……I have two more winches. Christmas winches.
I know.
How ridiculous is that?
I think it is a man thing.
To be fair, it is not my fault, I swear. They were free. I had no choice. I had to take ’em. Honest. Winches are seductive. Leadeth me NOT into temptation.
What would Jesus have done? HE would have taken them! This I know. In my heart. I know that HE would have taken them and maybe shared them with the multitudes. Along with some fish sandwiches. He was that kinda guy. And I will share my winches. I really will. I swear.
But, in the meantime, I have to gather thee rosebuds while ye may, right? Rosebuds, winches, whatever.
I am just glad I spell winches with an ‘i’ rather and an ‘e’. Can you imagine the trouble that would be…?
So, I am doing this for others. Selflessness. That is my story. I am sticking to it.
Do you have any idea how many winches I now have? I am honestly not sure myself but, if I just count the really heavy ones, I have 8. Maybe more. It’s weird. The really weird part is that I do not have that much to lift anymore! I may have a bit more to lift than the average urban guy but I currently have more winches than the local logging show. They could borrow lifting from ME!
But, OMG, the two newest ones are beauties, they really are. I won’t bore you with details but I have to tell you that one was built and designed for a funicular. That’s right! I should have found this puppy ten years ago. What a wonder it is! Spring-loaded shock absorber, tons of cable, single phase….and, get this….new! Well, ‘new’ twenty-odd years ago but never used. It was packed away in a box all greased and beautiful and was about to be chucked for scrap when I heard it screaming for help.
I am a hero, really. I saved it.
I would guess that this little beauty would cost $3,000 all-in to make. It would be the heart of a $20-40K or more funicular system. And that is NOT installed – just the parts! The actual winch might sell for more but it would cost at least $2-3K to put together as it sits, grease and all. It is all custom made. This is NOT off-the-shelf. Scrap value? $50.00.
I have so many winches, I am dreaming of running high-lines all over the property and cross cabling like an aerial etch-a-sketch and then I would not have to lift even a loaf of bread!
Well, the thought crossed my mind. But I am NOT that sick. Not really. Not yet, anyway…
But it could work.
Our Off the Grid Home 
A man and his tool(s) eh! I’m a plane man my self. I just can not resist them. Antique ones, new ones, broken ones you name it.
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You are anything but a plain plane man. You are a multi-faceted plane man.
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Yes, Mr. A (above) collects planes and they are everywhere, under the bed, on the shelves in the workshop, piled in a carpenters tote in the shed, hiding in the living room…
Way to go on your posts Dave. Real bite and liveliness. Hope that Spring is peeking through the crevices, the leaves have unfurled and you and Sally are thinking gardening as well as building.
It was great seeing you this winter and hope to see you both again next winter. Obviously Mr. A (above) will be collecting more metal things to share. It was a great idea to barge the bulk of your winter collections to your spring summer fall home OTG.
Pictures please.
Joy
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Ah, yes. Pics. I’ll ask after my camera-person. She is into quilting these days and it takes the gravity of a small planet to pull her away. I really should put more pics up. I’ll get on it.
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I have winch “envy” . Is that wrong? Coveting thy bloggers ‘winch” as it were. Dont worry ladies, its a guy thing. Kinda like when we stop and stare big construction holes in the ground full of men and machinery. Brings us back to our blissful Tonka Toy childhood.
We’ll get over it.
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Nothing wrong with that! Nothing at all. If we can have tolerance for all that we do have these days, then winches are the least weird I should think. Mind you, I should not be left alone with them!
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I do so enjoy your blog, and the comments. I can’t measure up to the wit, so seldom comment. I do read though.
BTW, when I was in Australia you and I were on the same time. Now that I’m back in BC you’re a day ahead – just like last year. Weren’t you going to get a correct (up)dated machine? I would, except if you did too, I fear we would still be a day apart, and a pound short.
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Measure down to the wit, you mean. And we are seeking even lower standards here. There’s time to get on board before we hit the bottom……just sayin’….
That date thing…t’is a mystery. I am ‘on date’ now and again but mostly not. So I have decided to simply blame WORDPRESS and let it go. If you think it is important, I can get my son or daughter on it….but it will take them a year. They ignore my requests for techie help (they want me to grow as an adult and find my inner nerd) until I bug them crazy and they are getting increasingly more bug-resistant. They can ignore me longer and longer.
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I know well of what you speak! “Oh Dad, let me do it.” Never “You do it and I’ll watch and help you”. (That takes too long.)
What a difference a day makes! A year? Not so much, unless you consider its made up of 365 days. No, it would be much easier if I just went back to Aus (3 days going, two coming) and let the difference self correct.
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Quarry Bay earned it’s name by loading granite onto barges via highline cables and rugged winches. Artifacts visible through the undergrowth, cable strewn over tree limbs, a confusing puzzle to figure what whent where. Steam engines and donkeys left as they were, truly a historic site. Maybe you would be interested in a guided tour from myself, as i have well explored the area, and if it is winches you like, it is winches you would get.
Glen D.
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I would enjoy that very much, GD. For reasons inexplicable, giant, rusty machinery attracts me much more than it should. Having said that, the visit will NOT be to collect MORE winches. I obviously have a problem and I do NOT need to be enabled in any way. I need help. Real help. Tough love. Wanna buy an old PTO Braden winch for your 5-ton troop carrier? Need a government dock-style, hand-powered Marpole beauty? Maybe we can get a group of fellow sufferers together and we can sit in a circle and confess mistakes we have made to each other? I can’t think of a better group to sell my extra winches to.
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O…M…G…..you have a Braden winch?
I have a fiend(sorry, friend) with a WW2 5 ton troop carrier( yeah…… he’s a nutbar) that might be interested…….
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Surely, you jest. And I deserve that. But, just in case, it is a Braden, weighs 150 pounds, is almost two feet long, ten inches in diameter, PTO and was re-bearinged and is ‘like new’ on the inside, dirty and macho on the outside. Or, so it was stated.
How weird would THAT be?
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David. Now you have a contact that knows stuff! I want to tag along with Glen D to the abandoned quary site. I can’t think of more fun with my clothes on. Jr
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OK, if it is alright with GD, it is OK with me but, fer Gawd’s sake, you HAVE to keep your clothes on this time!
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Great post. And so on the money! Sure, spend a pound to save a penny. I suppose some believe that no expense be spared to ensure ‘justice’ is served. It amazes me that you have time to disgorge this wisdom whilst wrestling with winches, and all the other chores that go with LOG.
Cheers. So far yours is the best (only?) blog to deal with this particular subterfuge.
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