- Joined
- Dec 23, 2019
- Messages
- 147
- Location
- near Harrow, Ontario Canada
- Bike
- '83 BMW R100RS & 3 XS650s
Howdy and good afternoon - I hope you are all having a fun day!
Nainie (gramma in Welsh) and I had a ball with two of the daughters in Kitchener and Guelph, Ontario and the hospitality was superb plus it was great to see our granddaughter again!
As some may be aware, my wife and I sold our home in the city of Windsor and have moved out to four acres in Essex County near the village of Harrow. My plan to build. a 1000 sq.ft. pole barn for my hobbies and toys has slowed as we wait for approvals from the environuts who hold sway over the local area. My contractor is still confident but it may take a while. In the meantime, I investigated the attic of the garage and it is actually about 300 sq.ft.of prime storage. The ceiling is very high however and the access is through one of those hideaway ladders built into the ceiling (you may recall the scene from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation movie where Chevy Chase gets clocked by one of these things).
Anyhow, the other day I went up there and cleaned it all up and in the process, I worked out a cool scheme for an electric winch mounted over the floor “hatchway” - and by golly, I’ve got it nearly done (see photos below) despite crunching my back again during the initial clean-up, I have continued to make progress on the garage reno project:
- I got all of the necessary tools and supplies up into the attic to complete the wiring and electric hoist installation;
- I got the threaded black pipe safety railing installed so that the hole in the floor isn’t quite so dangerous (having shamelessly ripped-off the concept from Daughter #3 and her guy who used pipe for the railings in their new home).


Today’s progress:
- got into the wiring and have partially installed a duplex receptacle and a second light fixture up there;
- got the hoist installed on the roof joist;
- made the chain and snap hook rig harness that will attach to the big Rubbermaid totes to the hook on the hoist cable.
The little Princess Auto (think Horrible Fright) winch is rated at 220lbs and they supply a second hook with a pulley so that it can lift 440lbs - but I wouldn’t trust it with a person. My needs won’t likely be loads greater than 100 lbs and it should do that with no difficulty.
https://www.princessauto.com/en/220-440-lb-electric-cable-hoist/product/PA0008873192
This will make getting stuff up and down from the attic a piece of cake - and that will clear much of the floor space in the garage below and allow me to get on with my hobbies. Attached is a video of a test run lifting just a lightweight stool - and it all worked just fine!
Pete
Nainie (gramma in Welsh) and I had a ball with two of the daughters in Kitchener and Guelph, Ontario and the hospitality was superb plus it was great to see our granddaughter again!
As some may be aware, my wife and I sold our home in the city of Windsor and have moved out to four acres in Essex County near the village of Harrow. My plan to build. a 1000 sq.ft. pole barn for my hobbies and toys has slowed as we wait for approvals from the environuts who hold sway over the local area. My contractor is still confident but it may take a while. In the meantime, I investigated the attic of the garage and it is actually about 300 sq.ft.of prime storage. The ceiling is very high however and the access is through one of those hideaway ladders built into the ceiling (you may recall the scene from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation movie where Chevy Chase gets clocked by one of these things).
Anyhow, the other day I went up there and cleaned it all up and in the process, I worked out a cool scheme for an electric winch mounted over the floor “hatchway” - and by golly, I’ve got it nearly done (see photos below) despite crunching my back again during the initial clean-up, I have continued to make progress on the garage reno project:
- I got all of the necessary tools and supplies up into the attic to complete the wiring and electric hoist installation;
- I got the threaded black pipe safety railing installed so that the hole in the floor isn’t quite so dangerous (having shamelessly ripped-off the concept from Daughter #3 and her guy who used pipe for the railings in their new home).


Today’s progress:
- got into the wiring and have partially installed a duplex receptacle and a second light fixture up there;
- got the hoist installed on the roof joist;
- made the chain and snap hook rig harness that will attach to the big Rubbermaid totes to the hook on the hoist cable.
The little Princess Auto (think Horrible Fright) winch is rated at 220lbs and they supply a second hook with a pulley so that it can lift 440lbs - but I wouldn’t trust it with a person. My needs won’t likely be loads greater than 100 lbs and it should do that with no difficulty.
https://www.princessauto.com/en/220-440-lb-electric-cable-hoist/product/PA0008873192
This will make getting stuff up and down from the attic a piece of cake - and that will clear much of the floor space in the garage below and allow me to get on with my hobbies. Attached is a video of a test run lifting just a lightweight stool - and it all worked just fine!
Pete
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