Tree Machine's Shotline Winder

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Good on you, Bivy. I'm trying to find someone out there a trailer-truck load of them.

Hey, wait..... on one of the earlier pics I think I recall seeing the name of the reel manufacturer.

Hang on.....


going back.....


You just stay right there and give Tree Machine a minute.....
 
Levitron???

Let's try that as a website, http://levitron.com



Uhhhh, cool, but not the right place.


I'm counting 7 letters, lets try http://leviton.com

Hmmm, I think we got it.

It seems to be a huge site. I couldn't come up with anything using the 'search' line. Maybe one of you can have better luck searching down the extension cord reel. Interestingly I found the Leviton motion detector I have at home that trips the hidden Xenon strobe light and air compressor, the front line of my 'theft deterrent system' surrounding the tree truck. Any thief who chooses to continue past this is in for a real 'shock'. The police have warned me that booby trapping is illegal. I told them, "So is trespassing and theft. I'll take my chances."

It's Sunday right now, I'll put in a call to Leviton tomorrow, during business hours. I've gotta go be on vacation with Girlie Girl for now.
 
I could only find the yellow "woods" model. and of course a million orange ones. What the best way to cut it down?
 
I use a Bosch jig saw, medium blade, start on slow speed, increase speed a bit if you feel the need. Too much speed combined with too slow a feed rate will cut and melt. You just want to cut.

You can leave the base as is, you can always change it later.

Sand the upper rim lip so it has a round contour. Use a block with sandpaper, 60 grit, then fire polish with a propane torch, also on low-med. Use a light touch. Don't over do it, you can screw it up at this stage. You should watch the sanding marks go from little lines to completly smooth. I love that part.

Drill a small hole for the line, right up next to the drum, all the way through the bottom plate. Feed the shotline through the hole. You terminate it on the bottom side, big knot or a little anchor or cow hitch around a toothpick.

Wind from the drum, one revolution at a time, stopping every few revs to push the winds tightly together (no space between them). This first winding, all the way across needs to be taut and packed tightly, from drum base to the lip. The remaining length of the 180 feet, wind with moderate tension (thigh clamp) so that when it's all said and done there's more bulk nearer the drum side than the outer side.

I haven't seen the yellow reel in years, It was a really good reel, as good or better than the black Leviton. I only had two of those. Wish I had a pic of the truck tire parked on top of it.

Take some pics for us during the build, OK? Keep track of how long it takes. I predict under a half hour. Thanks for stepping up to be first, Bivy.
 
I found it at a hole in the wall hardare store..12 bucks. Everywhere else was the orange ones. I 'll begin the project tommorrow........ok maybe tommorrow night, gotta work early:D
 
Here's the Woods elecrtrical site, woods.com

I went and saw their online catalog and found the yellow reel.
Apparently it is still in production, item 2870 below.

I'll be giving Leviton and Woods a call tomorrow.
attachment.php
 
Here's something interesting, world headquarters, all of 10 km from my house,
attachment.php
 
I went to the local hardware store, and then to Home Depot. No luck. The ones they had were the orange ones with the handle that follows the inner curve of the drum. Very cheap and flimsy model.

I will look some more when I have time...
 
Frans said:
I went to the local hardware store, and then to Home Depot. No luck. The ones they had were the orange ones with the handle that follows the inner curve of the drum. Very cheap and flimsy model.

I will look some more when I have time...
Click to expand...

That is the same thing I found at three different stores, cheap flimsy orange ones. I wouldn't even buy them for an extension cord reel let alone as a potential shotline winder. That sounds so sophisticated doesn't it.
 
The lastest Arbor Age magazine I just got had an article about different ways to store the throwball and line. Nothing like what we have here...only bags, buckets and F cubes.
 
Why not just throw 200' on each one? That way you can buy the Zing-it in a way that samson already makes them.

What a fun phone call. "Hi, I'd like 4 miles of throwline. How much would that cost?"

Let us know how it goes!

love
nick
 
NickfromWI said:
Why not just throw 200' on each one? That way you can buy the Zing-it in a way that samson already makes them.

What a fun phone call. "Hi, I'd like 4 miles of throwline. How much would that cost?"

Let us know how it goes!

love
nick
Click to expand...

Yeah, where I work, 180 feet isn't near enough...200 isn't either, for many jobs. I'd be loading 300 feet like No Bivy.

That doesn't divide into 1,000 ft evenly either :cry: .
:)
 
You know I like your idea but unfortunately the spool does not seem to be available readily.
I even searched on-line to no avail.

So unless the reel becomes easily available, the invention is a no go.
 
The only reason I loaded 300...is cause I had it. All though, sometimes a launch that isn't isolated eats up a throw line length.
A case of 8 is how much?..........
 
dude...read some of the other threads..................485. thats cheap////:D
 
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