only minor disadvantage of them is that the lever is fixed to the hoist. That means if you are using it suspended overhead, you need to stand on a chair to operate it. Otherwise, if you put the free hook overhead and the hoist body on the load, the hoist moves (upwards) with the load and again, it might become too high for comfortable operation.

 

[gmgmgm]

I have what Bill above refers to as a "chain lever hoist" - it works very well for pulling horizontally (e.g. trees). They are fairly cheap on Amazon/online and seem to come in 5/10/20ft chain lengths. 10ft works for me; 5ft would be too small, and 20ft would weigh a huge amount. Fairly simple to use.

Basic "Come alongs" are harder to get hold of in the UK. A Tirfors would be too big & heavy I suspect!

If lifting vertically, then a chain hoist or 240v hoist would be much easier. Unless you are lifting things all the time then a chain hoist is simple and reliable.

"Moving machines" with chains isn't easy though, they don't have great lifting points, and you can only easily lift them up and down. I have bigger machines fixed to pallets to move them easily.

 

[Bristol_Rob]

I was thinking of pulling up the large walls (7m x 2.4.) up in to position after building them on my deck.
Then using the winch to pull or control my machines on pallets with wheels on a ply track/base of sorts?

I've not fully thought this through at this stage - just exploring options.

I've also considered hiring in a specialist company for moving the machines - but suspect it may prove too costly.

 

[ChaiLatte]

I was thinking of pulling up the large walls (7m x 2.4.) up in to position after building them on my deck.

A small thing to bear in mind if using the hoist overhead is you have to climb up and attach it to the thing that is supporting it. That takes both hands. Even a 3m, 1t standard chain hoist can feel precarious (because you are carrying all the weight of the chain.

Have a look in the arborist world for the 'set of fours' they use in their work. The double sheave pullies are available very reasonably from Chinabay, as is the braided rope. Buy a piece of smaller friction cord from eBay and learn to tie a prusik for a progress capture device. The advantage of this type of system is you can trade power for speed and it is featherlight.

Even on a much heavier rope system, you can reeve it with string initially and just carry one block to the top of the ladder and hook it on before using the string to pull through a stronger rope.

There are lots of old army publications online concerning vehicle recovery that relate the dead weight of an object to the force needed to move it - something on wheels on good ground needs probably 10% of its mass to shift it.

The army publications also show how to make sheer legs and tripods, which may assis with your barn raising.