Spanish Windlass

[rusty69]

5 minutes ago, Athy said:

Thank you. I don't quite see how it would work but I'm getting the idea. Is or was this technique used in Spain?

I guess the use of the lever gives you a mechanical advantage that you wouldn't otherwise achieve.

They have many uses, including I think killing things.

I used one once on our narrowboat that had grounded on a submerged wall on the River Nene Kings head pub).

I don't know where the name originates from, I bet wikipedia does though.

3 minutes ago, Athy said:

Yes, that makes sense - so you put a length of wood between the two, make a loop around that and start twisting?

See pic in my edit above.

[Hudds Lad]

9 minutes ago, Athy said:

Thank you. I don't quite see how it would work but I'm getting the idea. Is or was this technique used in Spain?

i think the Inquisition used it as a method of torture to slowly choke someone. still not talking? another turn. how about now? etc.

[Stilllearning]

I recently used this method to tighten up a rickety old glass fronted cabinet that needed gluing up. Put wood glue in the dry joints, then windlass round the body of the cabinet and tightened it up and left it so the glue set overnight. Worked a treat.

[system 4-50]

Its not exactly kind to the rope, but hey, its a consumable as MrSmelly would say.

The essential for this to work is the fixed point in the direction that you want to move the variable point.  Ideally you should carry a bollard with you just in case there isn't one where you need it. (Pins don't usually work.)

[Sea Dog]

16 minutes ago, Athy said:

Yes, that makes sense - so you put a length of wood between the two, make a loop around that and start twisting?

See Rusty's diagram at post #20.  If it looks a bit simplistic, it's only because it's so surprisingly simple.

[Machpoint005]

26 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

As you twist the rope loop, it gets shorter pulling together whatever the ends are secured to. If one is immovable (the bollard) the other end (the gate) does all the moving.

Unless the rope snaps ...

[Athy]

8 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

See Rusty's diagram at post #20.  If it looks a bit simplistic, it's only because it's so surprisingly simple.

Thank you. When I viewed that post earlier, the diagram was not there! 

[Mad Harold]

11 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Where were you to need it

 

The lock in the centre of Manchester under Oxford Road [can't remember the number],lock 42E Huddersfield Narrow and  lock 24E 

[Neil Smith]

I used thick fencing wire over the top of 2 concrete fence posts as one was cracked at the bottom, tightened with a piece of wood that twisted the side until post was straight, that was 15 years ago and the wood has rotted away but the wire is still holding the post up.

Neil

[bizzard]

You also need something handy to lash the winding stick to to hold the tension whilst you do a job or to have a rest. A stick bashed into the ground, a railing, anything sturdy will do. If not sturdy, beware if it lets go because the winding stick unwinding can batter you and others around to bits.

[Lily Rose]

I'd never heard of this either so I Googled it. Now I know.

I could have done with utilising this method this morning if I'd been going down Hillmorton locks rather than up.

It was impossible to open the top gate of the 2nd lock (the one furthest from the towpath) as there was so much leaking through the large gap between the bottom gates that the water would not equalise.

The combined forces of myself and A N Other, combined with some gentle pushing from the boat, just managed to open the gate enough to equalise the levels. Had I been going the other way I would probably have been looking round for a suitably large piece of wood. Probably in vain. Perhaps that's yet another item to consider finding a space on the boat for.

[Ray T]

16 hours ago, Lily Rose said:

I'd never heard of this either so I Googled it. Now I know.

I could have done with utilising this method this morning if I'd been going down Hillmorton locks rather than up.

It was impossible to open the top gate of the 2nd lock (the one furthest from the towpath) as there was so much leaking through the large gap between the bottom gates that the water would not equalise.

The combined forces of myself and A N Other, combined with some gentle pushing from the boat, just managed to open the gate enough to equalise the levels. Had I been going the other way I would probably have been looking round for a suitably large piece of wood. Probably in vain. Perhaps that's yet another item to consider finding a space on the boat for.

Atherstone Wedge will do. Useful on the slow filling locks of said flight too.

 

Edited April 26, 2018 by Ray T
Removed photo

[Horace42]

6 hours ago, rusty69 said:

Make a loop. Put ends over the two fixed points.Insert lever in between, and twist.Careful not to let go  of the lever, as it will rapidly unwind and is potentially dangerous to nearby persons.

A bit like the balsa wood and tissue paper model aeroplane kits we used to build as kids in the old days. The plane was driven by a propeller tied to one end of a long elastic band, held lengthwise through the fuselage, that was wound up by the finger of one hand to stretch and twist the elastic - that then unwound when released to spin the propeller and fly the plane.

Too weak elastic or too little 'winding' meant the plane only flew few a few seconds - but extra strong elastic for a longer flight, or too much winding, would cause the fuselage to suddenly collapse under the excessive tension. Those were the days...!

[Mad Harold]

Just now, Lily Rose said:

I'd never heard of this either so I Googled it. Now I know.

I could have done with utilising this method this morning if I'd been going down Hillmorton locks rather than up.

It was impossible to open the top gate of the 2nd lock (the one furthest from the towpath) as there was so much leaking through the large gap between the bottom gates that the water would not equalise.

The combined forces of myself and A N Other, combined with some gentle pushing from the boat, just managed to open the gate enough to equalise the levels. Had I been going the other way I would probably have been looking round for a suitably large piece of wood. Probably in vain. Perhaps that's yet another item to consider finding a space on the boat for.

i use a mooring pin to wind the rope. But be careful not to let go,because if like me you stand astride the rope,and you do let the pin slip,it will batter your genitals .

Guess how I know this.

[tree monkey]

I've used a Spanish windlass to tension fenceing when a monkey winch wasn't available and it works well, just do not let go of the lever when its under tension, it can draw blood if you get in the way

[Alan de Enfield]

You can also use the technique to open 'very tough to open' caps on 25 litre oil drums, where on the last turn you rotate the 'stick' (screwdriver) thru 90 degrees and use it as a lever.

 

Also works on removing tight oil filters from engine, tops off pop-bottles etc etc.

Edited April 25, 2018 by Alan de Enfield

[Athy]

12 minutes ago, Horace42 said:

A bit like the balsa wood and tissue paper model aeroplane kits we used to build as kids in the old days. The plane was driven by a propeller tied to one end of a long elastic band, held lengthwise through the fuselage, that was wound up by the finger of one hand to stretch and twist the elastic - that then unwound when released to spin the propeller and fly the plane.

Too weak elastic or too little 'winding' meant the plane only flew few a few seconds - but extra strong elastic for a longer flight, or too much winding, would cause the fuselage to suddenly collapse under the excessive tension. Those were the days...!

That evokes a distant memory; was KeilKraft the principal maker of those kits? 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

I used to use a spanish windless when making furniture. If I’d ran out of clamps or hadn’t the right size clamp, or it was just too tricky to use a clamp without damaging the wood  

A simple example would be to use one on a wooden chair or stool if it has a loose rail. Remove the rail, tidy the ends with sandpaper (or just squeezing glue into the gaps might do if you can’t get the rail out) reAssemble then pull the legs together using a spanish windless with a stick long enough to catch under the seat and stay in place over night. 

[Lily Rose]

2 hours ago, Ray T said:

Atherstone Wedge will do. Useful on the slow filling locks of said flight too.

How is an Atherstone wedge used? (I don't mean in a Spanish Windlass, I think I can work that out). Google was no help!

Presumably it is something you make rather than buy?

2 hours ago, Furness said:

i use a mooring pin to wind the rope. But be careful not to let go,because if like me you stand astride the rope,and you do let the pin slip,it will batter your genitals .

Guess how I know this.

I did wonder if a mooring pin would work as I have plenty of those to hand. I also thought they might be rather deadly in the event of loss of control.

Edited April 25, 2018 by Lily Rose
Spelling

[furnessvale]

11 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

How is an Atherstone wedge used?

As the boat surges forward in the lock when ascending it hits the gate.  As it does slip the wedge in the gap and more water enters the lock.  Each time the boat surges, slip the wedge in deeper.

DO NOT BATTER THE GATE.

George

[Ray T]

George has explained the operation. Home made not bought.

When we had some old mahogany framed windows replaced I kept the wood and made one from that. 

[Rob-M]

I've seen someone use a mallet instead of a wedge but then you need to stand there and keep hold of it.

[Lily Rose]

40 minutes ago, Ray T said:

George has explained the operation. Home made not bought.

When we had some old mahogany framed windows replaced I kept the wood and made one from that. 

I've probably got some suitable wood I could use. Perhaps I'll give it a go before the next time we go through Atherstone flight (unlikely this year). 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

1 hour ago, furnessvale said:

As the boat surges forward in the lock when ascending it hits the gate.  As it does slip the wedge in the gap and more water enters the lock.  Each time the boat surges, slip the wedge in deeper.

DO NOT BATTER THE GATE.

George

So an old working boat trick to quicken the process rather than wait for the lock to fill. As opposed to being stuck in a lock unable to open the gate because the water level won't rise that last inch or so.

Probably not a good practice for a leisure boater to adopt. And are there any working boat in such a hurry any more?

 

[Lily Rose]

15 minutes ago, Goliath said:

So an old working boat trick to quicken the process rather than wait for the lock to fill. As opposed to being stuck in a lock unable to open the gate because the water level won't rise that last inch or so.

Probably not a good practice for a leisure boater to adopt. And are there any working boat in such a hurry any more?

 

Good point.

My problem today was about being unable to open the top gate without using the boat's help. Fortunately I was going up, not down, otherwise I would have been stuck. Spanish windlass may have been useful if going down.

Last year I went through Atherstone flight for the first time and did not have any problems. I was not in a hurry. Wedge not needed.