Carol H,
I know it is too late to help you but I experienced the same problem that you were describing in this post.
apundt-TX and Matt F. were giving great advise for your problem. In fact, as I read some of the posts, the solution was there. Unfortunately you had to completely dis-assemble the house from the pole to see the problem.
When I was converting my house using the Winch Conversion Kit, I got in a hurry running the cable back down through the center of the house. The winch side cable got wrapped around the other cable inside the center of the house. Then when I put the pole through the house, the winch side cable was not only wrapped around the pole like Matt F.'s diagram shows, but it was also wrapped around the other cable inside the house. As I raised the house, then the cable would jump out of the slot and get wedged between the pole and the bottom plate. It would eventually wrap around to the other side of the pole as I raised the house. It was very difficult to get the house up to the top and get it locked into place.
The solution was to completely take down the pole assembly, remove the house from the pole, unwrap the cable from the other cable and make sure that the two sides of the cable were in their prospective holes in the top plates and in their prospective slots in the bottom plate. Then I was able to reassemble the house onto the pole. Everything works as it should now.
Sorry for the delayed answer but your problem happened to me and I was able to figure out how to fix it.
I feel that the instructions with the Winch Conversion Kit are excellent. If the instructions are followed exactly, then this problem won't occur.
Mark.
Desperate for help with tm12 winch conversion kit!!!
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4th Gen Martin Fan
- Posts: 1498
- Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 1:19 pm
- Location: TN/Collierville
- Martin Colony History: I have been exposed to purple martin sounds in utero when my mother went out to get my father away from his martin colony.
I played around the martin colony every summer and watched as my father maintained his colony. In the late 50's until the 70's he did not notice European Starlings in south Texas.
When old enough, I helped maintain his colony. My primary task was eliminating English House Sparrows with a 1956 Benjamin 317 .177 air rifle.
When I settled into my own home, I started my first colony with an original Trio Castle and Trio Grandpa. When I moved again, I did not put up any martin houses. Frustration with European Starlings in the Southeast US was overwhelming.
Found PMCA Forum and learned about modern enlarged compartments and SREHs.
Inherited my father's last martin house, a Trio Grandma, modified it to modern specifications and have had good results since then.
Mark.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.