Tool Talk
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: OilyRascal on March 28, 2012, 05:05:26 PM
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I have my mind set today on repairing at least one set of "come alongs". The first thought that occurred to me, being from Arkansas, was "What are these really called?".....hand winch, manual winch? Anybody know the proper name or is it in fact "come along"?
My more important question is - What is this clamp with a brad stud called that holds the start of the cable to the side of the spool? Once I had the cable unwound I was able to see that it was brad'd into the side of the spool, and I was able to punch that brad loose.....but apparently this set has been repaired before and the cable was welded into that clamp....whereas I now need a new clamp that has that brad stud for the spool. Any pointers on if I might find this part and where - or if I should just fabricate something myself? I really don't like to "rig" when I can get a $3 part.....I usually pay four fold later.
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I'm Canadian (western) and I have never heard then called anything but come-a-longs except after they break. I have never seen a cast one. Most here are cheap junk guaranteed for 1/2 a job. I'm guessing it is a brand name that has been applied to anything similar. Crescent wrenches and vise grips are good examples.
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They're come-alongs in California too.
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I have lived in Lousiana and Illinois and both places the majorty of people call them Come-alongs.
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Long ago, a come-along was a type of shive used in dredging*, it floated on a long line until pulled via a second line, and then dogged into the long line so you could pull the long line with the short line, then when tension was released, it slipped back along the long line and you could start over and do it again.
With a pair you could pull yourself along a tow line, or pull in a long dredge line without using a winch with a huge quantity of line on it.
I suspect, the term came from there (A short hand winched line would be a reasonable improvment for some applications...) ... speculation on the latter tho...
*the original design is somewhat similar to power line pullers.
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A view of the specific part I'm looking to replace - again, would appreciate any information or leads on where I might find a replacement.
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Could you use a Crosby Clip? Don't know if there is space for it, but I saw some in your photos. Like a G450 below.
http://www.cgedwards.com/Crosby/Crosby-PL1.html (http://www.cgedwards.com/Crosby/Crosby-PL1.html)
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Could you use a Crosby Clip? Don't know if there is space for it, but I saw some in your photos. Like a G450 below.
http://www.cgedwards.com/Crosby/Crosby-PL1.html (http://www.cgedwards.com/Crosby/Crosby-PL1.html)
Yeah, I probably could use one and make it work but would risk that stud getting in the way of the spool - even if excesses are cut off it's still a big footprint on the side, of the inside, of the spool (where cable will wind and unwind). I'm guessing if I don't go back with a very small profile I will regret it later.
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I'm told this is a "chain come along". FYI - Answering my own question - Big Box Retailer markets the cheap cabled variety as a "cable puller"
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If anybody besides me cares - that part I need to re-wire the come-along I've found and it is called a "Rivet & Ferrule" - $4.50 - I now have six on the way for all to be repaired. Not sure what will ever happen with 6 - but they'll be fixed.
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>"Rivet & Ferrule"
Now that you have said it, yes.
But it would not have popped into my head for a year -P
I seem to remember something about chain comealongs being banned because they have a nasty tendency to fail without warning when the chain jumps the sprocket...
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You can still buy the chain ones in Canada but any I ever used were not that old and had guides that made it impossible for the chain to come out of the sprocket. Thye cheap cable ones are much more common and fail regularily at anything over 1/2 what they are rated at. I have a couple but only use them as a last resort because frankly they scare the hell out of me.
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I went to the "Industrial Supply" store today and found that they have a 20' and 30' cable replacement kit that already has the rivet & ferrule installed on the end.........much better route.
..... only use them as a last resort because frankly they scare the hell out of me.
That's also a cable comealong for me! Handy, but dangerous.
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Come alongs scrae the heck out of me as well. Better yet what even scares me more is a winch. I always look like a sissy whenever we would winch a truck out of the ditch in louisana I would stand to the side or behind the truck with the winch so if the cable did snap I wouldnt be sliced meat. However as many times as ive used come alongs or winches we have never had any problems.
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Heres the one we use at work, its a beast. I dont know how much she costs but I know it wasnt cheap.
http://www.cmworks.com/ProductDetail.aspx?id=3024
Whats really nice is the winch below. I have used them in louisana for multiple things. As long as you have some good rope your good to go.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200452220_200452220
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"I always look like a sissy"
Thats not being a sissy thats being smart. Any time you don't have to be in the danger zone is a good time not to be. You may not have as many scars to show your grandkids but you will still have lots of stories of other people who thought nothing could happen to them.
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Yeh I guess it could be put that way. I dont live life on the edge I guess lol.