winch

Living on the prairie, hangglider's need to tow to get into the air. There are many different forms of towing but I prefer the payout winch. I built a quick one for last year but it was tough to run and didn't work too well. I'm in the process of building another. I will post pictures here and blog my progress. It will be a skinny drum, friction brake, gas motor rewind, and mounted on a trailer. I have ordered the line from towmeup, the line chute from here, and the rest of the parts I'll make out of whatever I can find/buy locally or on ebay. I'm hoping to have it done in a month for it's first testing. The weather here is getting good to fly and to get regular airtime without driving 1000 km round trip this is the only way. Commercially bought, a good winch will run >$3000 to $7000. I plan to spend $2000 or less. The majority of the cost is the line.

I have already had the 1/4" aluminum drum sides cut for me on a cnc plasma cutter. They are 30" round. The inner diameter will be at 16" and the spacing between the sides will be at 1 3/4". I chose this spacing because 3/8 reddi rod couplings (really long 3/8 nuts) are this long. There will be 24 of them spaced evenly at the 16" diameter. These dimensions should hold plenty more line than I need.

Here's the trailer I'll mount it on, half disassembled. It was my old 4 wheeler trailer

The 1/4" aluminum drum sides ready for drilling