Pole Cap Help

[MJM]

Hi guys, I am planning to build a Taverner style house here- but I need to start with my pole/winch assembly. I'm having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around it though...

So I get the winch is affixed to the pole, the wire goes up through the house to the top, over a pulley, and then down into the house and attaches firmly to the base to raise/lower it.

What I can't get my head around its the cap... Is that thing then just affixed to the top of the pole permanently? I can't see any other way it could be.. unless I am missing something. So for now, I am planning that the cap is attached to the top of the pole and will be built over the pulley and the house then will just go up and fit snuggly against that... right?

[Whippy]

MJM,

On my S&K 2 inch square pole my pole cap is actually the pulley assembly. The cap base is round and fits over the square pole. I'm trying to best understand your question but, in my limited ability, I want to say that the pully mechanism should be the cap itself. Here is a photo of my gourd rack so you can see that as well as my T-14 pole and pully.

Coolwhips

[MJM]

MJM,

On my S&K 2 inch square pole my pole cap is actually the pulley assembly. The cap base is round and fits over the square pole. I'm trying to best understand your question but, in my limited ability, I want to say that the pully mechanism should be the cap itself. Here is a photo of my gourd rack so you can see that as well as my T-14 pole and pully.

Coolwhips

Thanks Cool- here's a picture of a Taverner style house (they all look like this with the cap, and many talk about the winch... so they're doing this somehow). There is a big cap at the top with roosts. I'm guessing the pulley is under that cap- and the cap itself is attached to the pole/pulley somehow. I looked on Youtube but can't seem to find a video.

[Whippy]

I came across these blue prints. Maybe it will help.

[John Barrow]

MJM,

I believe the top piece is fixed in place, and the main house lowers from, and raises back to it. I looked at the complete plans found at Ontario Purple Martin Association's web site. It does not discuss mounting the top section; however, at the end has a link to John Balga who posted the plans and offers to address questions emailed to him.
One helpful photo showing a convenient way to mount the pulley within a pole relates to mounting a T-14. You can look at photos in a Troyer catalog and see how they mount the winch within the pole, or go to purplemartinproducts website and look at the photo of a 3 inch metal replacement pole (top end). You can visualize how the winch is embedded within the pole and how the top piece can fit over it.
Those are beautiful houses and your hard work will be admired by many. Have a great martin season!

[John Balga]

I sent you an email so I can send you some pictures about the Pole Cap attachment.

Hope this will help you.
John Balga

[flyin-lowe]

Look through this old thread. It shows the components of my first DIY T 14 setup. Since your house is somewhat similar to a T14 a lot of it could be the same.....

Once you scroll down you can see how I have the pole cap. This pole happened to have threads on one end so I just threaded a cap on it. My most recent T 14 pole did not have threads so I just slit a PVC cap over the top. I also cut slots in the poles and recess a garage door hinge in them.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=36956&p=296820&hili ... er#p296820

[MJM]

Thank you All! John, John and Lowe-

Really the big question was to confirm, yes it is attached to the top of the pole "permanently". I assumed this was the case because, well how else would you get around that lol- but just wanted to be sure. I will build a nice little housing around the pulley I am putting at the top of the pole.

I'll post some pictures of my house when I am done. Hopefully it will turn out well!

[John Balga]

Here's an illustration of how the top is attached and how the pulley is configured on a 3 1/2 " x 3 1/2" wooden pole.

[John Balga]

Hope you enjoy building this one of a kind.

[MJM]

Thank you again John. I'm adding some style elements to mine just for looks and fun- and I had to change all the dimensions because I am using a metal pole and winch setup. But it has been fun and besides the roof lines seeming to never fit (lol), it's coming together nicely. I'll post pictures when I am done!