Winch

thingiverse

A 40-foot washing line is mounted between a wall-mounted pulley and a tree, positioned approximately 12 feet off the ground when tightened. The winch is secured to the wall for easy adjustment. As a newcomer, please be gentle with your feedback. The winch might be overly robust but can handle considerable weight. It requires a significant amount of PLA to print and may not be ideal for the faint-hearted. Photos depict the winch printed on a RepRap Metric Mendel Prusa with LM8UU bearings in translucent red 3mm PLA. The top shown in the images is an older version (15mm thick instead of the final 10mm). The main file, Winch.scad, utilizes ISOThread.scad for M45 threads, vert_bear.scad for vertical bearings, and horiz_bear.scad for horizontal bearings. Approximately 116 x 6mm steel ball bearings are needed. The code includes uncommented lines that allow viewing of all parts as assembled or rendering individual components for STL file generation. The vertical and horizontal bearings have lips to secure the bearings in place. Support material should be turned off in Slic3r when printing the winch base, but 'generate support' should be on for the reel. A previous washing line winch has been in use for about 10 years. After two weeks of installation, the new winch functions well, although it may wear over time. The red PLA has faded slightly, but a wooden ball handle could not withstand weather conditions. A replacement file, Winch2.scad, and knob.stl have been created for PLA alternatives. After six years of use, the winch wilted under extreme heat, but it remained valuable enough to warrant a replacement order.