Marking winch cable end ?

[bitternut]

Since dpalmer got me thinking about how the cable is attached to the drum on my Norse winch I got the revelation that it might be a good ideal to put a warning area on the cable. I think it would be a good idea to paint a few feet of the cable to warn you that you only had a few wraps left on the drum. Maybe one color as a caution and then another color when you reached the point of no return.

The cable requires a couple of wraps on the drum to do the holding and if you pull out all the cable the clamp for the tag end has very little holding power. My cable drum is covered by guards and is not visible with all guards in place. I think I will do this as soon as we get some weather that will allow paint to dry.

Anyone have any other solutions to pulling out too much cable?

[sawguy21]

Sounds like a very good idea.

[dpalmer]

bitternut,
Scary!!!   We were thinking the same thing. I hadn't read your post when i wrote my reply to the thread i had started.  It really is a good idea. I'm thinking JD yellow for mine.

Dylan

[Ed_K]

 I tried marking at 50 and 110 leaving 10' to inside of winch but it didn't last very long, I used spray paint maybe brush paint would last?Its nice when you can see the 110 mark if your pulling up hill gets tiring sometimes.But if you pull the cable out then your pi$$ed

[Sprucegum]

On the Oilfiel service rigs we used to weave a short piece of poly rope, just a couple strands, into the cable. The ends would stick out and twirl around so they were easy to see. I haven't tried it on my truck winch yet but I think it should do just as well.

[bitternut]

Oh darn, I was going to apply for a patent on the idea of marking the cable. :D  :D  ;D

Sounds like maybe the cable might have been pulled all the way out by a few.  ;D

[thecfarm]

On my Norse it has a exess door on top and I can see the cable wrap as soon as I open the door.From my experience when I do pull out all 100 feet,by the time the winch takes up all the slack I have a good 3-4 wraps around the drum.I open the door just to make sure.Don't do it too often.Hard to snake 100 feet of cable through the woods.There is no way that I could pull the cable out of the drum by hand without really trying to do it.That set screw keeps it in place.The 3-4 times I had to replace the cable it came out hard.Had to hook it to something and pulled it out.

[ramrod]

I bought a used Farmi winch and have used it only a few hundred hours.  The previous owner welded the end of the cable to the drum.  Never had a problem but will need to replace the cable someday and will have to deal with it then.  Better than have it pull out in the woods.

[LT40HDD51]

...when I do pull out all 100 feet,by the time the winch takes up all the slack I have a good 3-4 wraps around the drum...

Me too, thats what I was thinkin  ;D

[TeaW]

Marking is probably a good idea ! But if the skidder is over the brow of a hill , and I'am hauling mainline down a steep incline I want a knot in the end of it . I have pulled to many off  the drum and it is next to imposible to pull that line up again.
Teaw

[Stephen Alford]

Not sure what type of winch you are using. The one on the farm tractor is 3pt hitch hydraulic, spools in spools out and free spools. The cable goes in a whole in the side of the drum, then a set screw goes against the cable. Took a brazing rod and melted into the last couple of inches of the cable . It disappeared into the cable like soder. Shoved the cable in the whole marked location of set screw and cut small grove with grinder in the cable. Set scew got good bite in cable. Worked on this particular winch.

[leweee]

  Stephen .....sounds like a great fix. ;D I'm going to try it next time 

[rebocardo]

I use ... ta da ... black duct tape. I use it on cable ends too to prevent the clamps for the loop getting caught on things.

[slowzuki]

Thats a good idea, I have duct tape on the frayed end on the last choker, holds up ok.

[LT40HDD51]

Anyone ever try 400mph tape? WAY outdoes regular duct tape... About $10 a roll, but worth it  ;D

[slowzuki]

Welcome to the forum Lou, hadn't noticed you on before.

Anyone ever try 400mph tape? WAY outdoes regular duct tape... About $10 a roll, but worth it  ;D

[LT40HDD51]

Ian, actually  :D. Who you?

[slowzuki]

Oh oops I though for sure it would be Lee Dingwall, well Ian, I'm Ken, nice to meet cha!  I've been by a place in your neck of the woods while working at Greenwood that had at least a couple of brand new WM's sitting on the lawn.  Maybe that is your place?

[LT40HDD51]

Thats the place, in Aylesford ;D. I'm Lew's oldest son. I'm actually living in Greenwood now, and just bought 40 acres near here. Nice big juicy pines and hemlocks everywhere  .

Nice to meet you, Ken  ;).