Path: ...!eternal-september.org!feeder3.eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org!eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: AMuzi Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech Subject: Re: Bike tech idea for Jeff Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2025 19:42:52 -0600 Organization: Yellow Jersey, Ltd. Lines: 91 Message-ID: References: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Injection-Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2025 02:42:51 +0100 (CET) Injection-Info: dont-email.me; posting-host="e1c4114a827a541b03d334fd68a91a45"; logging-data="2007745"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX19iyHdRb3qeWOyOaW6JbuRH" User-Agent: Mozilla Thunderbird Cancel-Lock: sha1:19mqYVNtcMtlPkKtTeMWxtTB0+s= Content-Language: en-US In-Reply-To: Bytes: 5625 On 1/23/2025 7:38 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote: > On Thu, 23 Jan 2025 17:17:40 -0600, AMuzi wrote: > >> On 1/23/2025 2:31 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote: >>> On Wed, 22 Jan 2025 11:52:20 -0500, Frank Krygowski >>> wrote: >>> >>>> On 1/22/2025 1:01 AM, Jeff Liebermann wrote: >>>>> >>>>> The problem with one cable strand or a single loop is that it takes >>>>> two people to operate. One to load firewood at the bottom of the >>>>> hill. Another to unload the firewood at the top of the hill and throw >>>>> it into a pile. That's possible, but I'm trying to avoid solutions >>>>> that require an extra person. >>>> >>>> That is a big problem. I've mentioned before doing work in the attic of >>>> a friend's house, whose workshop and tools were in the basement-level >>>> garage. I realized pretty soon that if I'd forgotten to bring up a 3 >>>> pound hammer, I had to lift almost 180 pounds up three stories. Most of >>>> that load was me. >>> >>> It's called exercise. I drag all of this: >>> >>> up about 50 stairs, every winter (about 5 months). My cardiologist >>> claims that the exercise is all that keeps my alive. (He says that >>> it's the only thing I'm doing right and everything else I'm doing is >>> all wrong). >>> >>>> Seems like we should invent a mechanism that would allow you to load the >>>> wood into some sort of cable-suspended box, let the motor pull it up, >>>> and have the box dump wood onto an upper porch or whatever in response >>>> to a remote command. It sounds like an interesting challenge. >>> >>> It is interesting and I think about it often. The hillside is uneven >>> and a cable delivery system avoids the problem. Additional >>> complexications make it even more challenging. However, as long as >>> I'm (barely) able to haul the firewood up the hill, I won't be >>> building anything to make it easier. I really do need the exercise. >>> >>> >> >> Does your stair have a railing? (if not, why not?) > > The lower half of the stairs have handrails on both sides. The upper > part has no handrails. Both parts need better guardrails which are > currently not to code. It's my fault because I'm lazy and cheap. The > lower part had better hand rails at one time, but had to be > temporarily removed because of construction. Part of that was > providing clearance for a large crane being used to remove some huge > Douglas Fir trees across the road: > > I'll add it to the "deferred maintenance" list of things to do > eventually. > >> A fairly simple monorail box with a section on either side >> of the railing would do if you bring a light load per trip >> and do that with each trip up to the house. > > I sling of firewood is not a light load. I just weighed it at 30 lbs. > When green, it's about 40 lbs. A monorail on one side could be made > to work. With a 60 degree angle from horizontal angle, I would need to > pull the box uphill at: > 40 lb * sin(60) = 40 * 0.87 = 35 lbs. > Better, but not really a major improvement. Of course, if the > monorail was almost horizontal, like a railroad grade, the force > required for me to drag the box up the stairs would be much less. > >> Simple stick type stop which would engage the balusters. > > I'm not sure, but for outdoor stairs, I think the county now requires > 2x2 square balusters with a wired cable down the middle and at least a > 2x4 for hand rails. > "Deck, Porch, Landing, Stair, Ramp, and Guard Construction" > > I'll read through it (time permitting). > >> Couple of rubber wheels from a hardware store and they ride >> on axles which cross from one box to the other. > > That won't go around corners very well. Going up from the road at the > bottom, to the deck and door at the top, I count five 90 degree turns. > I negotiate these with some difficulty using various hand trucks. > 90 degree turns? Yikes! That is indeed quite a problem for hauling firewood. -- Andrew Muzi am@yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971