Cable upgrade for Lonestar Goliad

[Mike in NC]

I've read through past posts on this forum and purchased some 3/32" galvanized cable to upgrade my Lonestar system for safety (mine and the birds).

The problem is that the spool on the Lonestar winch will not accomodate the 27 feet of the thicker cable. So, I'm now looking to also replace the winch. Does anyone have a recommended winch?

I prefer to not drill any new holes in the post if I can help it. Will something like this work?:

http://www.amazon.com/Reese-74337-Towpo ... hand+winch

[John Barrow]

Hi Mike,
I retrofitted several lonestar systems last year with stainless cable--using 1/16th, 5/64ths and 3/32nds. You are correct the 27 feet of 3/32nds does not all fit on the spool. And I think I am actually deploying about 29 feet. This is only a problem in storage, because when the house is up, most of the cable is off the winch. I store my systems by breaking down the three poles, leaving the winch attached to the bottom section. To accomodate the 3/32nds I leave several feet unwound from the winch and just loop it and tie it off for storage. Just above the winch, I snug the wire to the pole with masking tape to keep the wire on the winch snug.

Using a winch like you picture will also work fine. However, you will not attach it to holes drilled in the pole. Instead, such a winch can be attached with two bolts spaced on either side of the pole (through the holes in the pole side of the winch and snugged to a metal plate placed on the opposite side of the pole. You will need to drill two holes on the receiving metal plate positioned to receive the bolts from the winch just outside the martin pole.

[Dale D]

Mike,

The winch you pictured is almost identical to mine. I use 3/16" cable on mine and it doesn't even come close to filling the reel so your cable should leave a ton of room on the winch. Also if it is like mine it will have one hole on the winch that is slotted allowing you to adapt to the hole distance on your pole.

[Mike in NC]

Thanks for the info both! Gotta love this forum!

I'm also thinking about changing out the crescent entrances on my Lonestar housing. I'm concerned about wing entrapment. All of the doors currently are crescent entrances. Is there another entrance type available? I have the round hole doors in storage and can use them if there is some sort of adaptor available.

[Dale D]

Mike,

I don't know what type entrance you want to use but, I use the clinger ultimate tunnels that have the anti wing entrapment already built into them. I am sure there are others out there that someone can suggest to you.

[flyin-lowe]

You can also make some wing guards and install them which might be easier then changing out the entrances. I know some people have used a self sticking foam gasket material and just stick them on the inside of the door around the entrance. Do a search there are lots of topics and ideas on this forum for wing entrapment guards.