Source for cheap winch parts...or at least the drum anyways

[tempest411]

Hello,

I am going to try to cobble together my own winch. I have an aftermarket reduction gear starter motor that was originally used for a short while on a Chevrolet V8(427) that can be easily modified to drive a hub off the end of it's pinion. I am primarily after something to use for the hub/spool/drum. Also, I'm interested in opinions on retrievers. The design my club is presently using has a swing arm that changes position about a stationary spool. The arm sits off the end of the spool for launch, then you hit a lever to swing it around to the side of the spool and start the motor. It doesn't work real well. A lot of drag is created, I feel, as the line is pulled over the end of the spool on launch, and a heavy thumping heard as it hits the base of the retriever each time it makes it's way around. Any ideas guys?

Thank you,

Rick

[Soar_dude]

Your best bet is to go to a machine shop and have them make you a drum anywhere from 40.00-70.00 bucks depends on the machine shop.

Soar Dude

[Terry Lyttle]

During our kamekaze days, we went through a lot of research on drums , ie, bust it, try something else. Eventually the only thing to stand up was an aluminum tube with end plates welded on, 3/8" thick, with a maple (bowling pin,I think) center, all driven by a Ford long shaft starter (cheap). We had good success (at lower voltages) with a wood hub (likely maple again, where the hell did all those bowling pins come from anyway??) and 1/2" ply end plates. Cost was a lot less than $70, and we built it ourselves; can you spell "wood lathe"? Check most basements in your area...