Plane Talk: Jim Brandon's 4.8-Horsepower Winch 2048
Lee Estingoy
A few months ago, a new guy showed up at our sailplane field here in the Kansas City area. We greeted him and tried to answer his questions about our gear. He didn't seem to be terribly devoted to the Thermal Duration (TD) lifestyle, but he was likely to be a nice addition to our club.
A few weeks later he showed up with a nice winch setup that he had made. We started to get the idea that the new guy was a ringer.
The new guy is Jim Brandon, a master hobbyist and an all-around good guy. He owns The Shop, which manufactures and sells sailplane-launching equipment. His modeling, racing, and other accomplishments are too numerous to list here, but his winches are worth some of MA's ink.
Most winches used in the U.S. sailplane community are built around rebuilt Ford starter motors dating back to the 1930s. Winches are basically a drum on a motor shaft with provisions for a brake (to stop the line from fouling) and the associated framework, switches, bearings, and gadgets to hold it all together.
The Ford long-shaft starter motor has become the standard—at least in this country. It is an old design first used in 1932. We abuse the poor things at 12 volts; they were designed to operate at 6 volts. A starter motor is an intermittent device, meaning it should be used for an "on" cycle of 15 seconds with a rest period of five (or more) minutes.
We often launch every minute or so in contest and club environments. A number of upgrades intended to prolong these systems' lives and increase their power have become common throughout the years, the most notable of which are bearings and cooling fins. That doesn't sound too complicated, and it's not.
"We have used the same motor for 25 years," said Jim. "Technology has moved on while we have stayed in the past."
It's a simple matter of economics. Not many glider pilots are making these winch kits, and the motors themselves are outdated. Jim figured that there should be a better solution, and now he’s providing one—with a large helping of overkill. Just the way we like it!
Advantages of the New Motor
The motors Jim uses are American-made, four-pole designs. They come standard with front and rear ball bearings, so nothing needs to be done to make them suitable for winch use.
- Tested motors showed consistent output with less than 0.1-horsepower variance between units, which is good for contest fairness.
- All parts are available from the manufacturer, and any automotive electrical shop can rebuild the motors.
- Brushes are easy for the owner to replace.
- The motor has a dedicated ground connection, which helps ensure a solid circuit with little electrical resistance.
Machined Parts
Jim fabricates a welded frame instead of using a flat or formed steel plate to save weight. The frames are sandblasted, painted with automotive primer, heat-cured, and then finished with common rattle-can paint. This assures a good bond for the paint and allows the winch owner to do easy touch-ups. Decals add the finishing touch.
The drums are machined from 6061 aluminum, assembled, mounted on a mandrel, and finish-turned. Key drum features:
- Core diameter: 2 inches (optimizes line speed-to-power for TD flying)
- Drum sides: 6 inches tall (can easily hold two spools of #21 through #36 nylon braided line)
The drum is supported on the outboard side with a shaft extension and a robust ball bearing. This outboard bearing keeps the motor shaft from flexing during aggressive launches, which greatly reduces stress on the motor bearings and prolongs motor life.
Drum braking is accomplished with a flat brake band on the inboard side of the drum. Jim says the flat belt is more forgiving than the V-belt braking system used on many winches. The belt is an off-the-shelf automotive timing belt available at any auto-supply house.
The brake arm is machined from 6061 aluminum with a stainless-steel bail. Winches are assembled with stainless-steel hardware, and Nylock nuts are used throughout the build.
Electrical
Safety and durability are emphasized in the electrical design.
- Dual solenoids are used in series to prevent a runaway condition.
- "Shorted solenoid" warning LEDs are built into the winch frame to monitor each solenoid.
- Solenoids have an isolated ground attached directly to the negative side of the battery; frame ground is never relied on.
- A large master on/off switch is mounted high on the winch within easy reach of the operator.
- Battery connection uses a large polarized Anderson connector to prevent incorrect hookup.
- The foot switch is a low-profile Linemaster unit rated at 15 amps and connects to the winch with a smaller Anderson connector.
Wiring and component specs:
- All primary electrical wiring is 1/0 welding cable.
- Components are rated at 200 amps continuous duty with an inrush of 700 amps or more.
- Wires are terminated with copper terminals; anticorrosion gel and heat-shrink tubing are used on all connections to prevent moisture and corrosion.
- All control wiring is 10-gauge stranded copper wire; all connections are soldered.
Turnaround Pulley
A winch wouldn't be much good without a turnaround, and Jim has put a great deal of effort into making his look simple and durable.
- Constructed from 3/8-inch 6061 aluminum.
- Uses a 3.5-inch nylon pulley supported by a sealed ball bearing.
- Pulley is recessed into the sides approximately 0.100 inch to prevent snags.
- Uprights are curved and polished to avoid abrasion during launch and retrieval.
- Front and back are sloped to guide the line back into the groove.
- Base is 8 inches square for a large mounting footprint.
- Staking holes are slightly larger than 3/8 inch so standard tent stakes can be used; holes are angled to help hold the turnaround during aggressive launches.
Bottom Line
I've used many winches at contests and clubs across the country; Jim's winches and turnarounds are top-shelf. They have a tremendous amount of torque and are extremely hard, if not impossible, to stall. We have also noted the winch seems to deliver more energy into the "zoom" portion of the launch: it gets the sailplane moving faster and it goes higher.
Quality is an investment, and a winch is a serious tool; the components and labor add up.
- Assembled Winch 2048 (includes winch, foot pedal, and all connectors): $1,099.99 plus shipping
- Complete package (winch, line, turnaround, and a chute): $1,275
- Click counter option: $15
This is serious gear and comes ready to use. If you prefer to buy a complete solution that will serve you well for years, call Jim. The guys in our club have decided to let Jim hang around, at least for a while. See you at the field.
Lee Estingoy [email protected]
Sources
- The Shop
Phone: (816) 255-4918 Website: www.theshope.net
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
