Hand Winch

[John Hofstetter <hofs@domain.elided>]

>Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1998 09:58:26 -0700 
>From: Weidenheimer Allan P <weidenhe@domain.elided>
>Subject: Hand Winch?
>
>>I never observed any part of that ascent, but I have seen the hand 
>>powered winch in action. It is so unbelievably powerful that I had no 
>>idea a machine like that was around and in frequent use. 
>Bill:
>Any idea what brand/model they have?  Is it one of those Avenir (SP?)
>types I see a small 2x2 ad for in the back of sever 4x4 mags?
>
>Allan Weidneheimer
>72 1210 pIckup

Allan,

Although your post is directed to Bill, I will assume it was meant for me 
since I don't think Bill said anything about a hand winch. The largest 
gear was maybe 2 feet in diameter, and the smallest gear, the one moved 
by the lever was maybe 2 inches in diameter, but there may have been a 
compounding gear system in between that I can't remember the 
configuration for. Let's see, we would have a 12 to one mechanical 
advantage if there was no compounding, and a 12 to 1 increase of the two 
guys putting their weight on a 10 foot lever ......, maybe there was no 
compounding. Don't know, and when I asked Wanda, she asked me why I 
thought she would have cared enough to remember. Actually, she said she 
didn't even know it was a winch, because she thought winches were on the 
front of 4 Wheel Drives.

Because most of their (George and Rocky) stuff is old mining equipment, I 
imagine this winch goes way back. Hardly applicable for storing in the 
back of your 4 X 4, even your Travelall, Allan. However, it certainly 
would get your Travelall anywhere you cared to pull it, if you cared to 
pull it that bad. 

John H.