TC
Participating member
Anyone know anything about this? Found on google images.
Mystery Lowering Device/Winch?
- Thread starter TC
- Start date
flyingsquirrel25
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- South East, PA
Oh boy does that look stout. Except I think I would like a second strap. Don’t know who’s it is but it’s interesting to say the least.
tc262
Branched out member
- Location
- SE Wisconsin
I like the overall simplistic design and fairleads. That's not a cheap chunk of aluminum and a fair amount of machining tho.
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
https://www.facebook.com/ODSK.WORKING/photos/pcb.1969891503281224/1969889143281460/?type=3&theater
I think @SoftBankHawks is/ was connected to ODSK.
I think @SoftBankHawks is/ was connected to ODSK.
monkeylove
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Roslyn, Pa.
It is interesting, in fact I have a Solidworks model that is very similar from something I was toying with before I just bought one. I gave up my concept when I found a good used GRCS. I was thinking smaller winch for lighter duty stuff. By the time I priced out Greg's version in all machined aluminum it was not worth the effort to me to save a few pounds.
- Location
- New Bloomfield
Well I am wanting to know why the GRCS is so expensive?
Treetopflyer
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Coastal N.J
The power of that tool is not expensive ... It's priceless..
- Location
- New Bloomfield
Yeah, 2,889 or something to that effect. That's too much money! Just sayin
tc262
Branched out member
- Location
- SE Wisconsin
It costs a lot of money to manufacture stuff in low quantities. So individual component prices are on the high side, plus the winch the thing is built around is expensive. Nobody is getting rich off it, that’s for sure.
- Location
- New Bloomfield
Yeah, I needed the GRCS a few times. But I have managed tho. I have never used one before.
tc262
Branched out member
- Location
- SE Wisconsin
When I need to lift I put a block at the base of the tree and use the mini. I’d love to have a grcs but haven’t needed it bad enough to fork out the money for one. Every now and then I search eBay for a cheap used winch with the intention of building my own but I haven’t found one yet and my time for building and tinkering keeps getting less and less.
- Location
- New Bloomfield
I wish I had a mini too. LoL. I do ever thing lifting wise with me and by groundie.
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
Apply your worker's comp payment to a mini payment, if you're market will work well with a mini.
Pass up the capstan winch devices for entry level business unless you can monetize it immediately. I bought my grcs to tip 25 trees on a lot. Looking back, it took a while to pay for itself.
Focus on guerilla material handling devices, and ways to zipline wood to avoid handling material. The stein arbor trolley, snow sleds, branch manager grapple (combined with multi-day mini rental), 200' 1/2" rope, and 5 speedline clips would be high on my list. If you need a "winch", there are affordable non-grcs options that vary depending on the task.
The grcs is great. I rely on it for infrequent, critical moments.
- Location
- New Bloomfield
My back will go out before I can afford a mini. And plus I don't get a lot of business in the winter time. But during spring and summer and early fall I do. I just need to work on getting a truck and dump trailer. Cause I hire my bro in law to haul brush and wood off. I do all the climbing. So I am just starting out in my own business. Been 2 years.
flyingsquirrel25
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- South East, PA
If you do good work the business will grow quickly and the money will be there. Don’t let your back go out, it will cost you 10 times or more then a good used mini. We are all in the same boat with your work situation. Planning is all it takes to be comfortable and keep busy during the winter. But whatever you do, DONT HURT YOURSELF ! A back injury can take the fun out of this job, and then what’s next?
Trucks come with costs. I did my first year on a bicycle. No insurance, no vehicle repairs, no gas, euphoric cardio. Subbed all the wood hauling from the curb. It's possible to roll out very light and pack a full-removal punch.
The Stein arbor trolley is great, and surprisingly close to a mini for the cost...
Also consider "leapfrogging" to crane rental. It's way better with a mini, but you can do it without in certain circumstances (very large debris staging area) because the crane does the major lifting for you. You can sell crane removal at a higher rate by describing the short amount of time and the value of the lack of impact on the job site.
You do have to save your back.
SoftBankHawks
Branched out member
- Location
- Japan
That is a prototype that ODSK (Japanese Arb equipment retailor) have designed. Design is by Osaka Takashi with a hefty nod to the FTC Micro Cylinder. If it works out it should be a well made and lightweight piece of kit. I’ve told them countless times that the winch shouldnt be used for anything majorly dynamic...fell on deaf ears I guess, though it wouldn’t be too much to just rig up a portawrap to the side of it. I’ll let you know when the design is finished and testing is complete.
The fairleads look like Elephants so the unofficial name is the Elephant Winch.
theatertech87
Branched out member
- Location
- Rochester
Why wouldn't you use it for something dynamic? The winch is used on sailing vessels and experiences some pretty hefty dynamic forces as the sails whip around. Besides wearing the knurling off the drum that is
The max load on a grcs harken is much smaller under dynamic loading. That's why it ships with a bollard as well. The winch is affixed to the plate by four screws. You really need to know this before using a grcs!! Wind loading dispersed forces better than logs.
