safety tip!

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Jim Gramke
Posts: 127
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:17 am
Location: Florida/Grant Valkaria

Please check your cables and pulleys. One of my houses crashed due to a broken cable and nearly landed on my head.This unit I acquired from another landlord and thought I could "get by" another season without upgrading the cable and pulley. My other poles have aviation grade stainless cables and good quality pulleys. The winches are due for replacement, however.

I have been able to salvage much of the house and I'm very fortunate that I'm still alive to enjoy the next season! (for those of us in Florida, that's just around the corner.) Also, this occurred during the "off-season" so the house was vacant.

I learned my lesson!

Jim G.
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John & Linda - KY
Posts: 599
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 10:19 pm
Location: Kentucky/Hawesville

For even more safety install a stop bolt through the pole at a distance high enough that if all else fails the bolt stops the plummet before your head serves as the stop. When you lower the system for any reason, lower it to just below the stop, loosen and remove the bolt, then finish the lowering process. -- John
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Dale D
Posts: 329
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:11 am
Location: Orlando, Fl
Martin Colony History: Landlord since 2004

Fortunately I never had a close call of any kind but a couple of years ago I decide to move my winches away from the poles so I didn't have to stand under them when raising and lowering. I have the same setup on my AAA-16 rack.
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Orlando, FL Landlord since 2004
Offer 42 Cavities Total
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Dave Duit
Posts: 2146
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
Location: Iowa / Nevada
Martin Colony History: In 2026, 88 pair with 333 fledged youngsters. 110 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and a homemade PVC / metal 28 compartment unit, 1 fallout shelter. Hawk and owl guards included. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627283871068161 Emails send to [email protected]. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.

Thank you Dale for the pic. Also, this is a great post as a reminder to all landlords. A hundred pound T-14 can do some serious damage to a person if it comes down unexpectedly.
ImageMite control, heat venting, predator protection and additional feeding during bad weather add up to success.
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Dave Reynolds
Posts: 2444
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
Martin Colony History: Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”..
2018 - 15 Pair, 36 Fledged
2019 - 26 Pair, 97 Fledged
2020 - 30 Pair, 137 Fledged
2021 - 30 Pair, 144 Fledged
2022 - 27 Pair, 125 Fledged
2023 - 31 Pair, 130 Fledged
2024 - 41 Pair, 198 Fledged
2025 - 44 Pair, 168 Fledged

Home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
2019 - 1 Pair, 5 Fledged
2020 - 1 Pair, 4 Fledged
2021 - 8 Pair, 36 Fledged
2022 - 13 Pair, 46 Fledged
2023 - 16 Pair, 84 Fledged
2024 - 22 Pair, 104 Fledged
2025 - 28 Pair, 83 Fledged

Dale D wrote: ↑
Sun Oct 07, 2018 6:24 pm
 Fortunately I never had a close call of any kind but a couple of years ago I decide to move my winches away from the poles so I didn't have to stand under them when raising and lowering. I have the same setup on my AAA-16 rack.
...

‘. Great job Dale... I thought I have seen this photo before.. Well done... Hope everyone takes the time to look over their cable and pulley systems this time in the off season...

Dave
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
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Dale D
Posts: 329
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:11 am
Location: Orlando, Fl
Martin Colony History: Landlord since 2004

Dave Duit wrote: ↑
Sun Oct 07, 2018 6:54 pm
 Thank you Dale for the pic. Also, this is a great post as a reminder to all landlords. A hundred pound T-14 can do some serious damage to a person if it comes down unexpectedly.
Thanks Dave Duit! Having the winch offset like this allows me to stand straight up as I raise and lower the house. I never liked being bent over when lowering the house.
Orlando, FL Landlord since 2004
Offer 42 Cavities Total
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Dale D
Posts: 329
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:11 am
Location: Orlando, Fl
Martin Colony History: Landlord since 2004

Dave Reynolds wrote: ↑
Sun Oct 07, 2018 7:53 pm
Dale D wrote: ↑
Sun Oct 07, 2018 6:24 pm
 Fortunately I never had a close call of any kind but a couple of years ago I decide to move my winches away from the poles so I didn't have to stand under them when raising and lowering. I have the same setup on my AAA-16 rack.
...

‘. Great job Dale... I thought I have seen this photo before.. Well done... Hope everyone takes the time to look over their cable and pulley systems this time in the off season...

Dave
Thanks Dave Reynolds! You probably seen this photo on my FB Group page at one time.
Orlando, FL Landlord since 2004
Offer 42 Cavities Total
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phldave
Posts: 528
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 2:44 pm
Location: Iowa/Pleasant Hill
Martin Colony History: Started trying in 2012 and still trying

One other thing I would like to add. Give some careful thought to installing a through bolt in your poles, this will create week point when the wind blows, making it easier for your pole to fail (bend or break) at that point. As an alternative, make some kind of a safety device that straps to the pole.
2012 late start
2013 nothing yet, lots a lookers
2014 Bust again
2015 Bust again
2016 Bust again
2017 Bust again
2018 April 14 a group joined me, but moved on after a week
2019 Had SY male seriously check me out but didn't stay
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