Light Winching!

[Highlander]

Hi All, just been given a 4 ton hand winch/puller (turfer type) is it any good to use for light winching, say for like pulling me out of ruts or mud on green lanes etc.....

[Frankie-Boy]

Yep, those are excellent Colin, have used one myself on more than one occasion, a bit slow and very tiring to use but a sure fire way of getting unstuck.

[Bush Tucker Man]

'Light Winching'
Isn't that what the countries Councils do at C..c.c..hris....m.. (can't say it) -in December, when they string cable & 40watt bulbs up from every other building?

[Highlander]

'Light Winching'
Isn't that what the countries Councils do at C..c.c..hris....m.. (can't say it) -in December, when they string cable & 40watt bulbs up from every other building?

Doh there has to be one LOL :lol:  and that word is CHRISTMAS  

Thanks frank was just a bit worryed about it snapping when pulling a two and a half ton lump out of the mud.

[Bush Tucker Man]

Highlander, Andy & Frank know I have a strong aversion to that 'C' word.

[Ben]

Tirfors are great for rigging up "death slides" as well - keeps the kids happy! We set one up between a tree and the front of a 110...

One advantage with genuine Tirfors is that the rope is winched through the casing on both actions (i.e. forwards and backwards) on the lever. This makes them quicker than standard hand winches of a similar design.

I guess the advice I'd give is the same as to anyone buying a second hand winch (powered or manual). Make sure that you trust your friends and families life on the cable you use in the winch. There could be unknown kinks or breaks on the inner fibres, making the cable less effective, and more likely to break at what is supposed to be well within the limit. You probably need to be more careful with a hand winch, as you're forced to stand close to the cable whilst winching is carried out.

You also need a decent anchor for the winch - get a decent tree strop or two and some shackles from Mark Casey.

Cheers

Ben