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.
safety tip!
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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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- image_224_zpsatzyfpgo.jpg (72.03 KiB) Viewed 4794 times
Orlando, FL Landlord since 2004
Offer 42 Cavities Total
Offer 42 Cavities Total
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Dave Duit
- Posts: 1796
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
- Location: Iowa / Nevada
- Martin Colony History: In 2020, 60 pair with 285 fledged youngsters. 83 total cavities available, 58 Troyer Horizontal gourds and 4 modified deep trio metal house units, 1 fallout shelter, owl cages around all units. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit www.iamartin.org and join.
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.
Mite control, heat venting, predator protection and additional feeding during bad weather add up to success.
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Dave Reynolds
- Posts: 1904
- Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
- Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
- Martin Colony History: 2018 Success at my Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”.
2019 Success at my home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
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‘. 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
Home Site “Little Hocking, Ohio”
2010 / 2018 -- Lots of Visitors
2019 — 1 Pair, 5 Eggs, 5 Babies, 5 fledged.
2020 — 1 Pair, 4 Eggs, 4 Babies, 4 fledged.
2021 — Waiting on March 2021
Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”
2018 -- 15 Pair, 58 Eggs, 38 Hatched and 36 Fledged
2019 — 26 Pair, 128 Eggs, 99 Babies and 97 Fledged.
2020 — 30 Pair, 156 Eggs, 137 Babies and 137 Fledged.
2021 — Waiting on March 2021
PMCA Member
2010 / 2018 -- Lots of Visitors
2019 — 1 Pair, 5 Eggs, 5 Babies, 5 fledged.
2020 — 1 Pair, 4 Eggs, 4 Babies, 4 fledged.
2021 — Waiting on March 2021
Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”
2018 -- 15 Pair, 58 Eggs, 38 Hatched and 36 Fledged
2019 — 26 Pair, 128 Eggs, 99 Babies and 97 Fledged.
2020 — 30 Pair, 156 Eggs, 137 Babies and 137 Fledged.
2021 — Waiting on March 2021
PMCA Member
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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
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
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
Thanks Dave Reynolds! You probably seen this photo on my FB Group page at one time.Dave Reynolds wrote: ↑Sun Oct 07, 2018 7:53 pm...
‘. 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
Orlando, FL Landlord since 2004
Offer 42 Cavities Total
Offer 42 Cavities Total
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phldave
- Posts: 514
- 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
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