Building a Winch Feeder

[TalonErickson7]

I am looking to build 2 feeders that have 2 manual winches in them. Who on TBH has built them before? I know they are not difficult to build but what all supplies did you use and where did you get it from?


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[Drycreek3189]

I have. I just bought the feeder motors, the hardware, the barrels, the lids, the winches, the cables, the 14' legs, (which were just square tubing), and built the hangers. I had a friend who is a welder by trade to build the top that the legs go in, but I think you can buy those too. I looked pretty hard at some factory built ones to see what was necessary. Bought the winches, (make sure you get brake winches), hardware, and cables at Northern, the metal from my welder friend, and the feeder, funnels, and lids from Texas Hunter. The barrels you can pick up anywhere, but the ones I've seen lately you can nearly read a newspaper through. I designed mine where the lids will barely slide under the hanger, and I put big flat washers on either side of the barrel where the hanger bolts go through. The hanger was a press fit on the barrel and I cinched those bolts tight. I think too much play right there would cause the hole in the barrel to wallow out with 350 lb. hanging from it. I welded legs on the barrels (1"square tubing) so the feeder motor doesn't touch the ground. Not hard to build, but if you count your labor, and you just build a couple, you ain't gonna save a whole lot of money. However, you will be proud you built it right.

[SAC]

Search member HuntinAddict He did a good job documenting in his thread

[Huntin Addict]

Thanks Sac!!!!

Here is the link to the build. I had most of the material laying around, however PMI steel is where I have gotten most of my other materials.

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87462&highlight=55

[chrigging]

Check out Texas Stairs and Rails on 59N in North East Houston. They sell everything you are looking for.

[Ten Ring]

I have built a couple of mine. I got my winch from harbor freight and the pulley from McMaster-Carr. The metal I got from the local metal outfit Metals 2 Go. I built the legs with 1-1/2" Square tubing. My legs are 16 feet long, I tried to get as tall and as spread out as I could. The top plate is some 3/8" plate I had laying around with some 2" square tubing welded to it at a 30° angle or so. (Don't really remember) The 1-1/2" tubing slides in the 2" tubing and I have a 3/8" bolt threaded in the 2" tubing to help hold the 1-1/2" tubing in place while I was putting the legs together and standing them up. Since I had an entire sheet metal shop to my disposal I built my own "barrel" with Plexiglas windows to see the corn level. I had welded some lugs to my barrels to hang it from out of some 3/8" plate. I made a spreader bar with a piece of leftover tubing, and used chain and bolts to to attach it to the barrel.

Here are some pictures I had on my computer.
The first picture is actually the second one I built and I used the 1-1/2" square tubing with 3/16" wall thickness. It has a ghost feeder on it and this is the day I put it up before I fixed the feeder pin.
The second picture is the first one I built and I used 1-1/2" square tubing with 11 gauge wall thickness. I have a old feeder timer on it and with it being as high as it can get I throw corn pretty spread out winch takes them longer to pick up and gives me more shot opportunities.

I am headed out there this afternoon after work if you would like for me to get some closer or more specific pictures.

[sendit]

I built 4 legged feeder stand 25 years ago, originally for a 1200lb feeder. Since then I did away with that feeder. I set it up again last year with a little ASF feeder.